166
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1837
3 Cornelius Van Ness (1803-1842), jurist, was born in Vermont. He was the son of Governor Cornelius P. Van Ness, and while his father was the United States Minister to Spain, 1829 to 1837, young Cornelius was the secretary of legation. In Spain he acquired a thorough knowledge of Spanish, French, and several other European languages. He also acquired the old world love of play and idleness, an acquisition that greatly provoked his family and friends. Upon returning to the United States he resided in New York and Washington for a few months, during which time the break with his family, because of his fashionable, idle life, became acute. Finally in the late summer of 1837, he went to Texas and settled at San Antonio, established a Jaw office, buckled down to business, and began to advance rapidly in his profession. From 1837 to 1842 Cornelius Van Ness was a member of the Texas Congress. He seemed to have lost all the love of ease and idleness that annoyed his family, for he was exceedingly active and alert in all public interests. All predicted for him a brilliant future in the public life of Texas, when he was killed in the summer of 1842 by the accidental discharge of his gun, caused by the plunging of his horse as he was about to mount. In the summer of 1838, his younger brother, George Van Ness, had joined him in the practice of law at San Antonio. George Van Ness was of a lovable disposition and became a general fav- orite. He was a gallant man, and became one of the bravest soldiers of the Texas frontier. He joined the Santa Fe Expedition in 1841, was taken prisoner, and along with the men of the Mier Expedition was a prisoner at Perote for many months. See Lama1· Papers, V, 210. G. P. Garrison (ed.), Divlomatic Con·espondcnce of the Repu,blic of Texas, II, 748, 767, 769. Nationctl Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 240. 4 John Ricord. See Houston to Thomas Toby & Brother, October 27, 1836.
To THE TEXAS SENATE 1
Executive Department, Republic of Texas, City of Houston, Dec. 13, 1837.
To the Honorable Senate of Texas, Gentlemen: In response to your call on the Executive, I have with regret to state that Mr. Chamberlain obtained a furlough on the 10th day of February, 1837, for two months, and was to report for duty at the expiration of his furlough which he did not do. When the army was organized it was not known that he was Jiving, consequently he was not nominated to the Senate at that period. Then, all claims on T'exas ceased. It has been reported to the Executiye, that in New York, he who had never been but a Lieutenant, represented himself as a Major of the Texian Army, and placed a strap on each shoulder, which belongs to no officer under the Grade of Major. Thus making himself an Imposter. Until the expiration of his furlough he will be allowed pay, etc., but no longe1·. If pay is allowed to every one who wishes to
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