The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 383
434 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Hamilton Stuart: Pioneer Editor
to do in Texas in those days, especially as Mr. Stuart had come
to Texas from Kentucky. Mr. Stuart told General Houston that
while he might be deemed ungracious for declining the hospital-
ity, that he had made it a rule never to take wine.
"Young man," said General Houston, putting his hand on Mr.
Stuart's shoulder, "I never insist upon any one drinking with me.
I sometimes think I drink too much myself. Probably it would
have been better for me if I had never acquired the habit."
This was the beginning of a friendship between the two which
remained unbroken until the death of General Houston in 1863,
more than twenty-five years afterward.
Pioneer Houston Newspapers
Shortly after the meeting noted above, and after a brief visit
to Anahuac at the head of Galveston Bay, opposite the mouth of
the Trinity river, and then a thriving town, Mr. Stuart was in-
stalled as editor of the National Banner, which, with the Tele-
graph and Texas Register, composed the newspaper press of Hous-
ton. This connection lasted for only a short time, and was ter-
minated in consequence of the proprietors sending articles to the
press without submitting them to the scrutiny of the editor. Mr.
Stuart then determined to branch out for himself, and in connec-
tion with Drs. Levi Jones (whom he had known in Kentucky) and
R. A. Irion, Secretary of State in President Houston's cabinet,
began the publication at Houston of a weekly called the Civilian,
the initial number of which appeared May 8, 1838. Then, as
now, most of the men prominent in public affairs in Texas, were
"generals," "colonels," "majors," "captains," and the name of the
paper was chosen as a mild protest against the mania for military
titles on the part of many who, in the language of Shakespeare,
"never set a squadron in the field, nor of the diversion of a battle
know aught than a spinster." The paper supported Peter W.
Grayson as a candidate for President to succeed Houston, who
was ineligible under the Constitution to a second successive term,
but he died before the election,4 and Mr. 'Stuart, having contracted
'News of the tragic death of P. W. Grayson, which occurred at Bean's
Station, Tennessee, July 18, 1838, did not reach Texas until the early
part of August. A sketch of Grayson, printed in the Civilian, was copied
by the Telegraph and Texas Register, August 11, 1838.--TE EDITORS.383
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/389/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.