Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-20
sau. Houston.

" Occasional" the Washington correspon-
dent of Forney's Press, gives the following
brief but comprehensive sketch of the life Of
the hero of San Jacinto:
1t is rare TO read the life of any one man
so crowded with political Donors. and so ideD-
tilted with political reverses and triumpbs.
If your read r. will recoilect that Sam.
Houston began his early life among the Che
rokee Indians: that directly after that he was
clerk aud county auditor in Tennessee; that
in 1913 be enlisted in the army and served
under Gen. Jackson in the Greek war; that
he was wounded and rose to the rank of a
lieutenant in that war; that he studied law
at Nashville; that he served from 1923 TO
1927 as member OF the National House of
Representatives, from Tennessee that he
was two years the Governor of that State;
that he resigned that Office, went hask and
renewt d his residence among the Cherokees
in Arkapsas; that he went TO Washington TO
protect the aborigiBes from fraud.-an re-
turned to til N Disguised with his little sue
cess; that he went 10 Texas on n visit, was
ell cted member of the convention to form
State constitution prior TO the admission OF
that State into the Mexican Union; that he
headed the disaifectioD growing out of the re-
lection of the constitution Dy Santa Anna;
that he assisted in arousing the Texans to
arms; that he was elected the COMMANDMENT
chief of the troops; that he conducted the
war vigorously. and brought it to a sue
cessful termination at the battle of San Ja-
cinto; that he effected treaty acknowledge
ing the independence of Texas; that he was
elected first President of the Republic; that
he then became a member of the Texan Con-
gress, and was again elected President of
Texas; that he contributed greatly to the an
nexation of Texas to the United States; and
that, in 1914, when Texas came into the
American Union, he was elected d Senator in
Congress-in which body he served until
March last-retiring from it to begin new
round OF Offices as governor OF his State:
say. if your readers will cast their eyes back
over this marvellous record, it will be ditti-
cult to induce them to believe that Sam.
Houston was but Sc years of age on the I'd
of March last-being younger man than
the President of the United States. If you
could see him as / saw him, shortly before he
made his farewell speech in the Senate which
like the farewell speeches of some other great
actors in politics and the drama, was, as the
result has shown intended to be but the adj
vertisement of new engagement, you would
have been impressed by his fine bearing. his
snow-white ruffled Shirt his diamond deco
rated digiis," and his vigorous, statesman
like appearance. You would not ask why il
is that SAM Houston is enabled to point to
an almost irresistibly successful career. He
is not man of learning or extended infor-
nation; he is vain to Il fault; fond of dress
and show; a superficial logician, Land no man
is so ready TO admit these elements of his
character as himself;) aud yet he has won be-
cause Of has uastncttUe LOUe Of truth. his con-
tempt for law-learEing and lawyers: his hOr-
ror of distractions. aud, not the least of all,
his undoubted courage and patriotism.
If the life of this man could be written con
013ors nv some RahinUtOn MacaulaV. who
would bring out its strong features and con-
ceal none of the little defects which give
point 10 his character, as furnishing coDsrasts
to his merits, it would constitute volume
more interesting than that of the famous
French on-killers, whose narratives. few
years ago, set the literary world wild with
speculatons.