The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-02-21
"REMINISCENCES
OF
PUBLIC MEN.
BY Ex GOVERNOR B. F. PERRY.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
SAM. HOUSTON.

Houston at one of President Polk's
levees. His colleague at that time
in the Senate, was General Rusk,
an old acquaintance of mine. We
were brought up in the same Dis
trict, Pickens, though I believe he
was born in Newberry. His faith.
er was still living in Pickens, long
after the General became distin.
guished. He was stone mason,
and very poor. General Houston
was a fine looking man, tall, we'll
proportioned, and he prided him.
self very much on his personal ap.
pearance. He affected great suav.
ity in mode, and always had some.
thing ridiculous in his Dress
When l saw him in Washington,
he wore an extremely large brim.
ed hat, which attracted great no.
tice, and was doubtless worn for
that purpose. The winter preced-
ing, he had worn a huge, flashy
Mexican blanket. In Que of nv
letters from Washington, publish.
ed IN the newspapers, | designated
him as "the great humbug."-
When | started tie Southern Pa.
triot, parcel of plates of distin.
guished men were procured in
New York, and one was placed in
each number of the paper
Amongst them, there was one OF
General Sam. Houston. He was,
at that time, trying to have him
self brought forward as a candi-
date for the Presidency. lie wrote
me a long letter, and sent me in
advance, two or three years sub
scription to the Patriot I con-
'inued to send him the paper till
the Know Nothing movement
sprung up. lie had hopes of be
ing the Know Nothing candid ate
tor President, and wrote me q let
ter discontinuing his paper in
consequence of its opposition to
the "K.ow Nothing" movement
The life of General Houston was
in many respects, most remark
able one. He rendered gallant
services in the Greek Indian war,
and was afterwards the pet of G en-.
cral jackson. After serving sew
eral years in Congress, he was
elected Governor of the State OF
Tennessee. Whilst Gov ernor, he
was married the first time, and
soon afterwards separated from bis
wife, resigned his office as Govern.
or, and went to reside with the
Cherokee Indians. He went clad
as an Indian Chief, aud took a wife
amongst them. Then he went to
Texas, and was the successful oem.
mander of their forces in their
separation from Mexico. He was
elected President of the Republic
of Texas, and after the annexation
to the United States, he was elect
ed a Senator. Whilst President ot
Texas, he married a young lady in
Alabama, by whom he left a fami
ly. He was Governor of the
State of Texas when the Southern
States seceeded from the Federal
Union, and he did all he could to
stay the revolution and keep Tex
as in the Union. But after his
State seceeded, he cast his fortune
with her, and determined to share
her destiny. He did not long sur.
vive, however.
General Houston was a great
man on the stump, and he spoke
we'll. His style was declamaiorv,
and he generally carried the crowd
with him. The Secession feeling
in Texas was very strong, and
General Houston lost control of the
State, in consequence of his Union
principles. 1 think, too, that the
State rather deposed hlm, or, at
least, treated with contempt his
acts as Governor, and called
convention in spite of his edicts.
His name ought to be dear to Tex
as, and his memory respected by
her people. 1t does not occur to
me, now, that there is more re-
markable battle on record, than
that OF San Jacinto, in which Hous
ton destroyed the Mexican army,
with a handful. of followers cap.
tnred their President, and gained
the Independence of the Republic.
The disparity between the forces of
the two armies was very g-eat in
point OF numbers. There was a
large number killed on the part of
the Mexicans, whilst the Texans
lost scarcely any.
WINFIELD SCOTT.
On being introduced to General
Scott, he enqnired in what part of
South Carolina / resided, and be.
.,,o kxll n.zz...lI-