299
WR'.TINCS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1861
disaster. The soil of our beloved South will drink deep the precious bJocd of our sons and brethren. In earnest prayer to our Heavenly Father, I have daily petitioned him to cast out from my mind the dark foreboding of the coming conflict. My prayers have caused the . light of reason to cast the baleful shadows of the coming events before me. I cannot, nor will I close my eyes against the light and voice of reason. The die has been cast by your secession leaders, whom you have per- mitted to sow and broadcast the seeds of secession, and you must ere long reap the fearful harvest of conspiracy and revolution. 1 A copy of this speech was sent to The University of Texas Library by S. A. Hackworth. The Brenha1n lnq1ifrer, April 3, 1861, mentions the speech, also the ominous threats made against Houston's life should he try to make a speech at Brenham; it also states that a "brave secession leader" addressed "the howling mob" stating that he would protect Gen- eral Houston while he made any speech he might wish to make. But The Enquire,· did not report the speech or any part of it; but it did give the date as March 31, 1861. In sending the copy to The University of Texas, Mr. S. A. Hackworth wrote the following letter which may be of interest: Galveston, Texas [no date]. I herewith enclose to you a correct report of the great speech made by Governor Sam Houston at Brenham, Texas, in 1861, immediately after he had been deposed from the Governorship of the State, because he refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Confederate Government. General Hous- ton, accompanied by his family, was on his way, by stage travel, from Austin to his home at Cedar Point, near the old battlefield of San Jacinto. He did not wish to speak, but his old soldier comrades, and other friends at Brenham insisted that he speak his sentiments. He firmly continued to refuse their invitation, until some of the hot-blooded secessionists declared that he should not speak. This aroused the old lion-hearted hero, and he then consented to speak. I remember the scene as vividly as if it had been only yesterday. The excitement was intense; excited groups of secession- ists gathered upon the street corners, and declared that it would be treason against the Confederate Government to permit Governor Houston to speak against secession. The court house was densely packed, and as Governor Houston arose to speak, cries were heard: "Put him out; don't let him speak; kill him." At this moment, Mr. Hugh McIntyre, a wealthy planter of the community, and a leading secessionist, sprang upon the table and drew a large Colt revolver saying: "I and 100 other friends of Governor Houston have invited him to address us, and ,ve will kill the first man who insults, or who may, in any way attempt to injure him. I myself think that Governor Houston ought to have accepted the situation, and ought to have taken the oath of allegiance to our Confeclernte Govern- ment, but he thought otherwise. He ·is honest and sincere, and he shed his blood for Texas independence. There is no other man alive who hn!l more right to be heard by the people of Texas. Now, fellow-citizens, give him your close attention; and you ruffians, keep quiet, or I will kill you."
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