PREFACE
The first volume of the Writings of Sam Houston issued in 1938. Originally estimated to fill six volumes, the estimate was later raised to ten volumes, and now The Writings end with this volume VIII. The varying estimates are explainable. It was obvious at the beginning that much material would come to hand during the progress of publication; how much we could only guess. The amount exceeded our estimate. On the other hand, more rigid exclusion of wholly formal documents toward the end enabled us to reduce the estimated maximum to eight volumes. It is difficult to maintain consistent editorial practice through- out a series of volumes issued one at a time through a period of several years. Problems arise during the progress of publica- tion that seem to require independent solution at variance with previous practice, and the editor makes his decision. The matter of exclusion and inclusion is an example in point. From the be- ginning, we were determined to omit formal documents that seemed to have no historical or biographical significance. Our inclusions were more generous in the early volumes than toward the end, yet we believe that we have omitted nothing bearing essentially upon an understanding of Houston through his own words. Some humiliating deficiencies of proof reading are ac- knowledged by the editors, and there are a few repetitions of documents. While regretting some technical shortcomings, the editors feel sure they do not impair the usefulness of the col- lection for the casual reader or the serious student. They are not as numerous as this acknowledgm~nt might imply; and these documents are not classical texts. The collection is as complete as we have been able to make it. We have been assisted by many friends and institutions in mak- ing it so. First and foremost among individuals who have helped us are the grandchildren of General Houston: Mrs. Madge W. Hearne, Mrs. Margaret John, Mrs. Jennie Decker, Mrs. G. H. Loe, Mr. Franklin Williams, and Mr. Temple Houston Morrow. Outside of the Houston descendants, our thanks are especially due to Mr. W. A. Philpott, Mr. Thomas W. Streeter, Mr. Emil Hurja, Colonel M. L. Crimmins, Mr. Al Dealey, and Professor William C. Binkley. Institutions outside Austin which have con- tributed generously are the New York Public Library, the Penn- sylvania Historical Society, the Jefferson Memorial Library of
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