WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1824--1857
9
eight dollars. For this special purpose you are hereby invested with the requisite power and authority. Sam Houston [Rubric] [Endorsed] : President To March 16, 1843 W. D. Miller 1 0riginal letter owned by W. A. Philpott, Dallas, Texas. Photostat copy in The University of Texas Library. For W. D. Miller, see Volume II, of The Writings, p. 389. 2 John York. See The W1-itings, II, 3.
To THE CONGRESS OF TEXAS 1
Executive Department, Washington, January 26, 1844.
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives: Connected with our present condition, our foreign relations are becoming daily more and more interesting, and it seems to me that the representatives of the people should anticipate the events. which may, in all probability, occur. To suppose that both branches of the honorable Congress were not aware of the important and absorbing questions, which it is believed will agitate the Congress of the United States, connected with the fate of this country, would be to doubt their intelligence. The Executive, therefore, relies upon the deliberative wisdom and decision of the representatives of the people to give him all the aid in their power to conduct the affairs of Texas to such an issue as will be promotive to its interests as a community, and at the same time gratifying to the people. Heretofore he has carefully ab- stained, during his present administration, from the expression of any opinion in reference to the subject of annexation to the United States. And in submitting this communication, he does not think it becoming in him now to express any preference. It will be perceived by the Honorable Congress, that if any efforts were made on the part of this Government to effect the object of annexation, which is so desirable, and it should fail meeting responsive and corresponding action on the part of the United States, it might have a seriously prejudicial influence upon the course which England and France might otherwise be disposed to take in our facor. And a failure on our part after a decided expression could not be more mortifying to us, and to a great extent diminish our claims to the confidence of other na- tions. It would create distrust on their part towards us; because the opponents of our interests would allege there was no stability
Powered by FlippingBook