Telegraph and Texas Register (Columbia, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 35, Ed. 1, Tuesday, October 25, 1836 Page: 2 of 4
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"A joint resolution requesting the president to issue :m or-
der for the payment of eight hundred and nineteen dollars, to
Messrs. Toby & BrothersJin favor of the owners of the schoon-
er Pennsylvania."
Mr. Green moved for leave to withdraw the petition oi
Mr. Frazier, submitted to the house, claiming a portion of the
prize money of the brig Pocket. Withdrawn.
The speaker informed the house that the message of the
president then on his tabic, with the accompanying document,
in his opinion, required that the house should go into secret scs-
t"k lmncn vn:o frnm sppvpI cession, and the names 01
Afpcers. f!a.rf.wnht. and McKeniiev, were attached to the dif
ferent committees, on which .Messrs. Moore and JJccknell had
previously served; and
On motion of different members, Mr. Fisher was added to
the committee on military affairs; Mr. Wharton to the commit-
tee of the judiciary, and Mr. Green to the committee on foreign
relations.
Mr. Allen moved to' bring in.a bill, of which he had given
previous notice, authorising the president to ncgociate a loan on
the bonds of government, to the amount of live millions of dol-
lars. The bill was read a first time, of which the following is
""the-draft.-
. . .
W AJN AUT
To authorise the president to ncgociate a Loan on the bonds of the
Government, to the amount of five millions of dollars.
Sec. 1. 'Di il enacted by the senate and house of representa-
tives of the republic of Texas, in general congress assembled, That
the president of this republic be, and he is hereby fully author-
ised to issue bonds of this republic for the sum of one lousand
dollars each, to the amount of five millions of dollars, which
bonds shall be signed by the said president, and countersigned
by the secretary of slate; shall be negotiable by simple endorse-
ment, and shall bear an interest on the face thereof at a rate
not exceeding ten per cent, per annum, to be paid to the hold-
ers thereof at such place aud time as may be stipulated in said
bond; said bonds to be prepared as soon as practicable, under
the direction of the president, and made redeemable in thirty
years from the day of date.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the president be,
and he is hereby authorised, from time to time, to sell the said
bonds in any part of the world, or such portion thereof as may
be required to raise funds for the purpose of paying any of the
public debts of this republic; and for the further purpose of re-
alising funds to carry on the present or any future war, or for
any other necessary expenses of this government; and that such
sale or sales of said bonds, or of any portion thereof, may be
made by the president on such terms and conditions as he may
be able to effect, and which in his judgment may be best calcu-
lated to meet the views and promote the interest of this repub-
lic; and to this end and purpose the president is hereby fully
empowered to appoint such agent or agents in any part of the
world, to make sales of said bonds, or any portion thereof, as he
may deem proper, and in such appointments to confer the same
powers on said agents as are herein conferred upon him.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the president to lay before each and every congress early in
every session, a full, clear, and consise statement of .ill such sales
as he may effect of said bonds, showing in what terms such sales
may have been effected; the expenses attending them; and the
manner in which the proceeds of the same may have been ap-
propriated by him.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That for the faithful
payment and redemption of the said bonds, and the interest
which shall accrue thereon, the faith of this republic is hereby
solemnly pledged.
No 'objection having been urged to the bill, its second read-
ing, on motion of Mr. Green, was made the order of the day for
Monday.
The house then adjourned until Monday morning.
and,
Monday, October 17, 183G.
The house of representatives assembled at the usual hour;
The idurnal having been read,
The speaker called for petitions, as first in the order of bu-
siness: none having been presented,
- Mr. Pennington, as chairman of the committee on privi-
leges and elections, reported that the subject of the contested
election between Arnold and Edwards, having been under their
consideration, and having examined- the evidence adduced be-
fore them, were of opinion, that the Mexican voters of the county
of Nacogdoches, were duly entitled to the exercise of their fran-
chise, until certain alleged crimes urged against them were fully
tried and adjudicated by the judiciary course of law, and the
committee were therefore of opinion, that Mr. Edwards, having
a majority, was duly elected a member of the house of rcpresen-
tativesj and having also furnished a properly authenticated cer-
tificate from the judge of Nacogdoches county.
Mr. Green moved the adoption of the report on the prin-
ciple, that every member presenting himself to this house with
a'mnjority, should be received, unless it were clearly proved
that persons in nonage, negroes, oi aliens, had formed such ma-
jority. Mr. Bunton demanded that all the evidence taken before
the committee be placed before the house.
A message from the president was here announced, and or-
dered to lie on the table.
Mr. Pennington said, that the subject of the legality of
Mexican votes, underwent a strict examination in the senate,
touching the discharge of their duty as faithful citizens of Texas;
and with permission of the house, he would substitute that evi-
dence, as it was documenlarjr; and the evidence before the com-
mittee on privileges and elections was merely verbal, he pro-
ceeded to read the minutes taken before the senate; and on the
.question of adoption being put,
Mr. Bunton would avail himself of that opportunity to sa)
thatj-however much he regretted the intervention of Mexicans
in state affairs however much from their treachery, faithless-
ness, and well known hostility, he deplored their regulation even
in part, of the destinies of the country; yet, consistently with
the opinions he had so often avowed in that house, he felt he
could not, constitutionally, oppose the adoption of the report;
were he to consult his feelings on the subject, he would say, ex-
pel, drive from the most distant boundaries of Texas, the heart-
less, treacherous butchers; but yet his utter dislike of them should
yield to his sense of consistent duty, and he would therefore sup-
port th'e motion for adoption.
Mr. Pennington said, if he consulted his feelings on the
subject, he would not only deprive them of the right of suffrage,
but of life; for he was well :ware of the fact, that many of
them were opposed to the declaration oi independence, nut
from the sixth clause in the article of rights, he found he must
needs suppress his individual feelings of dislike, and act in ac-
cordance with that constitution he had sworn to defend; and he
therefore would not annul their right of franchise until heard by
counsel, and tried as the law prescribes.
Mr. Allen considered the subject one of much delicacy, as
so valuable a principle was involved in the due discharge of their
duty; and though fully aware that those Mexicans would wil-
lingly join the enemy against us, he yet felt that in the absence
of all proof of crime, he must necessarily support the adoption
of the report.
Mr. Green would again repeat, that he did not support the
question on what were called constitutional grounds, as he did
not believe such a thing as a constitution existed; but he sup-
ported it on the principle he had already stated, of a majority
of voters, not composed of negroes, aliens, or juniors, or women.
Mr. Baker said, he too considered this a highly important
question, in which the house is called on to discard one of the
brightest ornaments of Texas, a hero of San Jacinto; a man who,
from personal knowledge of his character, he would be most
willing to support; but, sir, the question is not now one of indi-
vidual preference, but of constitutional rights; not as to whether
they were Mexicans or American voters: but if it be proved that
a man is guilty of certain acts, you have clearly, by the constitu-
tion, the right to disfranchise him, and itis as much the province
of this legislative assembly to institute such inquiry as to the
eligibility of its members on the plea of alleged crime, as it is for
the ordinary courts of justice to decide on litigated questions of
property. But, sir, there are some generic charges against some
one hundred and twenty people not proved specifically, not
brought home to any one or more of them, and until disfranchise-
ment be effected, after thev are, each of them, duly arraigned,"
tried, and found guilty, he could not vote for the rejection of
their suffrage; if there be one man, for instance, a certain
Emanuel Galevery, and that you find him guilty of certain acts
that deprive him of the rights of suffrage, apply it individually,
and so of the rest; but "those wholesale allegations are as the
"idle wind," and could not by him be regarded as a sufficient
reason for depriving any man of the invaluable right of suffrage.
Mr. Bunton did not consider that a legislative body had
the right to institute inquiry into criminal acts, such as would
disqualify a voter. He believed such matters appertained only
to the ordinary courts of justice.
The question being put, on a division, the yeas affirmed the
report, and Mr. Edwards was.sworn, and took his seat.
The speaker said, there' were some sealed papers on his
table, purporting to be. election returns, and asked what dispo-
sition was to be made of them; there were two apparently in the
same hand-writing, one was from a Mr. Milem, claiming a seat
in that house, as having been returned by votes from Galveston
island. ,
Mr. Green moved a resolution, that the senate be invited
to meet in this house at twelve o'clock to-morrow, for the pur-
pose of counting and comparing the votes, and proclaiming the
result of the election for president and vice-president of the re-
public, and that the elected officers be notified, and also to pro-
claim the result of the votes as to the adoption of the constitu-
tion, and the annexation of Texas to the United States of Amer-
ica. Carried.
The speaker-stated to the house the substance of a letter
from a private individual in New York, signed Woodward; rela-
tive to certain land claims, soliciting the postponement of any
definite action on the subject until his arrival in Texas. Refer-
red to the committee on lands.
The speaker then called the attention of .the house to the
president's messages on his table, and some accompanying docu-
ments: which, on having been read, were referred to the com-
mittee on the state of the republic.
The president's written recommendation of the adoption.of
the seal, and flag of the republic of Texas, was referred to the
same committee.
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
Mr. Baker moved that the orders of the day be taken up,
and that the rules of order .and decorum as" submitted by the
special joint committee, be read.
They were accordingly read; when,
On motion of Mr. Baker,
The lGth rule was struck out, and the name of the reporter
inserted in the 75th rule.
And on motion of Mr. Green,
Two hundred copies were ordered to be printed.
The joint resolution as amended, was concurred in by the
senate. w
Mr. Edwards, from Nacogdoches, presented himself, and
took his seat.
Mr. Green would, on reconsideration of the question of
printing two hundred copies of rules, as moved by Mr. Penning-
ton, suggested-, that these copies be bound up with the constitu-
tion, in duodecimo form, as presenting a pocket manual easy of
reference, and portable. Ordered.
Mr. Baker moved that the house proceed to the election of
a sergcanl-at-arms.
The speaker also complained of his absence.
Mr. Green moved, that after the 48th rule, another be in-
serted appointing thirteen standing committees. Agreed to.
The name of Mr. Roman was added to the committee on
public lands, and that of Mr. Hooper to the committee on post
offices.
Mr. McKenney to the committee on public lands.
Mr. Green moved that the bill (under the standing order of
the day) of the honorable the member from Nacogdoches, on
the revenue, entitled " a bill to ncgociate a loan on government
bonds," be taken up. It was then taken up and referred to the
committee on ways and means.
On motion of Mr. Baker,
The house adjourned till ten o'clock on Tuesday.
Aud here I would suggest the idea, that those lands not being as
vet in the nature of public domain, arc fair subjects of legislative re
serve; and being in general greatly valuable and capable of producing
by public sale, a large sum oi money, suouiu ue aeciarea apprupnaieu
to that purpose, and arrangements be made tor carrying it uiio eneci
so soon as the courts can make the necessary legal adjudication.
I am told also, that Galveston Island has always been reserved by
the Mexican nation for national purposes: and if so, it would be no in
jury of private rights to continue the reservation, and by a suitable lo
cation and survey ot a town plot, and by lurtner surveys ana subdivision
of the island, and exposing the whole to public sale. I entertain not a
doubt but that the enterprise of foreign capitalists, combining with other
causes, would cause a sufficient competition in the sales to produce a
sum capable of redeeming the whole amount of treasury drafts now in
circulation against the state. I conceive that a scramble for the island
and forfeited lands, would produce no such result. B.
TELEGRAPH.
communicated.
To the Editors of the Telegraph.
GkStlemkn, Among the multiplicity of important subjects cal-
ling for the attention and immediate action of this, the first congress of
the republic, is the following: i, in the capacity of a citizen, and just so
far interested, have seen with regret, instances of individuals taking
possession ot certain vacated and supposed lorleitcd lands; doubtless
with the view of claiming hereafter to hold them as head-rights, boun-
ties, preemptions, or in some other way to secure to themselves by pos-
session and occupancy, a priority of right over their fellow-citizens, in
reference to those forfeitures. Now, estimating as I do, that those
lands not being as yet in the nature of public domain, but rather as es-
cheats hereafter to revert to the state by due course of Jaw, I think it
proper that congress, in order to enlighten individuals who might other-
wise (in good faith) make arrangements ruiuou to themselves, pass
laws, distinctly aud clearly s-howing the futiuo disposition of such escheats.
COLUMBIA, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1836.
From the indisposition of Mr. Falvel, wo are incapable of furnishing our -readers,
this week, with the inaugural addresses of the President and Vice
President, or of bringing -up the report of the proceedings of the House of
Representatives, to the extent that may be desirable.
In our next number, we shall present both addresses delivered last Satur-
day, and make every efiort to render the report concurrent with the business of
the House.
The anniversary of the battle of Conception, (28th of October) will be
celebrated by a splendid ball on Friday evening next, at Mrs. Jane Longs, in
Brazoria. All the participators in that brilliant atchievement, are invited to
attend. It is understood that the President and Ex-President, Members of
Congress, and many of the principal officers in the battle of San Jacinto, will
will be present. A steam boat will leave the river on Friday for Brazoria, and
return on the next day, forhe express purpose of conveying all persons who
have not horses to go by lana. It is expected Congress will adjourn, to give
the members an opportunity of attending. The 28th of October is too sacred
a day for ordinary business, for on that day our enemies were just taught the
immense difference between the kneeling slaves of a despot, and those who
strike for liberty. Let it be recollected, also, that the commanders on that
occasion, have since become martyrs to our cause. (Bowie and Fannin.) The
one butchered in his bed of sickness, and the other murdered in cold blood,
after he had surrendered a3 a prisoner of war.
We see by a notice stuck up, that a sale of public cattle will take place on
Saturday the 30th instant. Persons wishing to buy cattle, can have an oppor-
tunity, and we hope the proceeds of the sale will not be deficient for want cf
bidders. We are not a little surprised, however, that this, as well a3 other
public sales, have not been presented for publication. Our paper comes out
regularly on Tuesday or Wednesday, and why should such notices not be pre-"
scntcd and published?
We have been asked why we suspended our printing operation on Sunday,
when the country, as well as individuals, required that the press should not
stop, especially when one press only was required to do all the printing.
Acknowledging the necessity of doing more printing than even two pres-
ses could perform, we do not expect to do business in the office on Sunday, (ex-
cepting in cases of emergency) for the reasons First, that one of the proprie-
tors, although never attached to any religious sect, is conscientiously-disposed
to devote one day in seven to moral and religious purposes,or at least, to enjoy a
day of quietness with his family and friends. Secondly, we believe that a person
cannot perform at one object,either mechanically or mentally,more in one year
employing every dajr, than he could by making one day in seven a time of rest
or relaxation from business.
Thirdly, wc will inform our readers that during the sIxTveelf-iIaysjrsve-eat
no idle bread. Besides getting out our paper in good order, doingsundry jobs for
congress and the other branches of government, wc are making brisk head way
in the book and pamphlet printing. All this we do under disadvantages; seve-
ral of our printers taken sick, and some so indisposed as to be compelled, to
leave, and a part.nov unfit for duty: yet we congratulate ourselves and the
country that what ne have, are industrious men, and, like ourselves,
do their utmost during the week, and are willing enough to rest on the Sabbath.
One of our subscribers, writing to us on the subject of the war, says hev.
thinks it may easily be put to an end, without more fighting; and we arc in-
clined to think if his plan was carried into effect, it would, in all probability,
save much expense, and prevent the Mexicans from again ravaging our conn-
try. It is to lay the country w.iste between the Rio Grande and the Guada-
lupe rivers. . This is no new suggestion ; but has been recommanded by officers
of experience. What we would understand bj- laying the country waste, is to
drive off the numerous herds of cattle on the Nueces, San Antonio and other
rivers, and to remove the provisions in the country about San Antonio ; and
also to compel the Mexican citizens there, to manifest their intentions with res-
pect to the war, cither to mo e to the east or west. v "
Shall we remain expecting another invasion from Mexico, and not use all
the means in our power to present it? How could the Mexican army subsist
in passing from the Rio Grande to the colonies, if the country was stripped of
the provisions, the thousands of cattle, sheep and goats which are now in that
part of the country? An army might possibly march from Rio Grande to' the
Guadalupe, without the supplies on its route, but we venture to sa- it would
be unfit for duty, from fatigue in packing provisions so far. It might appear
unnecessarily rigorous to compel the citizens to abandon their homes, when
supplied with provisons procured by their own labor. This view of the subject
should not weigh with the incalculable advantage of preventing the enemy from
again invading our territory. Had Santa Anna found no supplies and conve-
niences at San Antonio, last spring, his troops already fatigued and hungry
would not have been able to prosecute their intended invasion .
Most of our citizens are of opinion that we may expect another invasion;
and yet may we not, as was done last spring, rest and sleep till it is too late to
save, not only what is west of the Guadalupe, butcen the Brazos.
Would not a battalion of 250 men be well employed in driving off the cattle
and removing the provisions from our western frontiers? If that part of the
country should suffer by the temporary abandonment, would not tluj prospect
of bringing the .war to an end amply recompense for the apparent inconve-
nience? If the provisions could not be brought off, let it be put in a situation
to be dcstro3'ed, on the first intelligence of the enncmy's approach. But under '
any circumstances, the cattle, we believe, should be driven to the east; and
wemuch regret that this had not been done during last summer, when the wea-
ther and the salubrity of the climate would have admitted of the labor, and
conduced much to the health of those engaged. It is not too late yet to effect
this object; and we presume a sufficient force could be mustered of private
volunteers, and we all know there would be no difficulty in finding officers
enough to conduct the expedition.
Our congress is in the " full tide of successful experiment," and we ven-
ture to predict that the most sanguine anticipations of thapeople will be reali-..
zed.
The utmost union and harmony of action prcails; and the only rivalry
whioh exists arises from a zealous emulation to serve the public most faithfully.
Reports at length of their proceedings, and more particularly of .the-
housc of representatives, will be found every week in our paper: and their
constituents will be informed distinctly as to the manner in which they dis-
charge their duties.
To the polite attention of Mr. Falvel, the reporter, wc arc indebted for
these reports; and we coucchc that his appointment was peculiarly fortunate
for the congress and thr country .
Possessing in an eminent degree, the necessary qualifications to discharge
the duties of hi office, ho combines at the same time Jthc talents of the polite
gentleman.
We reirrct, however, ery much, to learn that il is somewhat uncertain .
whether lie can remain long with u; and we would, most respectfully, suggest
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G.& T.H. Borden. Telegraph and Texas Register (Columbia, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 35, Ed. 1, Tuesday, October 25, 1836, newspaper, October 25, 1836; Columbia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth47899/m1/2/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.