WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837-18tH
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the Army: it has existed in England time out of mind, and was adopted in the United States at the organization of their Govern- ment;-the wisdom, as well as the necessity, has caused its incor- poration into our system of law, and will be found in the 1st article of the Law Martial: "Any officer or soldier who shall use contemptuous or disrespectful language towards the President of the Republic, against the Vice-President or Congress thereof, if a commissioned officer, he shall be cashiered or otherwise pun- ished, as a court martial shall direct, if a non-commissioned officer or soldier, he shall suffer such punishment as shall be inflicted on him by the sentence of a court martial." This article was suggested for the purpose of establishing subordination with the officers in the Army and Navy, for, with- out respect for superiors, neither subordination or discipline can be established or preserved. Officers who have been dismissed, and claim of the constitu- tional advisers of the President to be reinstated, in their memo- rials indulge in the most disrespectful and contemptuous language towards that functionary; nor is that language alone confined to memorials, but is used about the streets, and in places of public resort. Were it confined alone to the Executive, its disorganizing influ- ence might appear limited in its design, but heretofore, officers in command of a regiment have declared publically in the army, before the soldiers, that if Congress did not pass certain laws for the benefit of the volunteers, that they would march the boys to the Seat of Government-kick Congress out of doors-chastise the President, and give laws to the Republic. Is there a remedy for these evils? The law declares there is. The prompt exercise of that remedy, where the offence is clear, will soon correct the evil, establish the laws and institutions of the country, induce respect for us abroad, and preserve us at home from revolution and anarchy. Sam Houston 1 Miscellaneo11s Documents, University of Texas Library, in a volume for- merly belonging to Isaac Van Zandt. See To the Texas Senate, April 17, 1838, in this volume. :see Rules and Regulations, February 6, 1838, in this volume. This message is partly in answer to the campaign of criticism instigated against him by his opponents and led by the editor of the Telegraph and Texas Register. See the Telegraph of May 12, 16, 19, 1838.
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