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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1844
undoubted sanction of the law, and the Executive can perceive no reason why this bill should receive his approval. The occasion should be peculiar and the reason very strong and urgent, which should induce a departure from a general rule. Neither of which is the case in this instance. Sam Houston. 1 "Messages of the Presidents," Cong1·essioncil Papers, Eighth Congress; also Executive Record Book, No. 40, p. 328, Texas State Library.
To WILLIAM S. MuRPHY 1
Washington, February 3, 1844.
(Strictly Confidential) My dear General, 2
By last night's mail I had the pleasure to receive your kind favor of the 29th ultimo. I need not assure you of the satisfaction its perusal gave me. Your clear and comprehensive views in relation to Texas, and the attitude she now occupies, are no less statesmanlike than important. I have regretted your absence from this point. The reasons suggested by you for not attending the present session of Con- gress, are conclusive to my mind as to the Propriety of your course. Yet if I had enjoyed the pleasure of personal interviews with you, we could have had many interchanges of thought rela- tive to the relations of Texas and the United States. The subject of annexation has been one of deep interest here, and in which I partake largely of the feeling which a patriot should entertain. My peculiar attitude in relation to that ques- tion, necessarily precludes me from any vociferous expressions of my desires, whatever they might be. My position in 1836 was very well understood, and since then I have maintained studious silence; nor can I perceive that I have given any indication of sentiment different from what I enter- tained at that time. The United States must annex Texas-Texas cannot annex her- self to the United States. A concurrent aetion is necessary. And yet, the U. States have adopted· no course that could encourage a confident hope on the part of the friends of that measure in this country. What may be done at this session of our Congress, I do not pretend to know. I will not fail to look with intense interest to the subject; and I am sure I cannot be suspected of
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