Chapter 10 Summary and Analysis

In 1859, Houston appeared to be retiring from public life. Public sentiment, and the media, appeared to turn back toward supporting Houston; perhaps his policies had not been so wrongheaded, many argued. There was then talk of Houston running for governor again. Houston invited the public to vote in his favor, but he did not campaign. He did not attend the Democratic National Convention, tiring of party labels in general, and stressing that he was a man of the people, not any political party. In August, he was elected governor. In his inaugural speech, he promised funding for such things as schools and railroads, and that he would be a strong defender of Texas should Mexico try any more hostility. On slavery, as always, he was a political moderate, neither a strong proslavery nor pro-emancipation governor. He stressed the importance of the...