| Subject: Re: Sam Houston St. |
| From: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com> |
| Date: 3/10/10, 15:10 |
| To: Caleb Pritchard <cpritchard2001@gmail.com> |
From Wikipedia.
"In 1830 and again in 1832 he visited Washington to expose the frauds practiced upon the Cherokees by government agents.[5] While Houston was in Washington in April 1832, Anti-Jacksonian Congressman William Stanbery of Ohio made accusations about Houston in a speech on the floor of Congress. Stanbery was attacking Jackson through Houston, and accused Houston of being in league with John Van Fossen and Congressman Robert S. Rose.
The three men bid on the supplying of rations to Native Americans who were being forcibly dispossessed and relocated because of Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830. Stanbery, now carrying two pistols and a dirk, refused to answer Houston's letters; infuriated, Houston later confronted Stanbery on Pennsylvania Avenue as Stanbery left Mrs. Queen's boardinghouse, and beat him with a hickory cane. Stanbery did manage to draw one of his pistols, place it at Houston's chest, and pull the triggerthe gun misfired.
On April 17 Congress ordered the arrest of Houston, who pleaded self-defense, and hired Francis Scott Key as his lawyer. Houston was found guilty, but thanks to high-placed friends (among them James K. Polk), he was only lightly reprimanded. Stanbery then filed charges against Houston in civil court. Judge William Cranch found Houston liable, and fined him $500, but Houston did not pay it, and left the country."