WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1842
140
I I
.I
·I j;/
letter you take a review of many matters which to me present little ground for present reflection. You speak of a passport at Austin. Well! You solicited that and it was granted; not because it was necessary, but, if pos- sible, to gratify you, and attach (as I suppose you wished me to do,) some importance to your leaving Texas. It was harmless; but it was certainly useless. I would have granted the same to any other citizen ·of the Republic who was worthy. I may have said that "I would think of something clever for you to do." If I did, it was no more than I wished at all times to do for you. I did not send you to England as bearer of despatches, for many reasons, but not one that called in question the qualities of your heart as an honest or honorable man. When you tendered your services in the event of a war, I placed myself under no obliga- tions to you, as your own statement shows. In the matter of your recent appointment, you compel me to assure you, when I did sanction the appointment, it was to get rid of further annoyance; and I suggested to the Secretary of War, that if the war went on, you would insist on the station that you temporarily held, and that you could not have it, for reasons which I advanced to him. I thought from what he told me, that you would be gratified with the temporary appointment. I yielded to his wishes, believing that it would cost the government nothing and afford you an opportunity of display. In this I was rather mistaken; for I have found out that there was some reality in the transaction. When it was agreed that you should perform a portion of the duty, I told you expressly, that you would not have time to inspect west of the Brazos- when I saw the order given you in the papers, and the time to which the inspection in some of the counties was deferred, I was much provoked and would have revoked your appointment, had it not been that I did not wish to mortify your feelings. 2 My object was to have the rolls of Inspection to lay before that body at a day as early as prac- ticable after the meeting of Congress- and you had appointed inspection in some counties as late as September. Although I was provoked by this circumstance, I forgave you on the ground that there was no mischief in the design, but that it all grew out of a venchant for martial exhibition and uniform clisvlay. After you claimed recompense, I was willing to pay you the amount of your actual expenses, estimating Exchequer bills at what they call for, but at no discount. They are appropriated at their face,
i ' I
I I I I
I
Powered by FlippingBook