The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 57, July 1953 - April, 1954 Page: 222

Votes a#d DOcumetts
rexas Letter from Jfoh Ie mphil to his
/rLother, ames, in Ze##essee
Contributed by ARTHUR BECKWITH
Washington, Texas, Feby. 13th, 1845-
Dear Brother,
Having an opportunity of safe conveyance, I embrace it to forward
you a few lines. The Congress of Texas has adjourned and this place
is dull in the extreme. A gloom has to some extent spread over the
community from the prevalence of an epidemic which assumes various
forms all classified under the general term of "Pneumonia." Peace and
tranquility reign within our borders or at all events no depredations
or marauding has been heard of for more than a month on our
frontiers.
On yesterday
we received the news of the passage of Mr. Brown's resolution in favor
of annexation in the U. S. House of Representatives-and I assure you
it has been received by many with feelings of amazement, grief and
indignation. The terms proposed to this country are injurious, rigor-
ous and insulting in every line. The first resolution authorizes the
creation of a state out of the territory "properly included within and
rightfully belonging to the Republic of Texas." There is a manifest
insinuation that we have been claiming territory not rightfully be-
longing to this Republic, and this too from a government which has
urged a preposterous claim to the whole territory of Texas on the
ground of a settlement in 1682 by LaSalle near the Bay of Expirita
Ionta-a settlement abandoned in a very short period. While from
1700 until 1762 the territory of Texas was settled at San Antonio,
Goliad on the Trinity and at Nogodoches and missions still further
East-and various other places by Spain.
France did not extend her authority beyond Nachitoches and in 1762
she ceded all Louisiana to Spain. Louisiana in 180oo with its original
boundaries only, was ceceded to France-and from her in 1803 to
the United States-and under this state of facts the territory of Texas
was not "properly included within and did not rightfully belong
to Louisiana. And the United States Democrats, Whigs, Conservatives
and all might do well to pluck the beans out of their own eyes before
they censured the mote in their neighbours. If it ever did belong to
the United States, it was relinquished by the Treaty of 1819. We