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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1840
363
pretty he has ever seen. He hopes that the madam will gratify him by the honor of accepting the very trifie. [ Rubric] Austin, 8th Deer. 1840. 1 The original document is in the Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas; photostat, The University of Texas Library; Katherine Vedders Pauls (Mrs. Cortes Pauls), Gcmnie, 22. The original is a very beautiful document, written on parchment in Houston's own hand and signed only with his 1·ubric especially ornate and in the blackest of ink. ~For the life story and romance of Mrs. Flood, see Katherine Vedders Pauls' little book, Gannie. The book is rare, but both the Texas State Library and The University of Texas Library possess a copy. 3 The history of this beautiful feather is given in the following letter to the Galveston News on August 26, 1873: "In your paper of August 25, I read an autographed letter to Miss Raguet from the "Grand Hero of San Jacinto." Your allusion to its touch of romance has awakened old· but sad memories, and I enclose a few lines he wrote to my beloved mother, sending with it a feather presented to him by Flacco, the Daniel Webster of Indian lore. General Houston's story was that he admired the massive form of the Indian chief, and bestowed much flattering comment upon his 'wealth' of headgear, whereupon the delighted 'brave' tore the feather from his head and presented it to the 'pale faced favorite of the Great Spirit.' Our Houston could splinter a lance with the champion of the quill as eloquently as he could draw his sword in defence of his beloved adopted country, and it is owing to his influence that I am a Texan today. The bright panorama of possibilities his eloquent tongue and pen painted to my dear mother aroused her .ambition, and she never rested till my father, to oblige her, took the path to the infant 1·epublic. The relic to me is beyond price." "Charlotte Flood Lazarus.'' Mrs. Cortes Pauls told the writer of this note that the feather was still (1934) in the possession of one of Mrs. Flood's granddaughters, a first cousin of Mrs. Pauls.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TELEGRAPH 1
December 30, 1840
For the Telegraph- Mr. Editor:- May we [be] permitted to ask if in the ap- proaching sixth year of a Supreme Court and a Chief Justice, with all their imposing concomitants of profit and honor, we may look for the adoption of sufficient Court Rules, and the definite settlement thereby of a system of practice at Common Law, in Equity, and of Admiralty, for all the Courts of the
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