Harrison Co. TX - Jesse Grimes Letters ----¤¤¤---- Letter # 43 Independence 7th Sept. 1854 My Dear Friend I was truly happy to receive your kind favor of the 13th Inst. So happy was I, that I could not deny myself the pleasure of answering you. I am caused to review many ivents, & scenes of the past, and to note changes and recall incid- ents of days now passed away. You have adopted the wise mans course. You have thrown off the cares and strifes of politics. I yet,for awhile, if I may be spared, have to wear the harness. On the 4th of March next, my resolve is to lay it a side, after having worn it for forty two years, as it will then be, since I enlisted a private soldier in the United States army. Though the harness has never galded me, it has on some occasions rubbed me rather hard. There is one thing which affords me the most sensible pleasure, & that I hope to cherish to the last, hour of my allotted time. It is this. In many vicissitudes I have retained your confidence and my public measures commanded your support. When I first met you at San Felipe de Austin,I set you down as one, on whom I could rely, to sustain the true interests of the country, when ever they might require the aid of honest men! This has been verified, on many occasions since then, and now when we have strutted our hour on the political stage, and are preparing for our exit, or have taken it, neither of us, so far as I can judge, have any thing to regret, or amend! Now that you approve my course, on the Nebraski Bill I am truly gratified! I was aware that I would incur, the abuse of the Calhoun, Disunion clique, and they would cry out abolition, or any thing else, which would enable them as they supposed, to injure me. I said , and now repeat it, that "if the Bill passed it was putting the Knife to the throat of the South." It has done it, and has done more to reanimate, and invigorate abolition, than all the measures, ever adopted, by the American Government, or that ever will be done, unless it should be that it obtains, a complete triumph of abolition, I will regard this matter of Nebraski, as a link, in the chain of destiny; leading to the fearful result. Abolition was prostrate, and free soil no longer an issue, after the Compromise of 1850. It was by both political parties, regarded, and proclaimed a "finality", never again to be disturbed. There was no other measure in the country, but the Nebraski Bill, which could so effectually have broken up all concord, between the North, & the South, as that measure! Without any advantages to the South, but every disadvantage, we see how it is operating in the North. I fancy that not one free state, will be in favor of the Administration, and if the slave states, or one half of them should go Whig, I will not be surprised. Moreover, Nebraski, and Kansas, will be filled, by the ultras, of the North, & Foreigners, and these states will, border, on Texas, and those Indians who own slaves, so that, slavery in North of Texas, as well as in the Indian Nations, will be valuless. There was no need of this for twenty five years to come. And then the crowning act of crime, has been bestowed upon the Indians, but this is a piece with the Graytown affair.!! The origin of the Nebraske measure, was to secure the "Whole South," in the restriction of Mr. PIERCE, and thus make up for, the loss of New York, & such other free states as would not swallow a repeal of the Missouri Comprise. And in addition the President would have thereby, a good deal of patronage, to bestow in organizing the New Territories. Well! I was opposed to all this, and for my country! Nor was I, in favor of placing "ten millions" at the disposal of the President. He could not have used it unless it was to corrupt Spanish officials, or to reward persons about him, for past acts of corruption. He could act under no treaty, or pay money under it, until ratified by the senate, so we will then know how much, and what for, that we are to appropriate cash!!! Mrs. H. unites with me in kindest regards, to Mrs. Grimes, and your family. Ever thine truly Sam Houston Hon. Jesse Grimes __________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Christine Grimes Thacker ___________________________________________________________________