a card
A printed letter dated PRISON of the Ocordado, city of Mexico, August
25th 1834, has this moment met my eye. Among other false and ridiculous
things it contains many grave and damning charges preferred against
myself. When I first saw this letter; I was in common charity disposed
to believe some enemy of Austin's had forged it, for the purpose of holding
him up to public derision and scorn, by exhibiting in ludicros contrast his
former and present opinions or rather PROFESSIONS; for I could not
imagine that any man of common sense would append his name to such
a bloated mass of disgusting self conceit—of arrogant dictation, and of
inconsistent stupidity. My opinion of the forgery was abandoned, however,
when I learned this FAMOUS document issued from the press under the
auspices of his devoted personal friends and of the relation to whom it
was addressed.
I had hoped that my political career and with it my political dissentions
had terminated. At the close of the last convention I deliberately resolved
to withdraw from all public employment whatever, and for the future, to
seek peace and retirement in the bosom of my own family far—far, and
forever removed from the bustle and contention—the hopes and the honors
of political life. This resolution has been, up to this period, strictly
adhered to; for since that time I have been more secluded from the public
eye, than the writer from the PRISON of the Ocordado; I have confined
myself exclusively to the pursuits of agriculture, and have not been ten
miles from home in the colony of Austin. This resolution I fondly wished
still to adhere to, and would never have troubled the public with anything
under my name, except for the wanton manner in which in this letter my
political reputation and domestic happiness have been assailed. But for
this the follies the errors, and the inconsistencies of Austin might FOR ME
have slumbered in forgetfulness—or been remembered only to be laughed
at. If nothing else a sincere and tender regard for the feelings of many
individuals who are mutual friends would have prevented me from publicly
exposing him; since his unprovoked attack, however, all of these
considerations go for NOTHING; and although his being a prisoner forbids a full
expose of his many misrepresentations at present; yet a high a sacred and
a never-to-be-forgotten duty which I owe to truth, to myself, to my family
and friends forces me to repel such CALUMNIES the moment they meet
my eye. Whether the calumniator be in the PRISON of Ocordado, or even
at the foot of the altar, I therefore pronounce his insinuations and assertions
so far as they charge me with perpetuating his imprisonment, rejoicing
at his sufferings, or attempting his ruin to be false. Yes! wilfully and
maliciously false.—Thus much for the present.
In conclusion, I pledge myself when this obeyer of instructions this man
of so many personal friends, this disinterested benefactor of Texas, this
oracular weathercock, this political Proteas this innocent victim, this maker
of mottos, this organizer of parties, this presumptious dictator returns,
to brand him on the forehead with a mark that shall outlast his epitaph.
Wm. H. Wharton.
Eagle Island, Nov. 9, 1834.