Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/296

 A circumstance of the highest import will claim the attention of the Court of Washington. In the election which has recently transpired the important subject of annexation to the United States of America was submitted to the consideration of the people. They have expressed their feelings and wishes on that momentous question. They have, with an unanimity unparalleled, declared that they will be reunited to the great republican family of the North. The appeal is made by a willing people. Will our friends disregard it? They have already bestowed upon us their warmest sympathies. Their manly and generous feelings have been enlisted in our behalf. We are cheered by the hope that they will receive us to a participancy of their civil, political, and religious rights, and hail us welcome into the great family of freemen.

Our misfortunes have been their misfortunes; our sorrows, too, have been theirs; and their joy at our success has been irrepressible.

A thousand considerations press upon me, each claiming attention; but the shortness of the notice of this emergency will not enable me to do justice to those subjects, and will necessarily induce their postponement for the present.

(Here the President paused for a few seconds, and disengaged his sword.)

It now, sir, becomes my duty to make a presentation of this sword,—this emblem of my past office. (The President was unable to proceed further, but having firmly clenched it with both hands, as if with a farewell grasp, a tide of varied association of ideas rushed upon him in the moment; his countenance bespoke the workings of the strongest emotions; his mind seemed to have turned from the body he addressed to dwell momentarily on the glistening blade, and the greater part of the auditory gave outward proof of their congeniality of feeling; it was in reality a moment of deep and exciting interest. After this pause, more eloquently impressive than the deepest pathos conveyed in language, the President proceeded.) I have worn it with some humble pretensions in defence of my country, and should the danger of my country again call for my service, I expect to resume it, and respond to that call, if needful, with my blood and my life.

The Vice-President then followed, and delivered the succeeding address.


 * — Circumstances involving important interests to the country have induced the call of a special session of Congress, which subjects will require your attention and profound deliberation; the frequent call of extraordinary sessions is to be deprecated, and would have been avoided on the present occasion, especially as the annual session of Congress will occur so soon; but the necessity of your present meeting could not be so well anticipated by any future action of your honorable body as it can at the present moment.

At the last session of Congress provision was made for the appointment of a Commission to run the line between the Government of the United States and Texas; this measure was based so as to correspond with measures which have been adopted on the part of the Government of the States; it was nevertheless deemed satisfactory as to its correctness, and has subsequently been verified, as