Here is a little teaser from my book: QUESTION - What would you say if I told you Sam Houston had at least entertained resignation from the Executives chair in 1842? By June 1842, Sam Houston had been increasingly disgusted with the problems facing Texas and had at least entertained the thought of resignation and apparently had spoken at length to Terrell about the subject. In what may be only one of only two sources that speak to this notion of resignation by Houston, Terrell wrote Houston a powerful later admonishing him for even thinking of such a step. The other an entry by William Bollaert in a diary he kept while visiting Texas. Terrell felt that it was his duty as a patriot and more importantly as a close friend of Houston’s to tell him with “great frankness” that if he carried out the contemplation, it would result in the “entire destruction of this poor, distracted country.” He furthermore felt and told Houston that he was entertaining an “inconsiderate and ruinous step” that would result in such “evil consequences” that it required of Terrell to write his “recorded remonstrance against an ill-advised and fatal measure.” Terrell was not exactly the kind of man that flattered people and he told Houston that in no uncertain terms the only person who could save Texas under the present trying crises in her national affaires was Sam Houston. He reminded Houston that he had just recently been called upon by the almost unanimous voice of the people of Texas to preside over their destinies and to guide the councils of the Republic. The difficulties with which Houston had to contend with were known and foreseen when he was elected President. The Republics treasury was without a dollar, the resources of Texas were exhausted, confidence had been destroyed and public credit was completely ruined. In short, the Republic of Texas was bankrupt. Coupled with the known problems when Houston was elected, the Republic was also surrounded with inveterate and implacable enemies upon her borders and insurrection and insubordination to the laws of the Republic “stalked abroad through the land.” Terrell was of the opinion that because of the situation in Texas upon his election and the ensuing harassment by the Mexicans, “the eyes of the whole nation were turned upon Sam Houston, who had led the Texans through the gloomy period of the revolution, as the only man who could extricate the country from this complication of evils under which she found herself.” Terrell went on to ask, “Shall future historians of Texas be compelled to record the humiliating truth… shall it be told to posterity at such a time, and under such circumstances, the man who, by common consent of mankind had acquired the name of benefactor to his country, had abandoned that country and flying for his own safety had left her to be devoured by that hydra headed monster to whom she was thus left an easy prey?” Lastly Terrell urged Houston to think about his own reputation, telling Houston that his “character is inseparably identified with the history of Texas and as the pages of that history are bright or shaded or dark will the political character of Sam Houston take its hue.” Terrell also recollected saying to Houston in the first conversation they had with regard to the formation of his cabinet that if he succeeded in extricating the Republic from the difficulties and embarrassment under which she was in, his name would go down in posterity upon the same pages as Washington, Jefferson and Jackson. Houston on the other hand was of the opinion that the world would do him justice as to his motives and acquit him of censure. Terrell thought differently, explaining to Houston that those who knew him well and could appreciate the difficulties which surrounded and embarrassed him would doubtless do him justice, though he doubted whether they would acquit him of blame. Terrell knew it was impossible for the world at large to know the difficulties and many embarrassing circumstances with which Houston was surrounded but that they would know he was the head of a nation and that when calamities and misfortune pressed upon Texas that Sam Houston had abandoned her to fate and left her to the mercy of a “powerful and merciless enemy” who was threatening her from without and a set of politicians within more heartless and ruthless than any foreign enemies. Exactly what caused Houston to consider such a measure is unknown. Terrell id outline many reasons that could cause Houston to consider resigning, but perhaps the reason lies in a letter from Houston to the Texas Senate on 8 July 1842 in which Houston defends himself from accusations made in a secret report to that body by Alexander S. Wright on 18 March 1840 claiming that Houston and an un-named associate were paid $100,000.00 for the release of Santa Anna after his surrender at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1835.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 01:58:14 +0000
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