WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1854
failure, too, of the pretended deposit in the first instance, as well as the Bankrupt character of persons out of Texas will militate against the character of the whole enterprise; in addition to this, the publication made to the North last Winter & Spring, that the Contract was secured to a company of which the head men of the present constituted prominent member, and this to circulate uncontradicted by them, will be taken into account, with what may have been, or may yet be done, touching the whole affair-• As a friend of yours, Governor, and of several who are con- nected with this matter, I feel a lively and sincere interest per- sonally and as a friend to the State. I am most anxious to see the system of Railroads progress in our country-With these feelings and desires, I went last fall to Austin, while the Legis- lature was in session, if perchance it might be in my power to forward the project of internal improvements to do so- · The inducements held out by the State were sufficient to have insured solvent contractors, and were such as I advocated, at the same time I thought the amount of deposit ought to have been half a Million, $500,000 at least, Believing that any Company with means to carry out the enterprize would find no difficulty in making such a deposit- ! sincerely hope that matters may yet take such direction as will meet the necessities of the Country, and the just expectations of the people. As you alone are responsible, I beg you not to think or regard this letter as written in a spirit of censure, or dictation, for I .assure your Excellency such is not my design, and I would feel mortified to know that such construction should be placed upon the expression of my views. I will be happy to hear from your Excellency if you have leisure previous to my departure for the City of Washington. Sam Houston Gov. E. M. Pease, Austin, Texas [Endorsed]: Copy to Governor Pease 7th Nov. 1854 Preserve this letter, General, for me Railroads Pacific &c 1 Ho11ston Letters, The University of Texas Library. A sketch of E. M. Pease is to be found in a note under Houston to Henderson Yoakum, June 13, 1851, in this volume. 2 The blank within brackets is in the original letter. 3 The latter part of this sentence is confused in the original.
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