312
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
present session-the same from which I last read-I find this letter of Captain Smith: "United States Ship 'Ohio,' at Sea, July 30, 1839. "Sir:-I have received from Lieutenant Du Pont a very, as I think, extraordinary and uncalled-for communication, which I ·think it is proper, as well as it is a duty, to enclose to you. "The true military course for me to pursue would be to compel him to occupy the apartment assigned to him in addition to that which he has so much complained of, and which he says is un- tenable; but under the present state of excitement upon the sub- ject of accomodations of the ward-room officers, I do not deem it expedient to take such a course, but to allow the gentleman to remain in the apartment assigned to him by the Navy Depart- ment, which he prefers to that prepared for and appointed to him by myself, and which was certainly intended by me to relieve him from what he complained of in the other. The tenor and character of this communication, as well as the course he has taken, first, in making the complaint referred to, and then declin- ing to accept the accomodation offered as a remedy for the evil, develop a spirit of dictation in its author too clearly, to my view, to require comments from me. "Respectfully, your obedient servant, "Joseph Smith "Captain United States Ship Ohio. "Commodore Isaac Hull, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Naval Force in the Mediterranean, at sea." Now, I leave it to the candor of any and every Senator to deter- mine whether I made an untrue statement, or drew a false deduc- tion, in asserting that he had insulted Captain Smith. Is not this the language of an insulted man? Certainly it is. [Mallory interposed to say that the closing paragraph of Du Pont's letter to Smith disclaimed intention to be discourteous.] Mr. Houston. That is true; but if a man spits in your face and then says he did not intend to insult you, would you believe him? Or if a man knocks you down and then begs your pardon, and says he did not mean to do it, would you believe him? Words qualifying a matter of that kind can have no force. Mr. Mallory. I only ask that the paragraph be read in con- nection. Mr. Houston. I would have read it myself with great pleasure, but I objected, because Du Pont is so copious and diffuse in his
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