Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-11-30

ed, which convinced him that some Sc
cret had not been revealed to him. Be-
fore retiring he told her frankly of his
suspicion, asked frank confession and
| pledged her that il should not work her
injury. His frankncss and hrmncss led
to the confession that her affections
had been given and pledged to another
before their meeting, and that tilial duty
had prompted her acceptance Of his prof
fer. houston retired to his own cot,
next day he resigned his position, allow
ed the entire fault to appear to be his.
permitted and encouraged her appica-
non for divorce on the plea of dcscr-
ton, and his bride was married to the
man of her former affection. Many ir-
regularties, rumor, Of course, charged
on the man who had really sacrificed ev-
erylhing to save one who had erred only
in mistaken duty: but no charge Of Co.
mestic iniidclity could be true in man
who denied ii to the eslimable lady who
afterwards became his wife.
The suggestion Of ambitious designs,
naturally assumed as true by jackson,
was disprOvcd by facts known to histO-
ry. One year after that letter was writ
ten Houston was the chosen representa-
tive Of the CheroEccs ut Washington. II
was on visit TO Texas u year or two la
ter that Houston was drawn into Texan
affairs. The large Connecticut colony
induced to go into T1Nas in 1920 had
been in violation Of Santa Annals prom
ises, in 1880 incorporated into the neigh
boring Mexican province ofCoahua and
thus subjected to Mexican law lud GOV
crnmcnt. These Americans in Texas,
with loyal intent, thercupon organized
Il distinct province, and they elected
Houston rs their delegate to the conycn-
tion that had been called to revise the
Mexican Constitution, which in 1921 had
borrowed largely from the United States.
i he ColoniSls had increased In number
to 10000 when Houston became their
delegate The crafty Santa Anna, after
repeated efforts for peace, did not begin
hoslilities until 1885. Though superior
in ability Houston did not become COM
mander-in-ehicf till the post was resign
ed by Col. $. II. Austin, the son Of the
first ColOnist, in the autumn Of 1888.
lIOUslon's clemenuy TO Santa Anna after
the mussacrcs he perpetalcd was loyalty
to the rules of war.
During the eight years, from 1887 TO
1873, Of Texan independence, Houston
was faithful to every obligation Of life.
1t was during this period that he obtain
ed u divorce from the Legislature OF the
State Of which he was President, and
married one Of the most accomplished
and dcvout Of Christian women, who,
with large family Of children survive
him. When, at last, annexation could
he effected instead Of aiming at the indie
pendent empire, Houston promoted TO
the utmost the annexation of the State
Of which he had been the father.
In Washington MS Senator from lSt6
TO 1861, no trucr statesman than Sam
Houston sat in the Capitol, In social
relations no sign Of vice appeared, furhc
was Of the Roman stamp, so hOnorCd re-
Gently by the 1HJNHe as n type Of the
Republican leaders Of France. Though
unable to bring his family to the Capital
they were always in his thoughts. He
spent Sunday afternoon in writing to
them, and he ever spoke IN all company
Of the fact that to his wife he was in
dcbted for his chiefhonor and happiness. |
From his coming to Washington his seat
was never vacant In the place Of wor-
ship; he often referred to discourse on !
the words "bclter Is he that rulelh his !
own spirit than he that takcth II city,
NJ the rcligiOusCr us Of his life; he rose
above the two-fQld conviction which re-
strained most public men from public |
profession of Christian faith, namely, the |
suspicion Of hypocrisy and Of scctHrian-
ism and was baptized when ut the very |
hCighth of his political expectations.
When secession and the war following |
IL came, Sam Houston was almost alone |
in opposing II in open words and In di- |
rect acts. When In varied COmpauics |
the remark was dropped that Lincoln
would not be peaccably lnaugtralcd, |
Houston firmly said "'rhe man that at
tcmpts to prevent Il shall wall, over my |
dead bodyl" True to his word, when
on the day Of inauguration yldelIc were
at every street CornOr where the process
sion was to pass, close up 10 the left side
of the carriage IN which Lincoln sat
with Buchanan on hisHght, the tall form
of Sam Houston, mounted and armed, |
was seen throughout the whole route,
pressing 80 closely up to The wheels that
no man could have passed between.
Such record should set aside any sus-
piclon that Houston was not In every re-
laion model of loyalty. Retiring TO
the bosom Of hls family he lived two
years IN yet another political cNilc; but
ndorcd In his family, ana not can alien
from the commonwealth Of the redeem
cd GRO. W. SAMSON,
~. VII Nr.,. q icon