WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
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man and could get the approval of his conscience to the measure, he might be willing to lead a filibuster expedition into Mexico. He said the North had us down-that the foot of the North is on our necks and that we could not help ourselves. He said that the North, in case of resistance by us, could easily take all our forts in the country-that the West alone could take possession of New Orleans, and with an army of two millions could keep us in sub- jection. He declared himself an advocate of the Union. He said that Yancey and all men like him ought to be put into a mad- house. He said that he had opposed the Kansas-Nebraska act, and was still opposed to it. He attributed all our troubles to the passage of that act. He argued in support of the Missouri Com- promise and said that it should never have been repealed. He concluded with a handsome complimentary address to the ladies.
1 State Gazette, September 4, 1858.
To SAMUEL M. WILLIAMs 1
Huntsville, 31st Aug., 1858. My Dear Williams. I thank you for your letters and kindness. I have only time to say a word and ask you to send G. W. Paschall, Esq., a set of "Globes" at Austin if they are not all distributed. I have suffered from a sore foot much since I reached home. I have made five speeches/ and have to make another on the 11th proximo at Danville, if spared. I am abused by poor dogs, who attend my speakings to misrepresent what I say. They are welcome to all they can make by it. I scorn whoever comes in my way. Send me slips that I might not see! If you can, please call at the office and get a Globe containing the last speech that I made on the defences of the Texas frontiers. I want to have it published. If you send it, write your name on the envelop, and I will notice it. Mrs. H. is tolerably well, and we all send love. Mrs. W., Miss Alice and the Boys, as well as "John." Write me much, and often. Houston. 1 The original letter is in Willianis Papers, Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas; a copy in Houston's own handwriting is among the Domestic Corre- spondence, Texas State Library. :?The speech at Hempstead, of which a newspaper correspondent's report is printed above, was probably one of the five speeches to which Houston referred. The others have not been definitely located.
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