WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1822-1841
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To GENERAL WILLIAM G. HARDING 1
Cedar Point, Texas, 17th July 1841
Dear General, Long as my silence has been, I have not either forgotten you, nor your kindness to me. From time to time, I did hope to have been able to make you the remittance which [you] were so kind as to oblige me with in Nashville of $500. I have offered every sacrifice in property, but there is no money in Texas, but our depreciated notes. I have upward of twenty five thousand dollars due me, and some of it for years, and I cannot collect as much as will pay one fourth of my land Tax! In addition, two valuable negro boys for which I had paid in cash $2100 previous to my visit to Nashville, ran away last spring to Mexico.~ Thus you see I am in bad luck! I hope soon to be able to pay all my cash debts If any person in the meantime should be coming to Texas, in whom you can confide, send the note if you think well of it, and I will let you have property (warranted) at any price, rather than not pay you! This is my apology for my remissness toward you, and I hope you will have the kindness to accept it as my feelings have not been the less accute [sic] because you have not pressed me. We ought to have been most prosperous and happy, had our .Rulers acted wisely. All the evils of which Texas has now to complain were brought upon her by ignorance and corruption. Profligacy has sunk our credit, and corruption has consumed the spoils. This is not saying too much against the present nominal Rulers. Indeed we have none to rule, but in misrule, and the President is so mean and base as to disclaim the acts of Govern- ment, and to get others to assume the responsibility of silly, as well as criminal measures-acts not measures, for that would imply some plan. There is no plan but to leave the next adminis- tration involved to such an extent, that it cannot extricate the nation from the evils brought on it by the present--hence the contrast will not be so disgraceful to poor Lamar ! He wou'd no doubt be impeached, but the poor soul is too contemptible to incur hatred. Pity entertained by some for him, is another plea in his behalf. A real want of capacity is urged by others, and thus _the poor creature stands. If the next administration shou'd be com- posed of men possessing patriotism, integrity, and talents, Texas will again lift up its head, and stand among the nations. It ought to do so, for no country upon the Globe can compare with it, in natural advantages. Come and see it!
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