Sam Houston was a wise man. He felt that the rights of the states were being infringed upon but obviously felt that it was foolish to engage in a war when diplomacy was available.
Lincoln did reach out to Houston to find an agreement but the war had already started and his loyalties were with the south despite his disagreement with the war. His son was killed fighting in the war.
One of many good men on both sides.
I have my great grandfathers civil war discharge hanging on the wall, 103rd West Pa vol inf, Company C. A few local movers & shakers raised over 1500 local plow boys; mostly 16 & 17 year olds into units. After 3 years of battles in Virginia; they were captured and sent to Andersonville for a year and a half. William was one of 28 members of company C (out of 140) to be discharged at end of the war. My aunt knew him in 1920's when she was young. She told me he blamed everything on the politicians & government; felt he was fighting to save the union, not free any slaves, or anything else. Detested the government until he died in 1926; blamed his war disabilities on Washington.
JUst another side to it all.