WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1841
371
validity of this bank charter, and authorized the firm of McKinney, Wil- liams & Company to issue $30,000 in paper to circulate as money. Hous- ton's political opponents accused him of having been bribed to push this bill through Congress. "See Houston to Anna Raguet, February 8, 1839. 5 Philip A. Sublett, the son-in-law of Elisha Roberts, was one of the best friends Houston ever had. They had been boyhood friends in Tennessee, and their affection for one another held true throughout their lives. Sublett was the chairman of the Committee of Safety and Correspondence for the San Augustine district in 1835; and he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas revolutionary army. (See Johnson-Barker, Texas and Texans, I, 286.) He was chosen colonel by a majority of 8 to 6 over Edward Burle- son; but Sublett refused the honor and Burleson was elected. (See Gam- mel, Laws of Tex(l,s, I, 636; also see George L. Crocket, Two Centuries in East Texas, 120, 170-177.)
To ASHBEL SMITI-!1
Cedar Point, 4th Aug. 1841--
Dear Smith, I send you a sketch as I promised. 'T'is not fine.-It is just from the pen, and no time for correction-You will do that and have it copied by all means. If you think it will answer the purpose, have it out. It will provoke this court, most fearfully- Wetumpka 2 will feel it, if feel he can. Don't let my name be known, or traced.- I know the piece is defective-but the matter will all hurt, and the price of the gentlemens fidelity will take well ! If you think they will not publish it in Galveston; send it back by Frank.- 3 I will go to Houston soon, I think.- Write if you have time. Let us know how Mrs. Allen is, if you please. Mrs. H.- is well and says present her respects to the Doctor. Houston. Dr. A. Smith' Bay [Addressed]: To Doct. Ashbel Smith Frank. At Home Texas 1 Ashbel Smith Papers, The University of Texas Library. 2 Houston, in derision, often called David G. Burnet "Wetumpka." The letter above hints pretty openly that Houston was writing a series of articles against David G. Burnet which he hoped to have published in Galveston papers. The Telegraph and Texas Rcgiste.r (Houston), a strong anti-Houston paper, ran a series of articles written b)r David G. Burnet, but signed "Publius," from June 23 through Jul~r 14, 1841; also another series of five articles entitled "To the Friends of Morality and to All who desil·e
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