Letters
To John Allen
9 April 1829
Mr Allen The most unpleasant & unhappy circumstance has just taken place in the family, and one that was entirely unnecessary at this time. Whatever had been my feelings or opinions in relation to Eliza at one time, I have been satisfied & it is now unfit that anything should be averted to. Eliza will do me the justice to say that she believes I was really unhappy That I was satisfied & believed her virtuous, I has assured her on last night and this morning. This should have prevented the facts ever coming to your knowledge, & that of Mrs. Allen. I would not for millions it had ever been known to you. But one human being knew anything of it from me, & that was by Eliza's consent & wish. I would have perished first, & if mortal man had dared to charge my wife or say ought against her virtue I would have slain him. That I have & do love Eliza none can doubt, —that she is the only earthly object dear to me God will witness.
The only way this matter can now be overcome will be for us all to meet as tho it had never occured, & this will keep the world, as it should ever be, ignorant that such thoughts ever were. Eliza stands acquitted by me. I have received her as a virtuous wife, & as such I pray God I may ever regard her, & trust I ever shall.
She was cold to me, and I thought did not love me. She owns that such was one cause of my unhappiness. You can judge how unhappy I was to think I was united to a woman that did not love me. This time is now past, & my future happiness can only exist in the assurance that Eliza and myself can be happy & that Mrs. Allen & you can forget the past, —forgive all & and find your lost peace & you may rest assured that nothing on my part shall be wanting to restore it. Let me know what is to be done.
Sam Houston
To Andrew Jackson
Little Rock A.T. 11th May 1829
Gen. Jackson, Tho' an unfortunate, and doubtless, the most unhappy man now living, whose honor, so far as depends upon himself, is now lost, I can not brook the idea of your supposing me capable, of an act that would not adorn; rather than blot the escutheon of human nature! This remark is induced, by the fact, as reported to me, that you have been assured that I meditated an interprize calculated to injure, or involve my country, and to compromit the purity of my motives. I do not distinctly understand the extent of the information, or its character, but I Suppose it was intended to complete my ruin, in irremediable devastation of character! To you any suggestion on my part would be idle, and on my part, as man; ridiculous-You Sir, have witnessed my conduct from boyhood thro life—You saw me, draw my first sword from its scabbard—you saw me breast the fore front of Battle, and you saw me incounter successive dangers, with cheeks unblenched, and with nerves which had no ague in them! You have seen my private, & my official acts-to these I refer you-To what woud they all amount, and for what would I live? but for my own honor, and the honor and safety of my country? Nothing! And now that domestic misfortune; of which I say nothing; and about which there are ten thousand imputed slanders; has come upon; as a black cloud at noonday I am to be hunted down! What am I? an Exile from my home; and my country, a houseless unshelter'd wanderer, among the Indians! Who has met, or who has sustained, such sad and unexpected reverses? Yet I am myself, and will remain, the proud and honest man! I will love my country; & my friends—You Gen will ever possess my warmest love, and most profound veneration! In return I ask nothing—I would have nothing, within your power to give me! I am satisfied with natures gifts—They will supply natures wants!!
When in this section of the country if in my power to give information at any time of matters that concern either your feelings, or your administration I will be proud & happy to do so and in my individual capacity, if I can keep peace among the Indians, & between them & the whites I will cheerfully do it. If I find your favors abused, and injustice done to the Indians, by their agents, I will feel bound, to let you know the facts.
Two days since I arrived here I have had the pleasure seeing Colo Crittenden the acting Governor of the Territory, and I am happy to assure you that my opinion in relation to many reports about his hostility to you have changed. On the subject I have heard him speak, more than once. He is satisfied that he will be, if he is not already removed from office. And he says that he has ever; and does at this moment retain for you the most prefect respect & veneration; and that he has ever since Seminole campaign, cherished feelings not less than those of filial regard towards you. He has no doubt but many representations, have been made to you respecting him—and he says that "any representations, which may have been made contrary to these sentiments, are unqualifiedly, false and designed from mischievous purposes."
In two hours I will leave here, for my old friend, Jollys, of the Cherokees; and will from thence start on a Buffaloe (Summer) hunt, so soon as I am rested! If at any time you should feel, for me the personal regard that would induce you to write to me, I will get it from the Cherokee Agency. You have much employment, and little time for private purposes, and I would not tax you, with the labour of writing; unless it is perfectly convenient—tho' I will always be happy to hear from you. I need not tell how sincerely and truly I wish you a successful and glorious administration of the Government of the U. States.
May you live long, and may your days be as happy, as your life has been glorious and useful to your country. Farewell.
Sam Houston
To Joseph McMinn
Nashville 15th February 1823
Dear Governor,
Your letter has remained unanswered longer than my wishes dictated by my situation required that I should do things that kept me busy, and I wished to say more in answer, than, "I am happy to acknowledge the receipt of your letter" of such a date. I was happy to receive it and attended immediately to the executive part of it; I folded and sent the first Whig myself, and requested Norvile to say where the deposit for it should be made; and he said it might be sent to him at this place!
Permit me to assure you Governor, that in my advancement (which you have been pleased to notice) I can never be unmindful that in the commencement of my career you were not an inefficient friend. No, Sir, on the contrary, I reflect with pleasure, that you placed me in a situation, that has had its influence in my elevation. I am happy that you have always considered the appointment of Eaton, Graham & myself at fit, and fortunate to your administration, and not unfortunate to the community of which you were the head. I do not pretend to say these cou'd not have been better'd but whether or not, I will endeavor in life to act in such manner as will shield my friends from all imputation on my account. In affairs of men, too, I am satisfied there must be a conducting Providence! I am the more satisfied of this fact, where I advert to my past life and behold the changes which have taken place with myself. Five years since I came to this place, without education more than ordinary—without friends—without cash—and almost without acquaintances-consequently without credit. And here among talents and distinction I have made my stand! Or the people have made it for me.
I have no opposition yet for congress, nor is it probably I will have any—It is not by the consent of all parties, or persons that I have none, for you must know I have sined in obtaining at my present appointment, and can never be forgiven! They smile at me, and seem kind, but like the rose there is a thorn under it.
You are a candidate for the Senate of the State. I hope you will have no difficulty in obtaining a seat there. It will give me great pleasure to see you there. You will recollect what we have spoken of in former times. I will expect you to answer this letter soon, and I will say some things omited in this.
Sam Houston
Resignation as Governor of Tennessee
Executive Office, Nashville, Tennessee 16 April 1829
Sir, It has become my duty to resign the office of Chief magistrate of the state, & to place in your hands the authority & responsibility, which on such an event, devolves on you by the provisions of our constitution.—
In dissolving the political connexion which has so long, & in such a variety of forms existed between the people of Tennessee and myself, no private afflictions however deep or incurable, can forbid an expression of the grateful recollections so eminently due to the kind of partialities of an indulgent public.—From my earliest youth, whatever of talent was committed to my care, has been honestly cultivated & expended for the common good; and at no period of a life which has certainly been marked by a full portion of interesting events, have any views of private interests or private ambition been permitted to mingle in the higher duties of public trust.—In reviewing the past, I can only regret that my capacity for being useful was so unequal to the devotion of my heart, and it is one of the few remaining consolations of my life, that even had I been blessed with ability equal to my zeal, my countrys generous support in every vicissitude of my life, has been more than equal to them both.—
That veneration for public opinion by which I have measured every act of my official life, has taught me to hold no delegated power which would not daily be renewed by my constituents, could the choice be daily submitted to a sensible expression of their will.—And although shielded by a perfect consciousness of undiminished claim to the confidence & support of my fellow citizens, yet delicately circumstanced as I am, & by my own misfortunes, more than by the fault or contrivance of any one, overwhelmed by sudden calamities, it is certainly due to myself & more respectful to the world, that I should retire from a position, which, in the public judgment, I might seem to occupy by questionable authority. —
It yields me no small share of comfort, so far as I am capable of taking comfort from any circumstance, that in resigning my Executive charge, I am placing it in the hands of one whose integrity & worth have been long tried; who understands & will pursue the true interests of the state; and who in the hour of success & in the trials of adversity has been the consistent & valued friend of that Great and Good man now enjoying the triumph of his virtues in the conscious security of a nations gratitude. —
Sam Houston