WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1839
339
Suppose a supreme executive officer, who had a General under his command-suppose that that General, aided by his troops, should defeat an invading army- suppose he should take a mili- tary chest: see him wounded, and refuse the payment of his passage in a vessel, to a place where he could get medical aid, or a surgeon to dress his wounds!! ! Those who give liberty to a country were entitled to the spoils -and they should have it if it were a mountain of gold. He cared nothing for himself, but he could not bear the idea of see- ing the poor soldier filched out of the pittance he had gained by his toil. He, Mr. H., was an humble individual, and could not claim the honor of holding the second office in the gift of the people- of acting Secretary of State-- of acting Adjutant Gen- eral- of Indian Commissioner, all united in the same individual· -but he claimed the honor of a, spotless characte1·. When that portion of the President's message relating to In- dian affairs was read, at the opening of the present Congress, the individual alluded to nodded his head at the gentleman who is now addressing you, as much as to say: " This, Sir, is intended for you." Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." The letters found on the Bowl he said "would fit it." I suppose he meant would procure my ruin. Sir, said Mr. H., I call on him to bring them out- and lay them before the world- I fear not their publication. In conclusion he would remark that if the territory contem- plated in this bill, was not rescued from the speculators,-it would be an indellible stain upon the reputation of his country. Now the Indians had been driven out, it would accrue to the govern- ment, and rendering an act of justice would be raising a revenue for the country- could members under such circumstances, fal- ter in their duty? The Bowl had been accused of holding correspondence with the Mexicans, and an intention of aiding and abetting that nation against the country- but he called for proof. If the Mexicans saw proper to open a correspondence with him, must he be pun- ished for receiving the letter. There was no proof against him, but his devotion to the American people had often been shown. But the Cherokees were to be irritated and if possible driven to hostilities. Swarms of surveyors ,vere sent into the nation to survey the very fields and gardens of their chiefs- they bore
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