THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 21, 1939
TO-DAY'S STRANGE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE
SAM HOUSTON'S WEIRD
THREE YEARS
!
BY VINCENT TOWNE
One of the most picturesque char- acters of our history was Sam Houston. He was one of our many barefoot boys who became leaders of men. He was stalwart and strong. He knew no fear. His whole life was that of a normal, forceful char- acter, save during a hiatus of, several years, during which his behavior baffled the understanding of his myriad admirers.
He was born on a Virginia farm in 1793 of Scotch-Irish parents.
Hie Appearance Caused A Sensation In Washington
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from his bride without a word explanation beyond the statement that the cause of his act in no man- ner reflected upon that excellent lady's character. Up to that time sure of re-election, he abdicated the power that his. Commonwealth Was about to confer upon him and, dia- guising himself, secretly left Nash- ville, making his way up the Ar- kansas River to the mouth of the Illinois, where he joined the Cherokee tribe, leaving his party followers in a state of turbulence, and thus escap- ing the storm of vituperation that Tennesseeans were heaping upon his head.
ADOPTED INDIAN CUSTOMS
He remained in the wilderness. adopting the Indian costume and customs. He let his hair grow down his back, donned the buckskin hunt- ing shirt and yellow leggins of the redman, threw a blanket about his shoulders and crowned his head with turkey feathers. Thus he lived for three years and no one could ever When he was a small lad his father dictator. He now began to take of Texas on an independent ticket induce him to account for his died and his mother removed the steps for annexing Texas to the after having been shelved by the weird transformation or explain why little family to Tennessee, on land United States, but finding President leaders of his party. After Texas he had deserted the paths of civiliza- had been carried for secession all tion. When he ended his self-impos- State officers returned to take the ed exile he proceeded to Washington oath of allegiance to the Confederacy, in the garb of his adopted tribesmen. but Houston deflantly declined to His appearance caused a sensation in follow their example and was de the Federal capital. It was just after posed.
this visit that he began his new career of glory in Texas and ten years later he took as a second wife Margaret Moffete of Alabama, to whom he gave credit for having ex- ercised over him an ennobling and restraining influence which revivifled his ambitions.
an-
adjacent to the Cherokee territory. Van Buren unresponsive, affected He saw little schooling. His early to enter upon negotiations for teachers were mostly his Indian nexation with Spain, France and neighbours. When 20, at the time of England. In this was he ingenious the War of 1821, he enlisted in the ly brought Van Buren to terms. Regular Army, soon gained promotion So, as a result of Houston's efforts, as a sergeant and was several times Texas, where he might have remained wounded at Horse Shoe Bend, where an autocrat, entered our Union, and his magnificent courage attracted the as a State sent him to the Senate admiration of General Jackson.
at Washington. Here, during the RECEIVED PROMOTION
period just prior to the Civil War, he Promoted to the rank of ensign used his efforts in The Unionist cause. and directly afterward to that of Prior to the convention of 1852 his lieutenant, he served with honour nomination to the Presidency by the for five years and until involved in Democratic party was looked upon as a scandal touching the smuggling certain. But his leanings toward the of Negroes from Florida into the Know-Nothings gave the nomination United States. Resigning his com- to Franklin Pierce. He received mission and demanding an investiga- votes also in the conventions of 1856 tion of his conduct, he
was fully and 1860, and was elected Governor admirers
exonerated, but instead of returning to the army studied law at Nashville and was admitted to the bar. There- after he made a rapid climb of the ladder that leads to the seats of the mighty. He became District Attorney and member of Congress. While serving in the latter capacity* he fought a duel with General White and wounded his adversary. Then he returned home to Tennessee
to be chosen Governor. by an, over- whelming majority.
was
POPULARITY UNSURPASSED He was the most popular man in the State. After serving out his term he made a trip to Texas and was elected a delegate to the con- vention which adopted a constitu- tion for that territory. Soon after-
that t ward he was elected General of Texas and was the dominant force in the "general consultation" which established a provisional government. In this conference he
elected Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Texas and immediately began to weave the scattered population into an efficient, military organization. He was a member of the convention that adopted a declaration of indepen- ,dence for Texas, and when the Mext- cans crossed the line and executed Davy Crockett, Bowie, Travis and others, Houston, with only 750 men, met the strong army of Santa Anna and within an hour killed half of this number, making prisoners of those that remained.
first
FIRST PRESIDENT OF TEXAS As a reward he was chosen President of the Republic of Texas and at the end of his term left the Government in an excellent condi- tion-at peace with the Indians and with Mexico, and with its treasury notes at par. After he had been elected to the presidency a second time, the Texas Congress elected him
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ACTED STRANGELY AT 38 The strange conduct which made him one of the enigmas of our his- tory occurred when he was 38 years old, just at the time when he was In the midst of a campaign for re- election to the office of Governor of Tennessee. In January of that year, Why he deserted his first wife to 1829, he had married a Miss Allen, live in savagery for three years still who was of a very influential fam- remains an unanswered riddle' of ily highly respected in the State. American history-one that has Within only a few weeks after the poved more and more vexatious as wedding he astounded his myriad historians have attempted to un-
by suddenly separating ravel it.
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