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WRITINGS OF SA:M HOUSTON, 1859
Cases tried before the District Courts of Texas are seldom reported, unless they are appealed to the United States Supreme Court; but a full discussion of this case may be found in Report of Committees, 35th Cong., 1st Sess., VI, Rep. Nos. 403, p. 26, and 540, pp. 661-662. 0 John W. Lapsley v. Eliphas Spencer was another case filed in Watrous's court, but transferred, first to Louisiana, then to Alabama, and finally appealed to the Supreme Court. See Repo1·ts of Committees, 36th Cong., 1st Sess., No. 548, 26-28; also 20 Howard, 264 (1857). Years later, whatever legal issues that had grown out of these two cases (Ufford v. Dykes, and Lapsley v. Spencer) were settled in a suit in Texas courts, De la Vega v. League (1893), 21 S.W.R. 1 °For Hancock v. McKinney, see 7 Texas, 384; 9 Texas, 231; and 22 Texas, 543. INTRODUCING A BILL TO REPEAL AN ACT TO DIVIDE TEXAS INTO TWO JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, FEBRUARY 9, 1859 1 Mr. Houston, in pursuance of previous notice, obtained leave to introduce Senate Bill No. 567-to repeal so much. of an "Act to divide the State of Texas into two judicial districts," as creates and establishes a district court of the United States in the eastern district of the State of T'exas, and to incorporate the same with the western district of the said State; which was read twice by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
1 Congressional Globe, 1858-1859, Part 1, p. 894.
To SAM HOUSTON, JR. 1
Washington, 18th Feby. 1859. My Dear Son, In writing to you in my last letter, I did not admonish you not to carry concealed weapons. I hope that you will never do it, and were I with .you I could state many reasons, which I am sure you would approve, with your perceptions of propriety. And oh, my son, by all means keep from the use of Tobacco. Don't smoke or chew. Besides the habit of its use, it is an expense and trouble. I look to you as one on whom my mantle is to fall, and I wish to leave it to you, without a rent in it. It is natural that I should desire you to wear it worthily, aye nobly, and to give additional lustre to all that may descend to you! If you have a suitable opportunity, I wish you to pay more attention to Language; History, Geography, and Grammar, than to Mathematics. If this can be done delicately, I wish it done, not otherwise. I hope, if I live, to return to visit Independence, and see you and Nannie and our relations.
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