Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/267

friend and godfather, Andrew Jackson, to take a final and sad leave of him; and annexation and Houston were his constant theme. Soon after my return to my plantation, the papers announced that Gen. Houston would be in New Orleans on a certain day, on his way to the ' Hermitage,' to take leave of his dying friend. Knowing that he would reach that city the evening before the 'annexation meeting at the Arcade,' I wrote to him as follows, and my letter may be among his papers: 'My dear General, allow me to recall myself to your remembrance by informing you that I have just returned from a pilgrimage to the "Hermitage," to take a final and sad leave of our dear old friend; and his parting inquiry of me, in regard to annexation, was, "Edward, what will Houston do?" It is owing to my inability to answer that question that I now address you; and it can not be possible that a native of Virginia and a citizen of Tennessee can have so far forgotten what is due to himself and his country as to lend himself for an instant to the representatives of England and France.'

"That there might be no mistake, I gave the letter to Capt. Hart, who, the day following, assured me that he placed it in Gen. Houston's hands; and after several speeches had been made at the 'Arcade meeting' in favor of annexation, Gen. Houston was called for, when, after some prefatory remarks, he said: ' My friends, I have been accused of lending myself to England and France; but, I assure you, I have been only coquetting with them.' He proceeded to the 'Hermitage,' and returned through Alabama, making speeches on his way in favor of annexation; and it became a fixed fact.

"Toward the close of President Tyler's administration, Maj. Donelson was elected a delegate to the Democratic Convention at Baltimore from Tennessee, and I from Louisiana, when Gen. Jackson wrote to me, requesting me to go by the way of the 'Hermitage,' as he wished Maj. Donelson and myself to go on together. I could not attend the Convention, which repudiated Van Buren, and nominated Polk for President. During Maj. Donelson's visit to me, I inquired as to the General's object in wishing us to go together. He seemed surprised at the inquiry, and replied: 'Made sure that Mr. Van Buren's rejection of Texas had put an end to his pretensions, and he wished to direct our attention to Mr. Polk'; and when I inquired of him at parting, 'In case we can not nominate our friend Van Buren, what shall I do?' he replied: 'Throw your friend overboard; and go for your country.'

"Now, my dear sir, in view of the part which you see I took in the annexation of Texas, that which I took in causing the forward movement of Gen. Taylor's army into Mexico, forms a somewhat strange coincidence.

"When my brave and patriotic old friend Gen. Taylor, after the brilliant affairs of Palo Alto and Resaca la Palma, sat down for weeks at Matamoras, knowing his want of self-reliance and the desire of the Government that he should march upon Monterey, I wrote to him to that effect, and he responded: 'I have not heard from the Secretary of War for two months, and do not know the wishes and intentions of the Government in regard to the movements of this army. If an advance into Mexico is intended. Gen. Scott, who knows the wishes of the Government, is the proper person to command its army and to carry out its wishes.'

"Alarmed by the receipt of even a letter, and that after Gen. Scott's refusal of the command, from fear of 'a fire in his rear,' I wrote to Senator Cass, gave him an extract from Gen. Taylor's letter, and begged him to see the President