[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 10, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H7471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1845
                   FRANCIS SCOTT KEY AND SAM HOUSTON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, Francis Scott Key is best known for being the 
author of our National Anthem, ``The Star Spangled Banner.'' During the 
second American revolution, the War of 1812, the British reinvaded the 
United States, captured Washington, DC, burned this building, the White 
House and most of this city.
  The English then set sail for nearby Baltimore and were determined to 
take the city, but Fort McHenry was blocking and protecting Baltimore 
Harbor. Key, a lawyer, had boldly gone on board a British ship to seek 
release of a captured United States citizen. The Royal Navy held both 
Key and his client and refused to release either until after the 
British naval attack on the fort was completed. During the night, the 
British bombarded the fort with hundreds of shells and rockets, but at 
``dawn's early light,'' the American defenders still held the fort, 
refusing to surrender, and a massive 30 foot by 40 foot American flag 
still flew defiantly over Fort McHenry. The unsuccessful British sailed 
away. Francis Scott Key, upon seeing the flag, wrote our national 
anthem that was sung this past 4th of July throughout the prairies and 
plains of America.
  But, Mr. Speaker, Key also has a Texas connection. Before Sam Houston 
made his way to Texas, he served with Andrew Jackson in the Indian wars 
and was elected United States Congressman for Tennessee for two terms 
and served as Governor of Tennessee.
  After his governorship, Houston spent time in Washington, DC, during 
the 1830s advocating on behalf of the Cherokee Indians and denouncing 
the corruption in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
  In 1832, Congressman William Stanbery from Ohio made slanderous 
accusations about Houston and the Cherokees on the floor of Congress. 
One morning, Houston was leaving a boarding house on Pennsylvania 
Avenue and saw Stanbery walking down the street. A confrontation 
occurred between the two men over Stanbery's statement. A street brawl 
resulted. Sam Houston thrashed and viciously beat Congressman Stanbery 
with his hickory walking cane for Stanbery's derogatory remarks on this 
House floor. Stanbery then pulled a pistol and put it to the chest of 
Houston, but the pistol misfired. Mr. Speaker, fate saved Sam Houston's 
life.
  The United States Congress ordered the arrest of Sam Houston, 
charging him with assault and demeaning a Member of Congress. Houston 
was tried before Congress in a joint session with the Supreme Court 
acting as judges. The trial lasted a month. Houston spent one full day 
on this House floor in boisterous oratory stating his positions, that 
he was defending his honor; Stanbery was the aggressor; and anyway, 
Stanbery deserved the severe caning.
  So what does Francis Scott Key have to do with any of this? Francis 
Scott Key was Sam Houston's defense lawyer. He did an admirable job in 
the defense of this later Texas hero, but after the trial was over, 
Houston was found guilty, publically reprimanded and ordered to pay a 
$500 fine. Houston refused to pay the fine and, rather than face more 
problems with Congress, left Washington that same year and began a new 
life and political career in Texas. And the rest, they say, is Texas 
history.
  General Sam Houston was the successful commander of the Texas Army 
during the Texas War of Independence from Mexico in 1836. After 
defeating Dictator Santa Anna on the marshy plains of San Jacinto, 
Houston became the first president of the Republic of Texas. After 
Texas was admitted to the United States in 1845, he was a United States 
Senator and then Governor of the State. Houston is the only person to 
serve as Governor and Member of Congress from two different States.
  Sam Houston's troubles with the legislative bodies continued, 
however. When Texas voted to leave the Union in 1861, the Governor, 
Houston, refused to take the oath to support the Confederacy. So the 
Texas legislature removed General Sam from the office of Governor. Too 
bad. Maybe if Francis Scott Key had been Sam Houston's lawyer before 
the Texas legislature, the outcome might have been different.
  And that's just the way it is.

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