Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/39

Rh thirty miles east of Nashville, and began the practice of his profession. Of his career at Lebanon, the following extracts furnish interesting reminiscences: ", Tenn., April 30, 1867, " Lebanon, where I am now stopping, is the town where Gen. Houston first put out his ' shingle ' as an attorn ey-at-law. He had studied law either three or six months at Nashville, and being short of funds, was under the necessity of doing something. He came up here, without means, a stranger among strangers. Mr. Isaac Golladay, a merchant of this place, and also P. M., furnished Mr. Houston an office at one dollar per month; sold him clothes on credit; credited him for his postage, each letter being then charged twenty-five cents; and recommended him to the people. This was about the year 1818-19. How long Mr. Houston remained at Lebanon I do not know, but long enough to get a respectable practice, pay out of debt, gain the favorable opinion of the people, and to show them that he was a man of more than ordinary promise. When he was about to leave Lebanon he made a speech—a sort of farewell address—to the people, on some public day, at the Court House. I have myself heard some of the old men who were present speak of this speech. In substance he said: 'Gentlemen,—The time has come when I must bid you farewell. Although duty calls me away, yet I must confess that it is with feelings of sincere regret that I leave you. I shall ever remember with emotions of gratitude the kindness which I have received at your hands. I came among you poor and a stranger, and you extended the hand of welcome, and received me kindly. I was naked, and ye clothed me; I was hungry, and ye fed me; I was athirst, and ye gave me drink, etc' His speech, continued in this strain, was so emphatically true, and withal delivered in so pathetic a style that its effect was to cause many of the people to shed tears. He carried away with him the good-will and kind wishes of the people of Wilson County, and afterward, when he had begun to ascend the ladder of political fame, the people of Lebanon and Wilson County supported him for Governor with almost unequaled unanimity. As regards his 'first marriage,' the version you gave me at Brenham is the one most current here, and is doubtless the true one. Be particular to notice that Sam Houston commenced the practice of law at Lebanon, Tenn. He is not the only man who has gone from Lebanon and become famous; still Lebanon is justly proud of Sam Houston, and would not have this fact omitted.

" Very respectfully, I V. ."

The son of Isaac Golladay alluded to in Mr. Drake's letter furnished that gentleman with the following statement, which exhibits how Gen. Houston remembered the friends of his early manhood:

"I was travelling in Texas in the year 1853. Arrived at the town of Huntsville. Walker Co., on Sunday, about 11 o'clock. The good people of the town and vicinity were passing on to church as I rode up to the hotel. I was very sick; had a high fever on me when I dismounted. I told the landlord I was very sick, and wanted a room; he assigned me a room, and was very kind in his attentions I took a bed immediately, and, while talking to him, asked him in what part of the State Sam. Houston lived. He replied, 'He lives about one and a half miles from town, and his family and he have just passed, going to church, in his carriage.'