Ah, Sam Houston: a patriot, a statesman, a man with a cast- iron will, and a man who would not only try but actually do 'the right thing' even at his own personal loss of position, finance and at the risk of his very life and limb. A true American hero who is not better appreciated and I have no idea as to why that is so.
As a US Senator from the State of Texas, he would and did oppose any actions that would endanger the Union, be those threats from the North OR from the South (nullifiers):
"Whatever is calculated to weaken or impair the strength of [the] Union,—whether originating at the North or the South,—whether arising from the incendiary violence of abolitionists, or from the coalition of nullifiers, will never meet with my unqualified approval."
For the greater good, not only for his beloved state (and previous Republic- Texas was a country for a while, and Sam Houston was a President of that country, as well as the Governor of TX when it succeeded from the Union) but for all of The United States, yes, Sam Huston both refused to take an oath as Governor to join the Confederacy (after Texas had already succeed from the Union via the legislature). He was forced from the Governorship of TX by the legislature who had already voted to secede from the Union and said this after his ousting:
"Fellow-Citizens, in the name of your rights and liberties, which I believe have been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the nationality of Texas, which has been betrayed by the Convention, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the Constitution of Texas, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of my own conscience and manhood, which this Convention would degrade by dragging me before it, to pander to the malice of my enemies, I refuse to take this oath. I deny the power of this Convention to speak for Texas....I protest....against all the acts and doings of this convention and I declare them null and void."
But I think his true genius as well as his practical political insight is shown in the speech he gave after leaving (being forced from actually) office as Governor of Texas due to its succession. Remember, at the time, the secession of the various southern states was thought by most, and all in political office I think, to be a minor issue that could be easily and readily corrected with nothing much more than a skirmish or two; the swatting of a pesky fly. A. Lincoln called for volunteers to put down this insurrection, many months later, with a 90 day enlistment: few believed it would be a significant conflict. One was William Tecumseh Sherman, who was dismissed from the US Army under suspicion of being insane when he predicted a long and costly war. Another was Sam Houston who said this in a speech given from a hotel window, traveling after leaving the governorship of TX, on 19 April, 1861, five months before the first 'skirmish' of the Civil War at Bull Run:
"Let me tell you what is coming. After the sacrifice of countless millions of treasure and hundreds of thousands of lives, you may win Southern independence if God be not against you, but I doubt it. I tell you that, while I believe with you in the doctrine of states rights, the North is determined to preserve this Union. They are not a fiery, impulsive people as you are, for they live in colder climates. But when they begin to move in a given direction, they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche; and what I fear is, they will overwhelm the South."
The man saw very clearly what almost no one else did, exactly what was coming and why it should have been avoided. And what he predicted is exactly what happened though he would not live to see it happen. Just as well probably.
Engraved on his tombstone:
The inscription on his tomb reads:
A Brave Soldier. A Fearless Statesman.
A Great Orator—A Pure Patriot.
A Faithful Friend, A Loyal Citizen.
A Devoted Husband and Father.
A Consistent Christian—An Honest Man.
I cannot think of a modern historical figure I would more like to meet or spend a few minutes in the presence of than this gentleman.
Brian
<snip>
What strikes me as strange is the consternation about the Sam Houston statue in Houston. He refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy yet the Confederate supporters are rallying around keeping the statue intact. From what I know he had very little to do with the Confederacy although he did refuse Federal assistance to put down the Confederate rebellion in Texas. From what I read he's an all American true hero and is above the fray about the angst against southern memorials. If there is talk about removing his memorials and statues because they think he was for the Confederacy they're a bunch of fidiots. What else are they going to do, rename Houston?
