WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1852
355
I wrote to your Dear Ma, today, I will write to my Dear Son, tonight. But when I think of it, you owe me several letters. Now, am I not kind to write you two of three longer letters, for one of your short ones? You cant know how much I value, your letters, or I think you would try to make me happy. If you are learning well, I will excuse you for your silence, should I live to reach home ! I hope your Dear Ma, and all the little Houstons, had a pleasant visit, and returned safe from your Uncle Vernal's. In all your letters, you never seemed to mention your little sisters, or to tell me about them, or that you had been trying to make them happy. This ought to be a great study with you. If you could do this, you would not only make them happy, but your Dear Ma, and I am sure this wou'd make you happy, so that all would be happy! Now if you could study out some way to amuse yourself, and Sisters at the same time, so that neither, them nor you would be hurt, it would be very clever and kind. If you keep drawing and painting it does not delight them at all. On these subjects your, Dear Ma should be consulted, and her advice respected by you! Kiss Ma, and all the Dear Sisters for Pa, and tell them 'tis for me. Thy Father Sam Houston. 1 From the original in the New York Public Library; a photostatic copy is in The University of Texas Library. URGING DELAY IN CONSIDERING THE RIVERS AND HARBORS BILL, AUGUST 17, 1852L Mr. Houston. Mr. President, we have but eleven days of the session now to work in, and with all the discretion and power we possess, can we do more than properly complete the civil and diplomatic appropriation bill in that time? Can we give it that investigation to which it is entitled in less time? If we take up the river and harbor bill, shall we have an opportunity of inves- tigating that, and its various provisions? If it is to be forced upon the Senate without investigation, I shall only have to record my vote against it. There are provisions in it that I presume I should be very glad to support; but there are others for which I cannot vote. If we are to run the risk of postponing the civil and diplomatic bill for the purpose of taking up the river and harbor bill which has not been investigated and looked into by
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