The Writings of Sam Houston, Volume VII

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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1824-1857

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hundred and sixty acres of land; and when the said families shall reside upon said ·1and so granted three years continuously, and shall erect buildings and clear ten acres of ground thereon, a patent shall be issued by the government of the United States, free from all cost to the grantee. 1 Jo11nzal of the Senate of the United States of America, 2d Sess., 31st Cong., Ser. No. 586, p. 121, January 30, 1850.

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To Miss MARY DoNELSON 1

8th Febry., 1852. Dear Miss: You are now in the halcyon days of youth. Your sunshine of hope is bright. Lay up stores of knowledge as the noonday of life advances, and they will afford you sweet medita- tions, when the winter of life would otherwise be dreary and disconsolate! A sweet and charming disposition, and cultivated mind have sown thes [e] seeds of contentment. Youthful Piety can add to these many endearments, and wisdom will fill the ambition of hope, with happiness. Thy devoted Friend, Sam Houston. Miss Mary Donelson. 1 Copied by the courtesy of Mr. W. A. Philpott from the original in his possession. It seems probable that the Mary Donelson to whom this letter is addressed, was the daughter of A. J. Donelson.

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To JOHN M. SWISHER 1

Independence, 29th November, 1853. My Dear Sir, D. C. Barrett was, in my opinion, the worst man that was ever in Texas. He was so capable, and all his capability was turned to harm. I attribute to his management the fall of the Alamo, and the destruction of Fannin and Ward. He did all the mischief in his power while he was here, and fled in time of danger. If he was in the Convention, I was not aware of the fact. If he was appointed by the "Consultation," his office ceased at the meeting of the Convention. 2 He surely deserves nothing but the condemnation of the people in Texas for his acts in the Consultation. I pray he may not be recognized as an officer of the army of Texas. He left only a few days before the Convention met. He could only claim for a

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