101
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1854
She has enough sons who are worthy of such a mother, and who may well wear her honors; but I will have no bastard to come in and claim their birthright. I admire the zeal of the Senator from Tennessee. He thinks he is doing very well. Much reliance has been placed upon a remark that I made, that there were various meetings demonstrative of the strong feelings of Texas in favor of this individual after he returned and surrendered himself to be dealt with. I will explain the reason, for I am fortified on the subject. He surrendered him- self, and the demonstrations were of an amusing character, like those. which followed the reception of the "dodge" report. When it first came officially, there were torchlight processions in Gal- veston, on account of the glorious achievements of the navy and of the Commodore. There was one meeting at which there was a gentleman who was a connection of one of the commissioners, another of the name of the President, and another whose name I do not recollect; and they stated that it was a large meeting, and numerously attended. There were just three there. When two or three persons got together, it would be a numerous and largely attended meeting, and they would pass the most vehe- ment and laudatory resolutions in favor of the Commodore and his glorious achievements; and a reception was prepared for the Texas navy. All these things were done. But, sir, the course of the Legislature is relied upon. We all know what it is to get resolutions passed by a Legislature, when nobody is gainsaying it, and especially when they want to get rid of an interminable pest, who was at every Legislature until the last, I believe, when Texas was admitted as a State. As for the court-martial and their finding, it was accorded as a matter of favor by the President. He knew it was unavailing. The man had been dishonorably discharged. He knew that if they saw one half the truth, and came to give judgment, they must find him guilty; but they had not cognizance of the charge of murder, or of the charge of treason; and therefore they could not find him guilty of either. That is the reason why he was not found guilty of either. They did find him guilty of flagrant disobedience of orders. Had he power to go to Yucatan? Had he power, when ordered to Galveston, to go to Yucatan, in disobedience of four reiterated orders? Certainly he had not ; and all the commis- sioners in the world could not exonerate him. The "secret act" was passed because he had repeatedly violated orders, and it was believed that it was his intention to run away with the navy and sell it, as was suggested by those who moved the act. That was
Powered by FlippingBook