361
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1840
he thought, contained poetry. He would read from Judge Taylor of Nacogdoches, to show the great similarity of the language. The memorial speaks of the Indians having been put into pos- session of their lands. . Who had put them in possession of it but the Mexican government? How does this accord with the principles advocated in the in- structions of our minister of 1837-when the memorial was writ- ten, they were all perfection-now they were the most perfidious wretches alive! The memorial accompanied the constitution drawn out from the state government: he had no doubt of its being a correct copy. A newspaper might contain another-but newspapers were much easier made than books, and one of similar dimensions and appearance might be printed for a special pu.rpose. He would not accuse the author of this memorial of plagiarism; but he must say that the memorial of Charles S. Taylor of Nacogdoches, which was written two years before, was not similar, but pre- cisely the same! It showed great similarity of feelings-when he (Mr. H.,) was a stranger in the land, he could not be blamed for adopting similar principles, when he found then vouched for by such high authority; and particularly when he found a chain of titles extending from the Mexican government up to the time it was confirmed by the pledge of the consultation of Texas. Occupying a high station, he would not de[s] cend to the low bil- lingsgate which had characterised some of his opponents; but he should endeavor to treat them all with courtesy and forbearance. High functionaries of this government had set out twenty leagues of land to be located in this territory-not less than the highest- it had been done to [ ] country. Under these circumstances [we must] expect the bill to meet with great opposition-private speculation was far more dear to some than public good. But it was not the case with him-his country should always claim his first thought-his family and friends were matters of secondary consideration. The government was deeply in debt, and some means must be devised to release her from the difficulty; and he knew of no better method to effect that object than the sale of the Cherokee lands. This country was 130 miles long and 60 in breadth; less than $3,000,000 it could not bring; he thought it would bring nearer eighteen millions than three. Its value could not be computed- there was not an acre that would not redeem ten Texas dollars,
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