WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1858
63
of time, he said to me, "you may tell the chief that I have thought of all he has said to me, and the truth is that at last: I believe that the white man's God is a very rich God, and he gives the white man everything he wants; but the Indian's God is a very poor God and he has nothing to give us, and the Indians have got nothing." "That," said he, "is the difference between the white man and the Indian." It is pretty much so with legislators that come here; they have everything that is comfortable, and they do not think of the necessities of the people who have not got as rich a God as they have. Mr. Iverson. Will the Senator allow me to interrupt him for a moment? Mr. Houston. Certainly. [Mr. Iverson, Mr. Brown speak.] Mr. Houston. I am not willing to refer this controversy to the gentlemen themselves; I have a ha.nd in it. [Laughter.] I believe I shall be ruled out, if I do not assert my claim. I really thought that the Senator from Georgia had risen to propound a question to me, or to correct some misapprehension of mine; and I had no idea that he rose with the deliberate intention of injecting a speech into the middle of mine. [Laughter.] He has effectually done it; and I shall proceed now, and I hope the gentlemen will wait until I have concluded before they interrupt me again. I seldom occupy a place on the floor as an orator, and I do not like to be interrupted in a speech, though I am willing to be catechised on all occasions. But, Mr. President, I was going on to remark, in extenua- tion of the imputed offenses of the people here, that I did not think it was anything unusual for them to ask for assistance from Congress. No one supposes that they are capable of mak- ing the necessary improvements to make this place inhabitable, pleasant, or comfortable; or that they have the means to do it. The honorable Senator from Georgia speaks of the amount of money appropriated for the pay of the Government employees here. That is in compensation for their labor. They have their families to sustain out of it. They are nonresidents, you may say; or, if you please, they are not generally property owners who receive these large sums. The employees of the Government here receive barely a pittance sufficient to subsist them and their families to a limited extent. They have no profusion of wealth to adorn, beautify, and decorate this city-not by any means. It is necessary that the Government should do it; and it is proper, befitting the honor of the nation. Unlike other cities, a
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