WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
not seen or heard of a man who has been removed, who was in the least intemperate, or gave evidence of intemperance; and yet this wholesome charge is made. The officers may, when off duty, for aught I know, indulge; but I say they do not bear that appear- ance. They are gentlemen, as far as I can judge; and I have sought to become acquainted with them so that I might judge impartially. Unfortunately, I heard of one of the gentlemen who has been retained-but he is one of the "hard cases," I reckon- one of the hardest in the Navy-who was helped into a hotel and carefully laid by to be taken care of; but I do not suppose he meant any harm by it. [Laughter.] It happened just unex- pectedly, he not being habituated to it. [Laughter.] I propose now to gratify the Senate by one of the most tasty and agreeable things I have ever seen. It is an extract from a letter written by Captain S. F. Du Pont, dated "Cyane, off San Jose, Lower California, March 5, 1848." This is an extract: "My Dear Thorburn: . . . The letter to my soldier friend to replace an official one, was purposely rehanded, that our naval friends, if they felt interested in our doings, might have the benefit." These are the doings I told you of-nobody killed, nobody hurt.
Mr. Bayard. Mr. Houston. Mr. Bayard.
What is the date of that letter? March 5, 1848. Is it a private or public letter?
Mr. Houston. It is a private; but I will give you the name. There is no secret about it; none at all. Listen to the language of this portion of the letter; he thinks he had absolutely electri- fied the world, and he did not know what would happen. He says: "But it seems you did not deign to vouchsafe one single word in reference to them." That is, in reference to the glorious achievements which I have described. "I candidly confess some disappointment at this, perhaps a little the more as the Cyane had been loud in tr'U,mpeting the very clever doings at Guaymas of the Southampton, and would have been pleased with even a faint whistle in return." [A shrill and lengthened whistle, such as a boatswain gives when he pipes all hands to quarters, or to grog, was the Senator's illustration of the passage which he read, and it astonished and amused the crowded galleries.]
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