WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 18t12.
125
To ERASMO SEGUIN 1
Private
City of Houston, 6th July, 1842.
To Don Erasmo Seguin : My Dear Sir,
It affords me pleasure to present you saluta- tions of my friendly esteem and regard. I am aware that you are unhappy in consequence of the absence of your son, Colonel J. N. Seguin\ from Bexar. I deplore his absence much; and when I heard of his situation at Bexar some time since, I intended to invite him to a situation which would be more agreeable to him here than at Bexar. What his motives are for absenting himself from home at this time, I cannot imagine; but you may be assured, my dear Sir, and you may so assure him, that I cannot, nor will I ever entertain a suspicion of his fidelity to the Republic of Texas; until I have the most conclusive evidence-and that, I trust I shall never have. The conduct of Captain Seguin and his brave company in the army of 1836, and his brave and gallant bearing in the bat- tle of San Jacinto, with that of hi~ men-his soldierly and officer-like conduct as Colonel in the service of the nation, have afforded me too much happiness to sacrifice my estimation of his worth and character to idle rumor, or unexplained circumstances. I pray, Sir, that you will not suppose for one moment, that I will denounce Colonel John N. Seguin, without a most perfect understanding of the circumstances of his absence. I rely upon his honor, his worth, and his chivalry. Allow me to render to you my sincere expressions of friendship, and tender you my salutations of profound esteem and regard to your family. Your friend, Sam Houston [Rubric] "'Houston's Private Executive Record Book," p. 172, courtesy of Mr. Frank- lin Williams. Don Erasmo Seguin (May 25, 1782-November 7, 1857) was born and died in San Antonio, Texas. Together with Baron de Bastrop and Governor Martinez, Erasmo Seguin was among the prominent Mexican citizens of San Antonio who identified themselves with the interests of the Americans in Texas. In July, 1821, Seguin was sent by Governor Martinez to meet Stephen F. Austin at Natchitoches, to escort him to San Antonio. From Natchitoches he wrote the Governor that Austin was accompanied by sixteen Americans who were wishing to settle on the Colorado, and he added: "I suppose that you will want to entertain him and those who accompany him-all of them, as I nm informed, of highly respectable
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