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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
where it was partially repaired. Returning, he selected a loca- tion in the State of Mississippi, and resumed the profession of the law. In the awakening scenes of the South consequent on the invasion of Texas by the Mexicans, he was aroused from his professional pursuits, and induced to busy himself much in rousing the chivalry of the South to repair to the rescue of that devoted country. On his arrival there, in association with com- panions, he was selected by the Government acl interim, and re- ceived the appointment of brigadier general in the army. The army soon after being disbanded, he stepped into the walks of private ]ife, but was soon called by the Executive of the constitu- tional Government, then inaugurated, to the office of Attorney General of the Republic. He continued in it for some months, when the decease of General Austin, the distinguished father of Texas, an illustrious citizen, created a. vacancy in the State Department, and General Henderson, after General Rusk had declined the position owing to his professional engagements and private business at home, was selected. He held that Department until the latter part of 1837, when he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to England and to France, to negotiate for the recognition of Texan independence. He continued in that position, employed busily for the attain- ment of the objects which had been assigned to him, until 1840, when he returned to Texas, and again resumed the practice of the law. He located himself in San Augustine, and was associated in practice with General Rusk. He continued there until 1843, declining, in the mean time, a situation in the new cabinet that was formed in December, 1841, preferring to pursue his pro- fession. In 1843 he was appointed, by the Exe~utive, an adjunct to Mr. Van Zandt, the resident minister here at Washington, for the purpose of negotiating a treaty for annexation. The treaty was negotiated, but the Senate of the United States failed to ratify it. He again returned to Texas and resumed his legal practice, and so continued until the annexation of Texas was consummated and a convention was called to frame a State Government. He was elected a member of the convention from the county of San Augustine, and acted a conspicuous part in that body in forming the constitution of the new State. He was subsequently elected the first Governor of the State of Texas. After remaining some time in the discharge of the duties of that office, a requisition was made upon Texas in consequence of the Mexica1,1 war, for troops
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