WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837
43
To ANNA RAGUET 1
Columbia, Texas, 29th Jany, 1837. Miss Anna:!? Your agreeable favor of the 6th inst after all delays reached me last night, and as I am assured of sending a reply, I have risen much before my usual time this morning to answer it. First, to thank you for your kind congratulations and express my hopes that my.friends may realize their best anticipa- tions in the future, tho' I foresee many difficulties in my path. As to the new seat of Government, I cannot speak advisedly, but reports are favorable to the situation of the place, and tho' it was not my choice, I am satisfied with it. I wou'd have preferred much to have had the seat of Government at "Groce's Retreat," but as I was interested in that place, I did not intimate my wishes on the subject. Nacogdoches wou'd be my choice in preference to any other on earth, but it it so remote from the frontier and the army that it wou'd be like abandoning the country, and at once produce a lack of confidence in the executive! So soon as mail can be established it shall be done, and is now doing! In this as in other matters I will have many difficulties to encounter! As to the fate of Lieutenant A- (for I know he was the one) you will find that in one of my letters I anticipated as much, when I told you what dress to wear and advised the mode! As to the likeness which you are kind enough to offer a place to, I thank you much and shall place it at your disposition when finished, and whe~her it will ever be necessary to make any other will depend on the "seat of Government." You mention the desire of some friends that you shou'd have passed this winter at Washington in the Gay-world. You cou'd no doubt have been happy there, and Gay, you must have been admired, you wou'd have been! I have not mentioned before Col. Almonte 3 for the reason that he was no favorite in our army inasmuch as all complained of him for what they termed his bad faith to the Texians who had treated him so kindly. I had not seen him and therefore had no prejudice to overcome in his case! I liberated him. He had been the interpreter between Santa Anna and myself. Since commencing this letter, Capt. Teal has presented me yours of the 16th, and I feel by no means disposed to scold you! Only to say that I feel still in doubt as to the merits of the "Poetry!" I feel assured that the greatest merit which it has is that it is intimately associated with you. But you would have
Powered by FlippingBook