Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-06-14


historian, in justice TO the hero of the
Southwest, viii not fail 10 record with
the prominence they so deservedly merit.
When the dark hour of rebellion began
to blast the fairest blossoms OF the South
with its bloody hand, the people of Texas
naturally looked TO their representative
man, all eager and breathless with sus-
pense, TO heaf his FIRST mandate. The
suspense was short and in favor Of the
country he took bold and proud stand.
But a few years ago be brought Texas
| in bis arms and sought shelter for her
exposed people beneath the protection of
the stars and stripes"-and that act,
once his, was his for life.
At the first signal from therattle-snake
of South Carolina, he began to warn the
people of the coming storm, by issuing
| from his Office, as Governor of the State,
proclamations and mandates, warning
some and commanding others. He pro-
nounced the election of members to the
convention farce, and the incipient step
to treason, the end of which would be
the bloodiest contest the world ever saw.
He spurned with contempt the conven-
ton and its members, Notwithstanding
some of them had been his most intimate
personal friends. / have known him to
order his friends out of his house for their
reasonable sentiments, and tell them to
never again darken his door. i
He even took the stump, and against
brutal mobs and the vile schemes of the
Golden Circle, he resisted the tide of rev.
olution with all his power That per-
sonal command which nature had thrown
about him, strengthened by the most de-
termined countenanee ever saw, carried
him through safely, and he told the PEG
pie in tones of appeal and strains of elo-
quence that they were Remembering the
best and only free Government on earth,
In Gods name and the name of his coun-
try, he plead with the people. recol-
lect while at Waco, town one hundred
miles north Of Austin, where he was adj
dressing a large audience, one of the reb-
els planted keg of powder not far from
Gen. Houston, fer the purpose of annoy
ing him with big secession gun. The
match was applied, but the ignition fail
ed, when the rebel went up to the hole in
which tho key was planted, to see what
, was the matter, and while looking in, the
explosion occurred, blowing the man into
pieces. Gen. Houston exclaimed, "God
will always punish the wickedg'
Time rolled on, and the convention saw
fit to behead Houston, because he would
not yield to their pressure and infamy
Henry Clay said Wwould rather be right
than President" but it was left for Gen
Houston to reduce the theory to practice
and, on the Sd day of March, 1861, he
y was moved out of the gubernatOrial chair
and had his place filed by Il. Clarke, q
: drunken sot who was not capable Of
I transacting business two days in seven.
The question has been asked, why
General Houston did not make bold
stand with armed force The reasons
gre valid, but it would not be Justice tC
4 publish them at this particular crisis, as
the future will demonstrate.
a few days after his dethronement
J, public meeting was called at the capital
!. and tremendous response was made
! where Gen. Houston made his last speech
but one, and such as made the Who'll,
!, convention, which he denominated
Il thing" tremble with fear. He cher
q moved to his plantation on the bayou be
tween Galveston and Houston, called
Cedar Point, where he lives retired life
. fishing, hunting and taking such exer.
,, else rs he desires, while his very hear
I. bleeds for the safety Of bis country.
He was visited by an agent from Pres
ident Lincoln, and offered assistance
but he was too old TO lead military
move Of that kind, while his heart sick
ened with the idea of inaugurating civil
10 war with a people he had so entirely
# made. Subsequently, be was in Calves
ton, think in june last, and announced
that he would address the citizens o
that city. The rebels opposed tn
privilege being extended, because it wa
reported that the General had said som
bitter things of JEFF. Davis. According
ly General n. b Nichols, a rAbid rebe
approached Houston, and told him tina
he understood that he (Houston) had ut
tered some severe structures on Presider
, Davis. General Houston said II did nc
$, know President Davis, but that be de
nounced JEFF. Davis as a scoundrel,
black-hearted villain, and that he de
served hanging until dead" Generi
Nichols told him he could not speak
Galveston. General Houston replied;
4 can speak, and will speak. II the hor
n has come that cannot speak in Texa
b then indeed have lived in vain"
The hour arrived, and he went TO Ii
- fremont House to address a large crow'
mani; ;s.ss;.;.T- % s =sioTIi had s0Hs tt5T5 P1TP0s5i
to mob him. The proprietor Of the hot
n shut the doors on him, but nothing daun
ed, he took the lower rOtunda, and b.
gan 10 address a promiscuOus audienc
- The mob, as usual, qnailed before b
commanding appearance, and such
whitening scathing, well-timed abus
the rebellion and Davis had not receive
before, nor have they since in Texa