Tri-Weekly State Times. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 19, 1854 Page: 3 of 4
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her public debt, incurred by the Revolu-
tionary war. I was assured that the
whole amount due, compared with her
ample resources in lands and money—re-
venue from the customs, was a mere
"Bagatelle." Under these circumstan-
ces and influences, I laid out all I had—
the proceeds of my labor for more than
twenty years, in the debt funded accord-
ing to your act of Congress of the 7th
of June, 1837, which had been approved
and signed by President Houston. I
was told and believed that every dollar
had been available to the Government at
its par value.
Since that time I have never bought
nor sold a dollar of Texan securities of
any kind. The same amount appropria-
ted in any one of our growing western
cities, would have made me a rich man.
Under the most trying pecuniary embar-
rassments, sometimes selling property at
a sacrifice and sometimes borrowing mo-
ney to pay my way, at high usurious in-
terest, working hard all the time to clothe
and feed my family, I have held on to my
Texas bonds, under the confident belief
that they would one day all be paid, prin-
cipal and interest; and such is still my
opinion.
If this transaction, thus openly and
fairly made, (not in a corner or in a dis-
tant city, although I would have had a
perfect right thus to make it, for your
bonds were as those of other States and
Nations, a.marketable article, but in
your oivn metropolis,) can justly subject
me to the gross and wholesale imputa-
tions cast upon the poverty-stricken credi-
tors of Texas, by patriotic stump orators
and others, why, be it so. I have no re-
ply to make, no apology to offer.
Having touched the three principal
events in the brief and bloody tragedy
of your glorious revolution, and narrated
the facts connecting me with it to some
extent, as well as the manner in which I
became your creditor, I now ask your at-
tention for a few minutes to the afterpiece
of 1842, sometimes called the second!
war of Texas with Mexico,, in which you
will perceive, by the letters I shall read
you, I was urged by your President to
play a part.
After the failure of the unfortunate
Santa Fe expedition, in 1841, when some
of the truest patriots and bravest hearts .
in Texas were captured and imprisoned, ;
in chains, in Mexico, the chivalrous Ge- j
nerals of that down-trodden country j
began to threaten another invasion of
your soil.
On the 15th of April I received a let-
ter from President Houston, which had
been forwarded to Lexington, Ky., by
Dr. Sliackleford, one of the few survi-
vers of the treacherous and horrid mas-
sacre of Col. Fannin and his men, near
Goliad, in 1836.
I was at the time in Philadelphia, en-
gaged in most important professional bu-
siness, which I could not turn over safe-
ly to any other person, and so informed
Gen. Houston.
Although this letter may have been
then considered confidential, it is no
longer so, but forms a necessary link in
the history of the times, and I will there-
fore read it to you.
City of Houston, 16th March, '42.
To Gen. Leslie Combs—
Sir : If troops should be raised in
the United States at the call of this Go-1
vernment, prepared for conquest, they ¡
may rely upon the fact that they will be
allowed the privilege of the Texan banner
to cross the Rio Grande, and pursue con-
quest to the Walls of Mexico.
To achieve this it will require all the
munitions of an invading army ; a mi-
litary chest will be indespensably neces-1
nary to effect the object, and ensure suc-
cess. The troops will be landed upon
our shores at the point designated by the ¡
Executive, and subject to bis orders. j
Each man will be required to /land with
six months clothing. The - companies
mu3t consist of at least fifty-six men,
rank and file. A confidential agent will
be located at some eligible point, for the
purpose of granting commissions, agree-
ably to the above suggestions. The re-
cognition of Texan Independence must
be achieved by arms, unless Mexico con-
cedes it immediately. All troops from
the United States will be subject to the
laws of Texas. The recompense tender-
ed to our friends will be the property
captured by them, upon the most exalted
and chivalrous principles of honorable
warfare, and the soil which they conquer.
Glory, victory and imperishable renown.
Mexico has invaded our country, and
her Dictator has declared that the Anglo-
KftTAIl ra/ n dial) Kaot fn will i\X ii
Despot. The people of Texas were in-
vited to the country, to enjoy constitu-
tional liberty. They were oppressed,
and the iron hand of tyranny drove them
to resistance. Success gave them inde-
pendence, and the God of battles will
enable them to triumph in the holy cause
of constitutional liberty.
The Santa Fc prisoners groan in bon-
dage !
I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant,
SAM HOUSTON.
As you may well suppose, the conclud-
ing remarks that "The Santa Fe prison-
ers groan in bondage !" touched me on
a tender point.
My own young son, a beardless blue-
eyed boy of seventeen years of age, had
been one of these prisoners.
• When I first heard of his capture, I
hastened to Texas to ascertain if possible
something of his impending fate.
Although he has long since been con-
signed to a bloody grave, I still recur
with melancholy pleasure to the account
given me by his veteran comrades of
his uncomplaining endurance of hunger
and thirst, hardship and danger, during
the campaign, and of his manly conduct
afterwards, under the most trying cir-
cumstances, on the march to Mexico and
when in
limbs.
I knew that Texas could do nothing
for his relief, and the United States Min-
ister, Mr. Ellis, wrote me that although
he sympathised with him and me most
tenance and aid as you may properly be-
stow.
For your kindness towards him you
will enlarge the obligations with which I
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obt. serv't, SAM HOUSTON."
P- S.—I addressed you immediately
after the commencement of our late diffi-
culties, and forwarded the letter to the
United States by Doctor Shackelford,
who was here at the time. In my note,
I requested your aid, in bringing to our
standard a few companies of the gallant
sons of old Kentucky. Since then I
have been anxiously awaiting some intel-
ligence from you, but, as yet, have not
received a syllable. I hope, however,
you have been doing much for the suc-
cess of the great enterprise in which all
the energies of this Republic must now
very soon be combined The war will
be prosecuted; and though single handed
gations. The fact that many of these
liabilities were incurred for purposes not
only not sanctioned by the Legislature,
but entirely illegal and impolitic, has
never with me constituted a reason for
ref usal to pay them at the earliest mo-
ment within our power. Notwithstan-
ding the mischievous and utterly ground-
less publications upon this subject, eme-
nating from some of our public journals,
the good faith of the nation will finally
be thoroughly vindicated, by the re-
demption of every dollar for which
it stands pledged. That we have not
been able to do so before this time has
perhaps been a fault, as well as a misfor-
tune; but nations, like individuals, are
sometimes compelled to yield to the force
of circumstances &c., &c.
Our public domain comprises at least
150 millions of acres of choice lands,
which have been, and are now held sub-
and alone, Texas and her citizens will! ject to the payment of our public debt,
try the issue already made up between &c., &c,
tyranny and ignorance on the one hand,; "From these facts it must be appa-
and freedom and intelligence on the other.; rent to all, except in the eye of preju-
None can doubt the result. Will not,' dice, that Texas has never entertain-
then, our friends and brethren of the
great American family participate in the
glory of the achievement? Will they
not fight for the extension of liberty, and
the sound institutions of our fathers, over
prison, with chains upon his regions where ignorance, superstition,
and the rod of a merciless tyrant, bear
uninterrupted sway? God, and humani-
ty, and truth, will direct our efforts to
the attainment of a success, at once use-
ful and glorious.
sincerely, he could do nothing for him If you unite with us, let your compa-
ed the design of repudiation.
"The Executive has looked upon the
question whether the liabilities were le-
gally or judiciously incurred as one not
proper to be made, but simply whether
■ the national faith is involved in their
redemption. He has heretofore and will
ever continue to set his face against eve-
ry measure which has the appearance of
sullying the national character. He
sees neither reason nor necessity for de-
viating from this course. He is clearly
officially, because lie ivas taken iu arms nies consist of at least 56 men, rank andt of opinion that our public faith SHOULD
under the Texan flag. But oh ! noble
old Kentucky ! my native State, you had
no such scruples. So soon as his unhap-
py fate was known at Frankfort, the le-
gislature unanimously adopted the most
decisive measures, to save his life, by of-
fering to the General Government the
whole armed power of the State, to res-
cue him and his fellow-prisoners. I shall
never forget my grateful emotions, when
I saw these proceedings in the public
press, on mv return to New Orleans.
file; be completely armed, and clothed,! be and will be held sacred, and that
and provisioned for six months. The i all obligations will be redeemed to the
rendezvous has been established at Cor-! uttermost cent, at the earliest period
pus Christi, where troops should report i our means will justify."
as early as possible—the sooner, the bet- j Thus matters stood up to the 4tli|day of
ter. I hope soon to hear from you. July 1845 when the Texas convention
Accept my best wishes, and assuran- ¡ assembled to act upon the joint resolu-
ces of the regard, with which I have the i tions of annexation which had been pre-
viously adopted by the Government of
the United States.
honor to be " SAM HOUSTON.
The threatened invasion by Mexico
which loomed so large and sounded so
Xrr,.,- Tt " • - i i loud at a distance, eventuated in two ma-
)) .j * hastened to invoke the aid of the j rauding expeditions to San Antonio.—
President oí theU. States, I employed a , The first in tho Spring of 1842 under
special messenger to go, with the resolu- Gen. Vasquez, when not a prisoner was
tions, to Mexico, with ample means to taken, nor a drop of blood shed.
open my sons prison doors, and bring The second under Gen.^Wall in the fall,
when the city was surprised and the Court
and Lawyers at the bar, with a few pri-
him home to me.
For these expenditures, as well
those of his original outfit, I ask nothing. va|;e citizens, numbering only sixty-one ^nvo^'
Abraham, of old, was willing to offer up persons in all, were led in captivity to posed
Your distinguished Senator, Gen.
Rusk was chosen President. Before ta-
king the chair, he remarked, " that the
" terms of annexation were alike honor-
" able to the United States and to Tex-
" as, and as a Texian, acting for himself
" and his posterity, he would not, were
"it practicable, without in the slightest
" degree endangering the great question
" involved, seek to alter the terms pro-
looking
Gen Wrmst.on administArprl
. j. o ¡ vjcn. xaousioii uuiiiiuisiereu me urov- .
the face, and all Kentucky standing at | ernment during the whole of his 2difil1
his back, and he would ratner die than Presidential term, and so did his succes-j?™
V o T ,"-r i F— - *u, ieu m captivity to j to «s by the Government of the
his son as a sacrifice on the altar of his i Mexico. My good friend Maverick, who,; ^ted States.
religion, so was I ready to devote mine j I am happy now to see before me, as a 0n, the same da7> the convention,
to the cause of In,man liberty. Upon member of this committee, on that occ2i-\unam.mou81^ accePÍed the terms of an"
1846 the
from
Republic for-
possession of the Government. The
act in the drama was played out,
The Republic of Texas was no more."
The Lone Star from its first appear-
ance above the morning horizon encir-
cled with blood, till its final going down
in the west had ever shone bright and
beautiful from your triumphant banner,
without a blot or stain upon its radiant
face. Thus it descended from your flag
staff, while the constellation of the un;
. c . "■ fact, that when the credit of the eountry ¡ ai ose *n place. The shouts /h
ment to inform you that your son 13 lib- had totally nm down anJ a), was <lar¿! thousands of happy freemen penetrated
(tratad. He is now in my house. Gen. |„Ma _,i ¿i™™ anA the clouds and the thunder of Artillery
saluted the auspicious event.
It becomes us now, gentlemen, to ex-
amine the terms of annexation, thus sol-
emnly proposed and as solemnly accept-
ed. Terms, pronounced by Gen. Rusk,
m. . . _ „ _ , to be alike honorable to Texas and the
The journals of your Congress will ful-: un¡ted States
Before Gen. Houston received my an- j \y 9ugtain me on this point, and so will'
swerto his first letter, he again wrote the Presidents message of the 12th of I r
me. How or where was I to obtain all j December 1843. From that able docu-
the "munitions of an invading army, ment I will read a few passages to be
or fill a "military chest" with money, as foumi on pages 24 and 25 of the jour-
disgrace us. SQr^ pres¡dent Jonea Up to the time of
Gentlemen, all the money m Texas . annexation, without adding a dollar to
could not pay me for this sentiment. : the old debt. Indeed two hundred and
\ ery soon after my messenger reached I fift thousand dolkrs in monev and debts
Mexico, my son was released as you will we£ ,eft ¡n the Tl.easury. "
perceive by the brief letter of the Ame- j The members of Gon' of ,hat d
rican Minister, which I ask leave to read ; well „ the Executiv6e Head of tfce
,r T n- ioin Government will ever, doubtless, recur
,r n Mexico Jan. 2o, 1842. Í with honest pride and pleasure to th.
My Dear Sir: 1 have only ond rno-
ou that your son is lib-
v t - — ness and crlnnm iirnnnrl thítm and líofnrp
Santa xVnua sent him to me in his own j t>,ATT,
vnn !
carriage.
With the greatest esteem,
Most truly
POWHATAi
To Gen. Leslie Combs. New Orleans.
rours,
f.t.t.t^
_ -they repelled, with indignation,
¡ the idea of repudiating their plighted
' faith. They could not pay—but they
'ever admitted their liability to their
! iTorlifftrs r\f ;il 1 ííIíissps.
— -- j/ ^ / ' luuiiu vii aiiii
well as supply the troops with arms and ' nf tin Kth flnnm-Asa
six months' provisions and clothing ? all
nf "U'liii'li hp informal mft would hfi
I will not detain you by reading both
resolutions, but invite your calm and can-
; did attention to the second clause of the
! 2d resolution:
"Sec. 2—Part 2. Said State (of Tex-
s -v. — lin-
dispensibly necessary.''
My own fortune was all gone, and I
was literally working hard for my daily
bread.
With your leave I will read his second
letter :
Houston, Texas, May 11. 1842.
Gen. Leslie Combs—
/)/<//-• ViV• will Ka lüinilpfl tft vnn
j ¡ as) when admitted into the Union, after
Extract from President Houston's Mes-! ceding to the United States all public
sage to the Texas Congress, Decern- i edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports
ber, 12, 1843. ! and harbors, navy and navy yards, docks.
"It may be well to allude to a fact! magazines and armaments, and all other
which has greatly prejudiced the char-: means pertaining to the public defence,
| acter of the nation. The charge that j belonging to the said Republic of Texas;
we had repudiated our Government lia- shall retain all the public funds, debts.
I bilities has been industriously urged, I taxes and dues of every kind, which may
! not only abroad, but at home, as a case belong to, or be due and owing to the
of distrust and an accusation of bad { said Republic : and shall also retain all
faitli Other Governments of hiarh res- the vacant and unappropriated lands,
uear mr: mis win oe namieu loyou tauu. vmu '.<">nnim,uW <u mgn u u 11/1^^1^.".......
by Mr. James Lyne, who goes to the U. j pectability have done so: Texas never lying within its limits, tobe applied to
StatM fnr the purpose of enlisting sup- has, and I trust never will. It is true the payment of the debts and liabilities
e cause of Texas, in the strife that our liabilities were increased to so ; of said Republic of Texas; and the re-
le friends of liberty are about; large an amount during the administra- sidue of said lands, after discharg-
Ile comes to mo reeommen- tion of mv predecessor as to ™nrW it I iva satt* m-rtí mid liabilities, to be dis-
port for the
in which th"
to engage, ne comes to me recommen- ] uuu 01 my jncucv.rasui it iu rt-uuui it- j oam uüdi.i ~
ded as a young gentleman of promise and ! not only expedient but indispensably j posed of as said State may direct. ^ But,
"ka,-..1 commend hifti to your re-1 necessary to defer their pay,,ii,r,f until s tx vn f.vevt are said debts and liabili-
/
v«u.u,vuil 411111 IU JUUl If I UVVO VU.1J 10 "v.v. "MVU 1 1 i,V
gard, and solicit for him, in the prosecu- the country could so far recover as to! ties to berome a charge upon the Go vent-
tion of his patriotic intentions, such eonn- ^ be able to eomplv fullv with all its obli- ¡ ment of the I nited States.
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Ford, John S. Tri-Weekly State Times. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 19, 1854, newspaper, January 19, 1854; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181731/m1/3/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.