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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1841
387
To JOHN G. BERRY AND OTHERS 1
At Col. Sublett, Sept. 30th, 1841. Gentlemen:- Your note of invitation to a "public dinner, or barbecue," has been handed me. I experience much pleasure in acknowledging this evidence of your continued esteem and con- fidence for me, as an individual and public functionary. It af- fords me satisfaction at all times to meet and commune with my fellow citizens [ ] 2 so many testimonials of regard for me as their immediate representative. You must permit me to de- cline to accept either a dinner or a barbecue. On Saturday the 9th inst., it will be convenient for me to meet my fellow citizens in the town of San Augustine, and address them on such subjects as may be of general and national interest, according to my views of the present crisis.
Sam Houston
To Col. John G. Berry,3 and Others-Committee. 1 The Red-Lande1·, October 7, 1841. 2 The newspaper is torn.
3 John G. Berry was a merchant and general trader of San Augustine. He owned a steamboat, the Big Ben, that made regular trips up the Sabine, delivering goods at various landings; on return trips it carried the cotton of the Texas farmers to New Orleans. This steamboat traffic was opened in 1838. Berry was appointed collector of customs at" San Augustine in 1839. See George L. Crocket, Two Centu,·ies in East Texas, 222-223. Secret Journals of the Senate, 220.
OCTOBER, 1841-N0VEMBER, 1841
To JORN H. HOLLAND, HENRY RAGUET, AND OTHERS 1 San Augustine, Oct. 11, 1841. Gentlemen:- I thank you for the invitation which you have given me to a public dinner, under date of the 6th inst. Owing to the general condition of our country, I have no wish to add to the pressure of our circumstances, by incurring any unnecessary expenses, to those unavoidable outlays of money, which the citi- zens have been compelled to pay for the support of the Govern- ment. I beg permission to decline a "public dinner," but take pleasure to appoint Wednesday the 20th inst., to meet my fellow citizens of Nacogdoches county, and if they desire my views in relation
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