WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 184,0
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come forward with his 160 claims-all good, valid and honest, no doubt. But examine the question, and it will be stripped of all its false coloring, and become as plain and clear as a decision of this house had made it. At the last session, after a thorough and impartial investigation, it passed by an almost unanimous vote. He ven- tured to predict that such would be the case at the present session. Truth would be lasting as the eternal hills; newspapers might abuse him; but he should not be driven from his purpose. 22 numbers of "Publius,'' 4 occupying 60 columns had been published, but the shaft had fallen as harmless as the playful blow of an infant. Harmless, perhaps he should not say, for it had deprived the people of his section of the country of the laws of congress. They had not even been published in the newspapers. But he had a precious morceau which he had found published in Edward's history of Texas. This was a memorial forwarded by a convention of 26 members assembled at San Pelippe [Felipe] to the Mexican government, praying for a separate state govern- ment. He had heard people talk of handling things without mittens, but in the handling of this he should use gloves as soft as silk. [Here the gentleman from San Augustine pulled a pair of white silk gloves from his pocket and drew them on his hands.] However unfortunately-just at this time, and while they were being told, the government would put them in possession of their lands-some of our fellow citizens, without authority, ran off and included in a survey, part of a Cherokee claim or grant; conse- quently created by such an act, a distrustful disposition on the part of these Indians-in conjunction with all those unlawful acts, so repeatedly committed on the poor confiding Indians of Texas, who are thus made to believe that we are actuated by the same spirit as their former oppressors. Therefore do they credit any gross misrepresentation made to them, given to former ap- prehension the guise of truth; and they are now losing past con- fidence in all individuals, protestations, or advice; like the wrecked bark, having crossed a wide expanse of ocean; is in sight of her destined port, but without the friendly sails that propelled her, and without any visible aid or probable chance of assistance! This was addressed to the governor general of Mexico-it was considered very fine on that occasion-he did not know at the time that it was a plagiarism-the sentence of the wrecked bark,
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