WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1851
297
the character of Texas, or any other State. I will assail the character of no State here, nor of any member of any State. I have never done it; nor do I ever wish to find it necessary to cast a reflection, either in vindication of what may be said here or elsewhere, unless it is by an official person and in his official capacity. 1 Congressio1utl Globe, Am)endix, XXIII, 414-41G. These remarks were made in reply to a speech by Robert Rhett, of South Carolina, for biograph- ical data on whom, see B-iogYaphi ca,l Directory of the Amci-iccm Congrcssi (1928), 1455-1456; also Dictiona?"1J of Amcriccm Eiogmphy, XV, 526-528'. 2 See to John Letcher, January 28, 1851, this volume, for Houston's com- ment on General Hamilton's letter of December 15, 1840. 3 See To James Gadsden, September 20, 1849, in answer to a letter con- demning Houston's actions at home and in Congress, and championing the actions and career of John C. Calhoun; also Houston's comments on the letter of General James Hamilton, w1·itten from Texas, December 15, 1840, in his letter to John Letcher, January 28, 1851. These letters are in this volume. MAY, 1851-DECEMBER, 1851 To NICHOLAS DEAN 1 Huntsville, Texas, May 8, 1851. My dear Friend: I write but seldom, and hence it is that I have not written to you very often. You will expect me to say how much Mrs. H. is pleased, with n [urse] Isabella, and that will be best said, by telling you that she is delighted with her. Our little ones, for we have four, and the three least girls, are all bewitched by her, & since her arrival, there has been manifest improvement, in their manners, and disposition. She is the per- son, that we needed, and you may feel assured, that Mrs. Houston is happy to acknowledge herself under a thousand obligations to her husband's long tried & highly valued friend, Mr. Nicholas Dean of the Empire City. You were kind enough to say that you "were ambitious to secure her good opinion." You have achieved the object of your ambition, if it were not done before by your friendship to me in youth, in manhood, and in exile. These are circumstances which cling close to the heart and mingle with its best affections. The incident of the Nurse certainly will not diminish the respect & friendship which she has entertained for the first friend I ever had in New York. This month thirty five years ago, you and I became acquainted, in New York, and you showed me the Royal Charter, in your office. Well, tho' my life has been one of strange vicissitudes and dark clouds have often
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