WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1851
276
United States. She desired of course, after the United States rejected the treaty of annexation, to establish commercial rela- tions with us. She said if we would pledge ourselves not to be annexed to the United States, she would guarantee our inde- pendence, and give us great commercial advantages. Nobody had any right to complain; the United States had refused to annex us, and had said, they did not want to form any closer connection with Texas than they could do by law, and that Texas had just the same rights, national and international, as the United States. Yes, and acquired them more dearly; the United States acquired theirs by a war of eight years; Texas had waded through blood and massacre for ten long weary years before she was redeemed. Well, I knew how affairs were very well. I had lived in the United States; I· knew there were two political parties contending for power; they had grown up after I left them; then they were all harmonious and at peace--everybody in the world happy but myself; and I was almost the only miserable thing on earth; I came back and found myself tolerably happy, and every- body else in an uproar about party politics. It was a most glori- ous exchange for me, and I hope not a bad one for them. I think the more vigilantly one party can watch the other the better the country will be governed; and I will allow another thing-that neither party can play the rascal long with impunity. Well, I knew that, just so long as it was believed that Texas could be annexed whenever government pleased, so long as it had no apprehension of her promoting her own interest and forming relations so as to annoy the United States, just so long her claims for annexation would be postponed. I knew more than that; I knew that no political party would take it up as a party measure until satisfied it could make capital out of it. You must excuse me using a pronoun so much that looks a little egotistical, but I do not care. I determined it should enter into the presi- dential election, and Texas should no longer remain between hawk and buzzard. I had set out to annex Texas to the United States, and obtain a recognition of her independence, that she should not be harassed from morning till night; I thought it was time for her to assume the attitude of a man, and to say for my country, "we have struggled long enough for redemption." I say I determined to have it in the presidential campaign of 1844. General Jackson wrote me several letters on the subject. He was a man whose memory I venerate as I do the recollection of my father's will-a man who has conferred upon his country
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