On  occasion  Houston  could  express  himself  with
epigrammatic  pungency.  A  man  on  whom  he
had  bestowed  various  small  State  and  Federal
offices  turned  against  him  when  the  secession  issue
was  raised,  and  spoke  abusively  of  him.  Some
one  mentioned  this  to  Houston  and  censured  the


i8o


SAM  HOUSTON


man  for  his  course.  "You  musn't  be  hard  on
him,"  is  said  to  have  been  Houston's  comment.
"I  was  always  fond  of  dogs,  and  he  has  all  the
virtues  of  a  dog  except  his  fidelity."  It  is  also
reported  that  he  remarked  of  Jefferson  Davis,  "I
know  Jeff  Davis  well.  He  is  as  ambitious  as
Lucifer  and  as  cold  as  a  lizard."

Some  of  his  "talks"  to  the  Indians  are  quite
remarkable  for  knowledge  of  Indian  character
and  rather  fine  in  literary  style.  Here  is  a  speci-
men, written  from  Washington,  Texas,  during  his
second  term  as  president :  —

To  the  Lipans,  in  Memory  of  Flaco,  their  Chief.
Executive  Department,
Washington,  March  28,  1843.
My  Brother :  —

My  heart  is  sad  !  A  dark  cloud  rests  upon  your
nation.  Grief  has  sounded  in  your  camp.  The
voice  of  Flaco  is  silent.  His  words  are  not  heard
in  council.  The  chief  is  no  more.  His  life  has
fled  to  the  Great  Spirit.  His  eyes  are  closed.  His
heart  no  longer  leaps  at  the  sight  of  the  buffalo.
The  voices  of  your  camp  are  no  longer  heard  to
cry:  " Flaco  has  returned  from  the  chase!"
Your  chiefs  look  down  on  the  earth  and  groan  in


HOUSTON  THE  MAN  181

trouble.  Your  warriors  weep.  The  loud  voices
of  grief  are  heard  from  your  women  and  children.
