Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-03-26
SAM HOUSTON AS A CHEROKEE.

1t appears that Texas is going to put
a statue of Gen. Sam Houston in stat
uary hall at Washington, and a lively
discussion has been aroused by the de-
cision to represent the pioneer of Texas
in the garb of Cherokee Indian, with
which tribe he lived after his self ban
ishment from Tennessee. The statue,
1t is said, will be duplicate of the one
that now stands in the capitol at Austin,
Texas.
Judge John II. Reagan, who knew
Houston intimately, has written let
tel to Senator A. B. Davidson protest
ing against the Indian efigy. Judge
Reagan said that che who had been
governor of the State of Tennessee,
general of the armies which won the
independence of Texas, was twice pres
ident of the Republic of Texas, three
times sent by Texas to the United
States senate and was afterward COVER
nor of this great State, should not be
represented by such trayesty as the
one in our capitol representing him in
the garb of an Indian with leather
hunting shirt, andinstead of bow and
arrow for the sake of unity of design,
the representation of sword to accom-
pany the hunting shirt. His great
character was that of soldier and
statesman and not of an Indian"
Judge Reagan protested against ''the
outrage upon Houston's memory in
sending this thing to Washington, .
and said that surely no member of
Gen. Houston's family or real friend of
his could wish to see him exhibited at
the only period of his life of which
neither he nor his family can feel
proud"
But Judge Reagan was reckoning
without Gen. Houston's family. After
his letter had been made public Mrs.
Nettie Houston Bringhurst, daughter
of Gen. Houston, issued statement in
reply to Judge Reagan's criticisms.
She said that Gen. Houston's children
have always gloried in his story of his
Indian life. ''No one knows better
than Judge Reagan that it was Hous-
toms thorough understanding of the
character of the red man that made
treaties possible in the stormy days of
the young republic" says Mrs. Bring
hurst. SIT was this same far-reaching
intelligence that made him the invalu-
able counsellor of more than one presi-
dent of the United States. Nor was
the self-exile of Sam Houston in his
forest home entirely beyond the pale OF
civilization. The Cherokees were
neither uncultured nor unlearned. His
adopted father, Oolooteka, was a
wealthy chieftain, owning many slaves
and great possessions. Much of this
property he left to his adopted son, af-
ter designating him as his successor.
Gen. Houston gave the property to his
red brother and resigned the chieftain-
ship of the Cherokees. Almost every
concession made to the Indian people
by the white man, in his policy of plum
der, is directly the result of Houston s
Intervention and championship, and sc
he stands today the hero and idol not
only of the Cherokees, but of the Five
Civilized Tribes.
With due respect for the position
taken by the daughter of Gen. Houston,
we believe that Judge Reagan is right,
and that his protest should meet with
the approval eff the people of the Lone
Star State. Among the statues of states
men and soldiers that stand in Statu.
airy Hall, Gen. Sam Houston in the
garb of redskin would surely seem to
have been made the victim of execrable
taste.