The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-25
VIEWS OF SAM HOUSTON
WAS OPPOSED TO HASTY sEcEs-
SION FROM THE UNION.
Declared that Texans Should Consider
Well Constitutional Violations Before
Enlistnu Their Svmpathies.

The Post has received from Captain S,
g. Duprce Of Mink Texas. n copy OF tho
letter written 10y Sam Houston Just before
tho outbreak OF the civil war In answer to
petition Of citizens NJ Hunts,ilc ask
Ing for an opinion from him relative to
what course they should pursue In regard
to the re-, olutlon which was then threat
cning the country The petition 10 TIous-
Ton. which bore the date of November II,
1860, signed by sixty six citizens and was
sent from Huntsville, was IS follows.
General sam Houston.
''Denr Sir: VIZ. the undersigned. feeling
u ucep interest ~ regard To the crisis
which now lmpeuds the country and we
fear threatens our liberty. property and
prosperity, are DESTROYS of having your
pursue In this important period of our
history. We fear too hasty action may
prove dclcterious, and Ia prolong too much
an expression ~ opinion may prove fatal
I" our Interests. Let Ms hear from you Mt
Your very earliest convenience.
-, Sam Houston who was then governor OF
JcNas. replied to the petition. pr"f,cing
his reply. with the following paragraphs:
Your letter asking my Views respecting
the present crisis In our political affairs,
Is AZ hand. AZ present ] can reply hut
!rleny, hut i shall do so the more frank
". feeling that this Is time when the
truth should he spoken by every lover Of
~ recognize among you, names of men
Of all parties. Some OF you are oil and
tried friends and citizens Of Texas TO
S SmSh especially ,,{@G look With confidence
revolution threatened. In all the troubles
OF the Republic ! found you the friends
Of constitutional liberty. Having seen the
throeS OF one revolution, having shared In
Inc ylcSSitudes and borne part In bring
ing TEXAS INTO the Union, ] trust fhat
yon IN common with patriots Of these
grl Haamtgr -
sons for ovcrthrowlng the government tnnn
rash enthusiasts yet have given and that
while others are carried away by the I'm
pulse Of the moment, the men OF cXperi-
cnce VIII hc calm aud decided
~ hnd hoped that an opportunity would
nave been Afforded me to rejoice in the
triumph of some one of the conservative
candidates for the presidency, Had the
candidates for whom the voice Of Texns
was declared been elected. ! should have
Ind additional cnuse of qualification. but
must regret and dcplorc the election Of
men whose only claim 20 tho confidence
and support Of the whole country must
he tho official character with which the
constitution invests them"
Sah Houston was great sticklcr for
constitutional rights and requirements and
all through his letter he deprecated amy
action that might he without constitution
al support saying; III our rights arc yet
secure, we can not be Justified" Houston
had reference In the above TO the grlcv-
anccs that the people of the South were
supposed TO have entertained against the
people or the North. or against the admin
istrntlou of the affairs Of tho United states
which had Just been lndorsed In conclud-
Ing his letter, referring to his reply to Mr.
Seward In the senate, Houston said; "Icn
take my stand. So long MS the consti.
tuition is maintained by Federal authority
and Texas IL not made the victim Of Fed
eral wrong, ] nm for tho Union rs II is"
Captain Duprec also has the letter Of
Iloustons follow citizens indorsIng his
stand In regard to party declaration Of
tho citizens Of Texas on either side. but
II is clear from the Endorsement that the
sympathes of Texans In those stirring
times were with the people Of the South
crn states against abolition and for
States rights