WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
474
printed McCulloch's reply dated, February 21, 1860: "General Houston: You will soon hear from the Government. I am at all times ready to serve Texas."
To JOHN B. FLOYD 1
Austin, February 13, 1860.
Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War Sir: I have the honor to forward by my friend, General Forbes Britton,2 Assistant Adgt. General of the State, and a prominent member of the State Senate, despatches which I deem of im- portance and I desire that His Excellency, the President shall consider the contents thereof. I deplore the situation of Texas, an empty Treasury, the Indian troubles unexampled for the last two years, and the forays from Mexico, on our Southern borders are all calculated to impress the mind of the Executive of the State of Texas, with the in- tricacies of the attitude, which he has in justice to his fellow citizens and to humanity to assume should not the Federal arms be speedily rai'sed and extended, in behalf of our suffering frontier. The Executive of Texas is greatly desirous to avoid any course which might raise a question as to the propriety of his action. Notwithstanding all his moderation, and desire to eschew an attitude unpleasant to him, he may, in a short time be required to resort to the indifeasible right of self defense, to protect his fellow citizens. He will in addition to manifest forbearance endeavor, yet further, to defer to the action of the Federal Gov- ernment. But if matters new and startling arise, he may feel that his duty is to meet the emergency in carrying his action so far as not only to repel the aggressions from Mexico, but to adopt such measures as will present the recurrence of similar inroads upon our frontiers. Texas can and will if appealed to, in thirty days be able to muster in the field ten thousand men who are anxious, embar- rassed as her finances are, to make reclamations upon Mexico for all her wrongs. Can we hope for aid from the Federal Government? . Sam Houston. 1Executive Records, 1859-1861, pp. 47-48, Texas State Library. A ~ood brief biography of John B. Floyd is to be found in Dictiona111 of American Biography, VI, 482-483.
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