WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1861
311
"Still Hankering After Texas. A dispatch of the 15th ult., from Washington says: "Reliable advices from Texas dated the 23rd August, repre- sent the Union sentiment as rather on the increase, and this, becomes evident as the true state of the agitation is better understood; and further that it would extensively be manifested should federal protection be afforded against the oppression of the disunionists. The newspapers of that State have perverted the statements made by General Houston from time to time, as it is Positively known that he has no sympathy with rebellion. At last accounts he was in ·quiet seclusion on his farm, await- ing events." By this you will perceive that my name has been unwarrant- ably referred to, and my present attitude most egregiously mis- apprehended, or most wantonly misrepresented. Previous to. the act of secession by Texas and whilst the measure was one of argument and opinion, my opposition to it was open and avowed, and my opposition to the acts of the Convention was not con- cealed, but was, on all becoming occasions, fully expressed, nor did I cease that expression of opposition to the measures of secession until the people acquiesced in it, when I, as one of them, unhesitatingly assented to this conclusion; since which time, I have attempted to throw no impediment in the way of this action; but on the contrary, have performed all the acts of a dutiful and loyal citizen of the Southern Confederacy. This was doing no more than what became me, -for I have lived and acted upon the principle that all public officers should obey the will of their constituents and all private citizens support the government which secures to them their liberties. Whilst the convention was in session, I presented a communi- cation to the Legislature accompanying resolutions forwarded to me by the Executive of Tennessee on the subject of coercion, in which I denounced unqualifiedly such a ·measure of Federal policy; since then, my opinion has undergone no change. I have seen no necessity, nor have I any desire to see my name paraded in the newspapers either as a speech maker, or a correspondent. In these matters my "occupation is gone," and now I write for the purpose of removing any delusion that may be resting upon the minds of friends or enemies. I am aware that many honest minds have been deluded by the publications of editors in this State, who have slandered me unscrupulously, some of them for eighteen years, and all of them since their advent into the coun- try, as. I believe, because they were ambitious and wished to
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