Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-10-30
Gen. Sam. Houston.

The following sketch of this noted (or nther, no
torious) individual is taken from very Interesting
little work, which we noticed few days aio, called
sTsraS and her Presidents by Corinne Aontgom-
cry:
= The subject Of this sketch is man six
feet two, of portly dimensions with an oTake, cold
eye, set in muscles relaxed by ffty-four winters,
twenty of which have been spent In whisky drnking
and opium eating.
Viewing him in front, the casual observer will
mark forehead from temple to temple, of intellec-
tual proportion, but the Phrenoogist in fixing his
profile will find his forehead dropping backfrom the
root of his nose to alarming ANGLE which shows
utter want Of benevocnce, and In the absence of
which organ, in an inverse ratio will be fund jea-
lousy, sefesteen locality, secretiyeneSs, and imta-
ton. His whole life will prove the truth ofthis
derful science He is known rarely &c have for
gotten face or name, which proves his lGality he
is inimitabe at telling and acting Objectionable
tales, which shows his imitation selfesteen is man
lfested In the snowy adornments of his persn and in
the fact that ninc-tenths of all which he las ever
written spoken in his life, was of himself.
Gen. Sam. Houston, who is now ifty-four years of
age, was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, from
whence his family emigrated to East Tennessee be-
fore he reached to manhood. During the war Of
1872 he with most of the Tennesseeans, turned out
under Gen. Jackson to fight the Greek Indians and
In the capacity of sergeant in of Colonel John
Williamss companies, received in the shout
der, which, in the words of Colonel ]. c. Neil then
present. made him 'bleat like cub and which drew
upon him at the time rebuke, both from his
Colonel and Gen. Jackson. For this retuke Ne abuses
the memory of his Colonel up to this hour, while the
living Jackson powerful enough to command his
adulation.
Instead of following Gen. Jackson through his well
fought campaigns, to his browning glory at New Or
leans, Houston had done enough FOR glory-the
scratch upon his shoulder excused his lack of patriot
sinh be
Cherokee Indians, where he married a ful-blood
squaw of the Bowles family. His malfeasance in Of
fee Sub-agent, did escape the sagacious eye OF
John G. Calhoun, then Secretary of war, under Mr.
Monroe, which caused his dismissal This is the Sc
cret OF Hou5tons hostility to MIR. Calhoun. From
thence he wandered to Nashville, and threw himself
upon the generosity of his old commander, General
Jackson whose countenance procured him the friend
ship of others and in few years he obtained seal
in Congress, where his excessive coxcombry and van
ity the laugh Of ALL from the BARRIERS shop tc
the palace.
On one memorable Instance, in the House of Re.
representatives., his vanity mastered his prudence and
he attempted to answer the immortal John Randolph
OF Roanoke, upon the Greek question. Just the
er-Subagent was addtudinizing in his Hottest mah
ner, and pausing for thought he found the long
sharp finger Of the man of Roanoke pointed at him
with the musical treble of that to be forgotten
voice, Mr. Speaker, rise for the purpose of inform
ing the gentleman from Tennessee, that it is the
Greek question, and not the Greek question: under de-
bate The sudden idea flashed across his brain thai
he had been dipping largely into the Creek Indians
instead Of the people of the Archipelago and he tum-
| bled over as though he had been struck by a six
pound shot, to the no small amusement of the House
After this it was said that he never came yithit
| rod of the Roanoke orator.
Gen. Jackson was now candidate for the Pres
dency against John Q. Adams, who had appointed
Col. John p Irwin Postmaster at Nashville, Tennes
/ L. II
Houston to carry greater favor with his old leader
illuminated Irwin, who called him out. Houston re-
fused TO fight, and such was his dread Of Col Smith
the friend of Irwin, that it is we'll known he tool
shelter under the hospabe roof and protection of thu
Attorney General, Andrew Hays: and on one occa
sion great his alarm that he required bed t.
be made III Colonel Hayss drawing groom, and the
worthy Attorney General to sleep with him as pro
| tector.
At this tIme Houston, TO escape the whitening fin
ger of Rando phi at Washington city, put himself vi
as candidate for Governor of Tennessee. Newtol
| Cannon, bitter enemy of General Jackson, was thu
| opposing candidate. Houston's shrewdness, witt
General Jackson hacker, saw an easy triumph
for at that time the sceptre had not departed from
Judah ; but with General Jackson's mighty in
fuence, Houston was a heavy load to carry. He hat
been for years denounced by Gen. Gibbs in the street
of Nashville, as poltroOn. When he was chalcn
ged by Gen. White, fat old man, Houston as tn,
placing him back to back, when he (Houston) hat
practised firing without changing the position of hi
feet. With this dastardly advantage, and mari
three feet broad he hit his antagonist upon the hip
This was a lucky shot for Houston. Still there wa
something else to be done to secure his triumph be
yond question. That was marriage alliance with
strong and powerful family.
Colonel Allen was a man of high standing and ex
tensive connections the father of young lady of tn
most exalted propriety, amable and accomplished
her Houston wooed and won. This for her tn
most unfortunate connection. His treatment of thi
unoffending lady such as to call storm of pub
lie Indignation so universal and overwhelming, fror
man, woman and child, black and white, that he wa
forced to abdcate the gubernatorial chair, and iy
Gen. Jackson refused to see him. and Crutcher, tn
octagenarian of the State, Gen. Jackson
proverb for honesty, publicly pronounced in the Nash
vile Inn that Sam Houston ought to be hanged with
cut jury:
i Where now could he fy but to the Cherokee wifi
and her children, who, by this time, had immigrate
with her brother, Bowes the frontier of Arkansas
near Fort TowsOn. Here he DOTTED all habiliment
of civilization abused all refinement educated
ticle, tied his head about with red handkerchief
crossed his legs under him the ground, and he al
q solutely refused to speak his own language.
The next we see of this remarkable individual Is
, Pennsylvania avenue; clad in deer skins, hev:n
worked his way to Washington, to do Uncle Sim
in the way of furnishing Indian rations Fortunate
ly his aim was most timely exposed, and though d.
, nounced at the time by many fighting men, he fe
upon Mr. Stansbury, of all others VIGOROUSLY til
most unbelligerent member that crossed ii
t Alleghanies. The farce which grew out Of his ira
for breach of privilege is in the recollection of all
From Washington city he returned back to his Ind
an family and with them emigrated to Texas in 1885,
His political debut in Texas a member of ii
convention for forming a State Constitution. w
next find him in the Consultation of 1885, and Will
q the Hon Branch T Archer and few other bold me