WRITINGS OF SAM HousTo~, 1841
383
who sent you on that business, could be induced to suppose, that any editor of the Republic would refuse to publish the proceed- ings, which were designated to resist despotism, and to secure the enjoyment and privileges guaranteed to them, by the Consti- tution of 1824? No. You cannot have thought so. But you had a better reason- " To be Political and Military Chief of Texas," was the cause for you not to let Santa Anna see your vatriotic name opposed to centralism. Yet, you are the immaculate patriot, and Rusk, Houston, Hockley, W. G. Cooke, Burleson, and others were all tories, in your estimation, even after the battle of San. Jacinto. Sir, was this the only instance in which you evinced opposition to the cause of Liberty in Texas? No. You had influence on Trinity, Old River, and their neighborhood, in which you re- sided, and you had established the first Temperance Society in Texas. You were looked to as a learned man, and you obtained a grant of land; it was thought you had much influence, both in Mexico and in the United States. You had influence in Mexico to obtain it, and influence enough in the United States to sell it, and the people ·saw scrip brought from New York, every day issued, on "Burnet's Grant," and others ; 2 yet, you, are no land speculator. I will admit that to be true - but you were instru- mental, in giving rise to the most outrageous fraud eve,· perpe- trated upon niankind. Yes, Sir, to the amount of millions of dollars. You may alledge that others, committed this fraud - this is not so. You did it because you basely placed the means within thefr power: until you had complied with the conditions of your Grant, you had no right to it. You never did com,ply with any condition; yet you went to New York, and sold it to a com- pany who have swindled by the millions. Was this honest in you? It was not "land speculation," for you had no land - but it was worse; it was a base fraud, if not upon those to whom you sold your p'retended claim, it enabled them , by your means, to defraud honest m~chanics, and others to whom they sold scrip, and who came to Texas to locate it in "Burnet's Grant." They found it valueless, and without means to meet the disappointment, num- bers died of want. "Sober Davy," The Lord will yet deal with, you in ,~ighteoitsness, for these unholy trcmsacUons: for "thou art the man," and, " the people shall clap their hands at thee, and hiss thee out of thy place." But, Sir, I will propound a question
Powered by FlippingBook