207
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1855
t, I ij
the morning he could see nothing of the goat, but upon approach- ing the mall, found the goat all gone except the tail, which was still butting away. "Golly," said the old negro, "dat goat's game to de last." "Now," said General Houston, "that is the way with my ene- mies; they are all butted off but the tail, and that keeps butting away. There is one of those goats in Austin. I said a goat--! mean a very small goat, just a kid. It became necessary some time since at Washington, to excoriate the things back on account of some propensities peculiar to itself. I understand it has been ailing ever since. Mustang liniment has been scarce for some time in the West, and its friends can find no cooling lotion for it. I understand that all the pleasure the poor thing enjoyed for some time after its return to its range, was in butting and bleating. It can't bleat now, though, for it is all gone but the tail, but that keeps butting away. Golly, it's dead game to the last." General Houston concluded amid thunders of applause. The above synopsis, given entirely from memory, we do not vouch for the exact accuracy of. The language is ours, the points and arguments are those used by General Houston. . This speech had a telling effect at Brenham, the hot bed of Houston-anti-ism. It is no disparagement to General Houston to say that it ranks with one of his very best efforts. 1 The Washington American (Washington, Texas), November 1, 1855. 2 This was John Louis O'Sullivan (November, 1813-February 24, 1875), journalist and diplomat, as well as a. warm personal friend of President Pierce. Pierce appointed him minister to Portugal. For biographical sketches see Dictionary of Anierican Bwgra.phy, XIV, 89 Roy Franklin Nichols, Franklin Pie1·ce, Young Hickory of the Granite Hills, pp. 254, 289, 366; J. W. Pratt, "John L. O'Sullivan and Manifest Destiny," New York Historical Jom-nal, July, 1933; New York T1·ibune, March 29, 1895; A11terican Historical Review, July, 1927. 3 A member of the most radical party in France.
To AsHBEL SMITH 1
Webberville, 20th November 1855. My Dear Smith. Last night I could not get paper until the stage was on the point of starting from Bastrop. I was able to write a line to my Representative, & intended to request him to say to you, that I would be most happy to see you with him, here this evening, but in the press of time it was omitted. It would
L
Powered by FlippingBook