Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, January 14, 1846 Page: 2 of 4
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soon as he heard of the siiuation of the Mier pnsoners
and of the order for their execution lhat he called on the
British Minister Mr. Packenham who promptly inter-
posed' ju iheir behalf and rendered every aidju-js pow-
er. This is substantially Mr. TbompsonVremark in the
letter referred to. Now it would se-'-at my letter had
notSaduced CaptElliolt to moW s?h a "representation
to Mr. Packenham as cau ;lhedecmation-oMhe prison-
e.fITheCKSd of t1 decimation will bestilcd irf the
23&N&tff iftfior It nrrtiill rnam wi-ivt A tt i Innc
conclusion of p "-?"- occui vCij ...u.i..wa
an Ex- uUve wno na" labored under .the most uisad-
Vari? circumstances to obtain me release ot me oania
e prisoners lo conspire against the lives of gallant men
""in misfortune many of whom were sons add kindred of
cthe friends of his eailylife.
The misrepresentations relative to the Mier prisoners
dq. no; stop here. .When Congress made the appropria-
' - tion'for the relief of the pii&oners by secret act it had been
charged lhat the executive had prevented the means from
being applied lo the relief of the prisoners wiih a view to
aggravate their sufferings. Facts will be the best refuia-
lion of this calumny. With the return of the members
- of. Congress to Galveston came the letter ofhotification
and "instructions lothe agent Mr. Hargous from the Sec
retary of the Treasury and it was forthwith sent to him at
. Vera Cruz He declined acting in behalf of the prisoners
as the agent ofthe Government andassignpd among other
reasons that a Gmeral Thomas Jfferson Green had
swindled him offtbf sevaral hundred dollar byjgiving
him drafts on the Treasury of Texas and on his brother
in New Orleans and that on application he found that
Green had no right to draw on the Treasury and that he
ad no brother in New Orleans. That the kindness he
lhacL rendpred Green and his subs qu- nt vain glorious
(euer mrougn me lew urieans papers manning mr.
Eargous for his kindness &c had c ndaogered his life
andcaused a prosecution against him which cost him
fivefhousand dollars before he could extricate himself.
Under these circumstances the Governmi nt was com
pelled to send a special agent lvlr. roller was sent to
1 xico as an ag til from this Government carrying with
him 82 500 in specie. Immediately on his arrival nt
3?
Vera Cruz he wrote for S2.000 more which was nlaced
- in thn Imrtrld riT IVTf.cero Rfhmiit &r. C.n nTVAr HrlpnTie
subject to the order of the agent in Mexico:. He was re- '
cognized and hd lo escape to Havana where be had an-
attack of yellow fver which neaily" cost him his life.
None of this action was required by ..the. act of Cougress;
yet so great was the-nnxrefy of the Government to relieve
the wants of the prisoners thai the executive;assuraed ihg
responsioiuiy 01 acung in me rjtsn wnereiae law. was not
-i. Sufficient for the emergency whicjh arose-yWere it not
" that .persons who have brpn friendly to Texas and the
v prisoners would "be e xposed and endangered in their
"livesr and subjected to the confiscation of their estates I
could present many facts-which would convince any niau
of the difficulties undir which the executive labored.
The act of the Congress required that all drafts over
one thousand dollars should not be'pnid by the collector
until thirty days after sight. On the 19tb day of October
1844 one was drawn for 83740 and information given
wiih thejlraft that the money was necessary for the corn-
" foils aqdxuedsof the prisoners who weje suffering of
. wnnu On this representation of the collector I directed
him to-pay the' draft forthwith and told him that for his
-.indemnity 1 would plege 82510 for which I had taken
a draft onthe Custom House for my salary and the con-
tingent fund of the Executive which was i2500. This
-was the course which was pursued by me and this pre-sernsahe-facts
which are impuiid to me as evincing my
hostilltylo-ibei sufferers at Mier. It has been sheer false-
hood and slanderthat ever gave rise to imputations
intended to create a prejudice in the community while it
would exasperate themindstheMier piisoners against
me; and when they were circulat-dhryAvere known to
be'unlrae by their authors.
tf There was but one cause assigned for the decimation of
the prisoners by General Santa Anna and apon which"
" alone tie placed his justification before fi. B. M. Minister.
It was nbl the attempt tnadt by the prisoners to escape
for that he said prisoners had a right to do but it washe
conduct perpttrated hy certain followers of the army at
Lnredo. It had been represented to him that after the
. submission of the inhabitants of that place some persons
-Vi
'"Vbroke opui-houses and robbpd the inhabitants; and for
-this treason he ordered ihe -decimation. It has been
soVnly assertid by hundreds of the army and cannot
- with' Irfei. be denied i hat Thomas Jefferson Green' was
tkcfirsl mahiskobroTce open a house andinciled the men
J.0 outrage.
Snvh acts or sacalsthpy &re termed) ara unknown
even ui Mexico unless a townor city is taken by storm.
The inhabitants of Laredo surrenrfprrd nt rh firct cum.
monstmu contributed overy thing in their power to the
uon. unu support or ine i re ops. It should be noted
that General Somerville previous lo leaving Laredo or
dered ihe stolen goods to be brought forward and restored
to the authorities of the place ; (jf not all) "a large pile"
was Jian'led over. sNo reflections can be made on the
character of a man who had hung on the skirts of an army
without any command.-aruLavailed himself of the first
opportunity to outrage the ru!esofciyjlized warfare on de-
fenceless women and children .acts "which were to be
visited upon brave men who subsequently relFrharlyrs to
the'dastardly crimes of others.
Now sir I assure :you that I have been induced tp
notice th slanders against me only because I arrTaware
ufiafrnany worthy raen for whose feejings I cherjshr a
regard and for whose opinions I entertain respect have
-l.i0oretl""'under. misconceptions of the truth "ijte acts
niaygo for w hat ihryare worth. I did ail lhat was in
" uiypdwer to save and to serve and mJthing$loJKljre the
-prisoners
- -"1 have at all times beersatisfipd tjiattny course in re-
latiou to the Mier prisoners has been such as I havepur
sued in the discharge of other duties vvhichliave devolved
upon me The day will come when 4t will be-shown
thai 1 obtained the release of the Mier prisoners. '""Now
it is not prop'er that it should be made manifest nor is it
necessary. I will not envy any man who may have it in
his power to render more numerous and important serv-
ices fn my country and to mankind than I havedone. I
' trustee will not have to exclaim with "Lear"
"The little dogs and all
Tray.BIanchend svyeetjheart see thpy hatkjU-tnojH
. t Your friend and ob'tserv't
- v SAM HOUSTON.
Jf ' jL " From the Galveston News.
vMessbs.Editors: r
I am very happy to perceive that Gen. Sem Houston
has at Jengib thought proper lo throw aside.his affectation
of dignified or rather contemptuous silence isnd'enler
upon his defence through'the columns of the Civilian
-jigainst ihe charge preferred against himf of having cotn-
. passed the decimation of the Mier prisoners by means of
a letter which he procured to be written by 'H: B. M.'
Charge in Texas to the British Minister nearMexico ro-
" questing Jbim to use his influence with Santa Annaao obtain
mercy for the Mier prisoners; notwiihstandinglhat hav-
ing invaded Mexico in contravention of the ordersofuheir
government they werejiot properly sp aking entitled to
its protection and consideration or to the benefit of their
terms of capitulation.
As the commander of the 'Mier expedition" I feel
grateful- Jo Gen. Houston for his condescension in thus
noticing this accusation inasmuch as it gives me an oppor-
tunity of strengthening if not fully establishing the state-
ment I have already made regarding this charge and
.others scarcely less serious nod of enlightening ihe com-
5munityupon some matters connected wiih the -'Mier
affairs" which have been up to the present limp better
understapd by our enemies than by our friends this I
am prepared lo do even at the hazard of being classed by
G?n. JHpusion" with "Blanche Tray and Sweethean"
and the oilier small dogs whose querulous barking so
-much offends the sensitive ear of bis Excellency. In ful-
filling ihis resolution should my language occasionally
overstep the bounds of strict moderation IbegthatGen.
Houston will TPmember ihe force of my obligations to
him and consider it as arising from a thorough-conviction
of thetruth of what I assert and as n natural con-
sequenccsof such gratitude as should bo felt byoneofjhe
'Mier men" who has suffered a long and wearsome cap-
. . . . .
constituted authority we acted from the commencement
to the conclusion of the campaign in strict accrdance with
the most strict construction of the requirements of the
military law of the country and the orders of the Execu-
tive. In the fall of 1842 President Houston issued a procla-
mation callins upon the volunteers and militia of Texas to
rendezvous-al43anAntonio and inching them in language
which if sincere would have brcil worthy of the most pure
and elevated patriotism to cross lhe Rio Grande and re-
venge upon the enemy the rt pealed insults and injuries
which they had inflicted upon our country requiting
them at the same lime to elect theft1! regimental officers
t home and upon thpir armal at San Antonio to organ-
ize and choose as tln-ir Commander some individual of
tried valor and-experience. fn conformity with this pro-
clamation 'myself and those who afterwards composed the
Mier Expedition repaired to San Antonio anxious to re-
tort upon the enemy the insult which he had offered us in
the invasion of our 'territory and the abduction of our
fellow citizens although doubling the sincerity and good
faith of the Executive the appointment of General Somer-
ville lo the cammand by any arbitrarily eercise of
authority (for I do not believe that any one will assert
that there is any law in Texas which implies authority in
the President to appoint officers of militia or volunteers)
and in contempt of his pledgis and the unquestionable
richt of volunteers lo select their own Commander
strengthened our suspicions that the President was hostile
tothe measures recommended by himself lo quiet the peo-
ple of the West; and that he was determined by every
means-in his power in a covert manner lo irritate the
.trmy and disgust them into an abandonment of their pur
pose. Notwithstanding this however so anxious were
we to harmonize with the Executive that we uttered no
complaint and made no opposition to Gin'l Somerville's
assumption of the command. On the rontrary we cheer-
fully submitted to his orderstill hisconducl proved beyond
a doubt the utter and absolute want of any and every ele-
ment which constitutes an office; then and not tilf then
did the army exercise its legitimate right and elect a com-
mander. To constitute a disobedience of orders it would
appear necessary to have received orders countermanding
the requirement of the proclamation lo cross the Rio
Grande. Now I defy any person having the slightest re-
gard to truth to assert lhat Gen. Somerville ever intimated
that he had received orders requiring him lo coun-
termarch; or lhat he had any other motive in returning
at the time he did except the rejection by ihe army ; as is
evident from the fact that he expressed himself willing to
march upon Mier if the troops would consent tbut he
should retain .the command In this view of the case.
ivhtrh lO ttlO mrrnot nna I iKirtl. ikol .r.. Imnnrlinl nnr
son wilfadmit that the JLlicx-w!Trcr-mWVM-afVtbrrrTnre-
" i wvwm.i.tuui. luiiuu iiiuicvciv iiiiuauiui uci- 1
of militarynsubar.dinncioh and thathosc.who returned
with Gen Sojneiville without makingfon attempt to carry
out the orffy expressed orders of ihe Government are the
true offenders.
While I indignantly repel the accusation lhat in the
course we adopted we contravened the orders of the Ex-
ecutive L will frankly and frej ly admit that I knowingly
and premedjtalely acted in direct opposition to the Exec-
utive will for myself and m.iiiy others were fully aware
from the moment we arrived at San Antonio lhat Gen'l
Sommerville rcceivpd two .sets of instructions from the
Executive one intended to gull the troops and ihe usually
quiet bdu creuuious out men inuignant and clamorous
people and the other for the government of his own con-
duct requiring him by every means in his power to dis-
gust the army into a voluntary disbandment in order lhat
the President might safely carry out his peace policy
while apparently humoring and.encouraging to theutmost
the martial propensjti.es(of ihe dear people: had this plan
succeeded as it did 'in a measure he would have turned
triumphantly to his dupes exclaiming why do you blame
me because ihe western frontier is undefended L have
exhausted all the means in my power for its protection I
have called out the militia and volunteers! I gave them
an experienced General and well appointed staff they
went us far as Bexar stayed a month duringwhich time
they slaughtered thp cattle ofthechiz'ps commiiud every
raannerjOl excess and then deserted their General and
their colors and ignominiously leturned to their homes f
their's is the fault; upon them rest your indignation and
abuse. By acting as we did and thus opposing the will
o'ftheExecutive we incurred his most deadly disoleasurc.
and thus furnished the motive which appears to be want-
ing for his persecution of and hostility lo the Mier prisjm
ers Gen. Houston asserts that Mr. Packet! ham and
Gen. Thompson immediately upon the tdception of this
letter exerted themselves to the utmost for the benefit of
the Mier prisoners the very reverse is thetruth;' upon
our .arrival in the City of Mexico we were visited by Mr.
Crazon bearer of despatches to the U. S. . Minister who
miormeu us ihntjin oider had Deen iorwafH to Stilullo
for the exec-ition of the whole of the prisoners at lhat place.
on account of the refusal of Gen. MejcjajojC)heyJts-baxluJ
iyi f f 'H'lSli "' i rnifi o nu rji iu I iru imiu I Hi Ul
Mr. Crazotalso told us of Capt. Elliot's letter and its con
tents and appeared fo think in common witlrery foreign-
er who visited us thai the final order was cffsequenl pp-
on lhai letter. Mr. Packenham visiud us at the same
time at our request and listentd with increddlily to our
indignant denial of the ch irge that we entered Mexico in
opposition to the orders ot our government nor did .;r.
Puckenham.or den'l. Thompson move in pur behalf un-
til the perusal of President Houston's proclamation and
othpr documents had djsabused them of their-first errone-
ous impressions; then indeed they everted themselves so
farasto proenre acommutatiqn of sentence that of deci-
mation instead of a general execution. G n Houston
affects to have.fe.lt the deepest sympathy and solicitucju for
the Mier prisoners and .asserts that he had used every
means in his poxver to beiter-their condition and to procure
their liberation. The whqjchistory of our captivity tht
horrors and distress consequent upon his neglect and
criminal disregard of our condition proclaims trumpet-
longuejl th falsehood of the assertion. 3ome lime in the
winter of '43 '44. the Congress of Texas passed a bill
appropriating 815000 foctbe relief of the Mier prisoners;
when we heard of this aci of justice we hailed it with
pleasure simply because il showed we were not entirely
forgotten and cast aside by our countrymen not one of us
however entertained themost remote hope ofdeiiving any
benefit from iis provisions for we knew its execution de-
pended upon ihe will of the President and from him we
expected neither favor oriustice and asked no boon except
that he would leave us lo our fate ahd write or cause to
be written no more letters having reference to our condi-
tion; lime ahd ihe resdlt proved the correctness of our
judgment months rolled on -and many gallant spirits
departed to a better world for want of necessaries which
might have been procured had we possessed the smallest
ponton of those menns.BBdjp us by our country and
whicKere then eithEleJn the custom-houses or
paying IhcMHUMIH'MTnisters sent abroad to
i defeat theHBHIHbnthp. time of ilicir
livity- and who.has narrowly escaped death Irom violence
starvatiohtisorhjever and Capt. Elliot's letter which
last however kind in'intenlion proved sadly tragical in its
results.
Gen. Houston's defence is nble and ingenious? would
that I could say ingenuous for in that case the absence
ofjall disguise concealmml or equivocation would have
precluded the necessity of noticing it it is written in a
plain simple und unaffected manner so differr nt fom his
usual lone and infl tied style lhat it is well calculated to
convince the uniniated that the whole of it is one simple
and unvarished tTulh; which it very closply resembles
simply for the reason that no two things dissimilar so
closely resemble each othi r as the genuine article and the
counterfeit a good shilling and a bad one. In order to
prove that Gen. Houston is incorrect in marly pvery
statement he makes in his defence I will begin at the com-
mencement and follow him to the conclusion relying for
success upon facts supported by my own observation the
collateral evidence of respectable individuals and the
various proclamations orders and harrangues issued by
President Houston immtdiatelv preceding the campaign
which terminated in our captivity. "
I will first notice the charge of "disobedience of orders"
which Gen. Houston still continues to prefer against us
and endeavors to show that so far from contravening the
expressed orders of the Government or of ajiy properly
lHSbMkdte
ture lo the day ol iheir release ihe Mier prisonets never
in any shipp received one farthing from "the government
of Texas. On our arrival at Vera CrjuzjUter our Iibpra-
tionx we found 82500 the whole amount ever remitted to
Mexico notwithstanding that remittances cou'd have been
made at any lime between New Orleans"and Vera Cruz
with as much safety as between any two cities in the U.
States. I will remark enpassent that the sending Mr.
Potte with silver TMexico was somewhat like atndinir
coals lo New Castle and showed an entire ignorance of
(W condition of Mexico. All specie imported from Mex-
I ico pays 5 per cent. "duty which might have been made
tby purchasing a-draft on Vera Cruz which Mr. Dtmond
ItheTJ. S. Consul would have willingly collected anddis-
bTusid.
Gen. Houston attempts to excuse his criminal retention
orrhoneywhich from ihe moment of the passage of the
act of appropriation was the property of the prisoners by
asserting that a gentleman of Vera Cruz refttstd for cer
tain reasons to receive or disburse it Upon the evidence
of that gentleman I pronounce this assertion to bp untrue.
Having heard this reason among others assigned as an
apology for the non-reception of the appropriation upon
my arrival in Vera Cruz I called upon the uentlonian
alluded to in company with another person (Judge Gib-
son I think) and questioned him as to the truth or falst-
hood of the statement. His answer was ''The statement
carries falsehood on iis face is it probable or possible that
a merchant who has been and still is willing to spend his
own means to relieve your situation would refuse to dis-
burse the means of others for the same purpose?" When
Gen Houston can prove by his failure in this simple af-
faii of sending $15000 Irom Galveston to Vera Cruz
that he entertained any deep sympathy for oi interest in
the Mier prisoner? then will 1 admit fully that thp evi-
dence of lucus a non lucendo is not the absurdity I always
esteemed tt to be and that his entering into an armistice
with Mexico for an indefinite period and relt asiug the
numerous prisoners presumed lo be in Texas uuhout
even intimating a condition for the release of hi- own
countrymen is also a strong evidence ofdeep and abiding
tenderness and regard.
Gen. Houston affects to believe and asserts apparently
without the fear.of contrail ictton. that ihedccimatton of ihe
Mier men was consiqucnl upon the outiagu perpitrated at
Laredo. That deeds of horror and acts of infamy the
bare remembrance of which fills me with loathing and dis-
gust were committed at thai unfortunate place I tji
grieved for the take of humanity and the honor of iho
country lhat I am forced to admit; but no part of the sin
or shame of thai black transaction rested upon the maU rial
which composed ihe Mier expedition barefoot naktd
and penniless we entered Laredo and so vw left it our
bands unstained with plunder and determined to blot out
in our own blood if necessary the foul stain which had
been cast upon us by the acts of others We procetdid to
Mier and held possession of the town for eight hours du-
ringfthe whole of which lime the men remained under
armspwd the house of no citizen was entered except upon
thenvitalion of the owner nor was ihe rights or pioperty
of thautizen interfered with in any case. This tact was
belterknown and more fully admitted in Mexico than it is
now in Texas and never h ive I heard in that country the
Mier men associated withilhe brigands ho robbid Lare-
do.. As a proof ofthis 1 must mention lhat immediately
after the capitulation the citizens of Mier offend many of
us much kindness and expnssed lo Gen. Ampudia their
gratitude to us for our conduct while in possession of iheir
town; again when we arrived at Comargo upon inquiry
of the Aldalde why none of the presidiales or citizen sol-
diers of that place were presrntat the action of Miei. he
answered lhat so soon as the citizens of his to n had as-
certained that the force advancing upon Mier was tin same
which had separated in disgust Horn the I idrons who had
sacked Laredo and that I whom they had known while
in the Federal army was in command they entertain d
no fears and tha: if Comatgo had been the point of ittack
thp town would have been surrendered without a struggle
in the confidence thai thy would be iiioresernre in their
person and property than if it was occuniedJiiL-tixdj-ovn
. I
uu;'P "kneeling was general in Northern Mexico
u.ju uMiuiiwb in.. ut.ui unnituuii iu uuiiui xxinm. ill 2U
dilinn I will stale that I have never heard a single person
in Mexico soldier orcivilian. asvibe the decimation of ihe
Mier men to the affair at Lartdo or couple us with that
villainous transaction. Can any man believe that if the
execution of the seventeen was consrquenl upon a suppo
sed participation in the shameful scenes at Laredo the
higher officers who commanded would be spared while
the poor soldier who is in Mexico considpnd as thp crea-
ture and blind instrument of his officer's will suffered
death the idea is preposterous and we are forced to look
elsewhere for the excuses which induced the tragtdy ei-
acud at the Saiado.
I will now briifly recapitulate the reasons which urge
upon me with the full conviction of an established iruih
the belief that that sad tragedy was the cous qnuice of
Capt. Elliot's letter. TheyTare the following : The evi-
dence ofGen. Wad'lyThampson and ihe universal opin-
ion of the foreigners in Mdxico lhat it was brought about
by lhat cause: the increased severity of our gaolors from
the timihat letter reached Mexico and from the uniform
reply made to all our reclamations and complatn's after
lhat date ' You are ndt prisoners of war but piruies and
brigandsand your own President asserts it."
I reiterate- thai it is my firm belief that the decimation
of the Mier men was caused by Elliot's Utter and will
continue to believe so until lhat letter is pioduced and
found lo be the reverseof u hat I hi lieve it to be upon its
character depends the truth or f.ilsr hood of the charges
preferred against Gen. Houston. If it is not condemnato-
ry w hy does not Gen. Hous on ptoduce it ? Gi n Hous-
ton promises at some indefinite period that the. ti nlh shall
be made apparent that he procured the lilieiulion of ihe
Mier prisoners. 1 for one and I believe I can unswt r for
the balance would he glad lhat he would mukf- ihtsdivel-
opment asoonas possible in order that w-ma bestow
our gratitude where it is properly due; for we have been
and coniinu to be under the impression lhat we ate in-
debted among other causis lo33ov Shannon and Mr.
Green; also to a letter from Gen Jackson to Santa An-
na written at the reqm st of Col M.iunsel Whit of New
Orleans I consider it nectssary to state this Litter faet
because Gen. Houston is somewhat addietdio clamimr-
yuxjij-moritoriuita for himself and might possibly
assert that the letter was written at his solicitation: anrl
last though noi least to the fact that th government of
Mexico was well aware that a formidablainsurreclin was
about to burst forth in Guadalaxara and that ihe enunis-
saries of Gen. Paredes the leadei of the insuigenis. had!
already sucrepdtd in holding eommum7ealiori with myself
The government was also aware lhat at any moment w&
could h ive overpnwertd the earrison and he.fd ihr fTn;!h.
of Perote auainst the whole force of t he government until
relieved by Gen. Partdes. Timf I am satisfitd will
never praduce any development which will prove that we
were indebted for our release from captivity morn to the
active exertions' of our friends than to the fears and policy
of our "enemies. The whole history of the causes which
led to our liberation lies in a nut shell the government of
mexico in oraer to get na ot wrouient and dangerous in
mates ejectea us irom tneu territory.
Yery respectfully
a your obedient servant
Of ' ' WILLIAM a. FISHER
jg..
ThecorrespondentofthdN. Y Herald states that Mr.
Packenharn'has received express orders from his govern-
ment to rep-dpeh negociationsith the government of the
United Suites to adjust ihe difficulty relative to Oregon
It is wither stated that-Mr. Pacltenham has re opened the
negociations and has offered lo accept the proposition for-
merly submitted by Mr. Polk to establish the 49ih par-
allel of north latitude as the boundary between the territo-
ries of the two countries. This statement is confirmed by
the statements of the National Intelligencer that there
was not even a remote probability that war would arise
between England and the United States upon this question.
The tone of the London Tunes and other influential jour-
nals of England indicates that the English government is
averse to war and will readily agree to any honorable
compromise.
THE TELEGRAPH.
EDITED BY FRANCIS MOORE Jr.
Houston Wednesday &an. 14 1S46.
Capt. Tod bearer of despatches of the United StaUs
Government arrived in town on Tuesday morning with
the official copies of the resolutions for the admission of
the Stale of Texas and ihe acts of the U. S. Congress ex-
lending the laws of ihe United Stales over Texas. In the
afternoon of the same day President Jones who with
commendable alacrity had come to this city to meet the
despatches issued ihe Proclamation convening the Legis-
lature on the 16th day of Februajy next. Thus has he
fulfilled to the very letter theportion of the Constitution re-
quiring him immediately on receiving official information
of the acceptance of the Constitution by the Congress of
the United Stales "to issue his proclamation convening at
an early day ihe Legislature of ihe Slate."
Letters of Gen Hobston and Col Fisher.
We publish to day the l iters of Gen. Houston and Col.
Fisher relative to the unfortun ite Mier expedition not be-
cause we are willing- to subscribe to all the statements of
either of these gentlemen but because these letters contain
facts lhat should be incorporated in the history of Texas
We have never been dfspostd lo join with many of our
friends in criminating Gen Houston for communicating!
with the Mexican Government through the Bfitish Minis
ter to the injury of the "Mier men." When our cotem-
poranes were loudest in theii denunciations of General
Houston respecting the letter written by Capt. Elliot lo Mr.
Packenham we stated that we could not believe lhat Gen.
Houston could have intentionally furnished the Mexican
Go 7ernment with a pretext lo decimate those unfortunate
men as out laws We then su-pecttd and still are of the
opinion that Capt. Elliot misunderstoodGen- Hriu&itm
and in his letter to Mr. Pdcktnham used language that the
Gen eral would never have sanctioned had he seen the
lette r before it was despached to Mexico. We have long
'since slated upon authority of the highest character lhat
wha tever might have been the design of Gen. Houston or
Cap t. Elliot this letter was not- the cause of the decimation
of th e Mier prisoners for both Mr. Packenham and Gen.
Tho mpson by mutual agreement concealed its contents
from Santa Anna.- He knew not we have been credi-
bly i nformtd that such a letter had ever betn written
until long alter the decimation of the prisoners. We con-
sider therefore that Cm. Houston-is entirely guiltless so
far as any injury could resulufrom this letter. We differ
howt 'vcr with the General respecting the publications
made in the public journals of Texas. We believe he will
sean :h in vain in all the public journals to find a statement
that the Mier men crossed the ..Rio Grande ''contrary to
orde rs" previous to the publication ofthe official report of
Gen Somerville. We at that time published a statement
simi lar to lhat in the letter of Col. Fisher that the troops
by holding an election agreeably lo law before ihey
cros -sed the Rio Grande were acting as much under legal
auit 101 ily as the troops that relurned and were ihertfore
enti lied to all the privileges of prisoners of war.
R .evolution in Mexico. Advices have been re-
ceiv ed from Havana that General Paredes has declared
aga t'nst President Herrexa ; .nnd m w mnrbrd'Tera Cruz
abo it two hours before the arrival of Mr. Slidel at that
city lhat Parrdis at ihe head ofi8000 troops had taken
up t he line of march from San Luis. Polosi for the Capital.
He avowed that his object was to prevent Herrera and his
Car iinet from selling Texa3 and California to ihe'Uniud
Stal es The official Journal ot ihe Mexican Government
(sa). s. 'he Washington Union.) announced sewrnl weeks
ago that a letter had been receiyjlaWrOm Paredes in which
hed eclared that he would-amthe Government jn prevent-
ing any outbreak at the populace opposed to the negotia-
tion 3 with the United Stairs. This letter must have been
inte nded to deceive the friends of Presideot Herrera until
he c ould mature his plans to overturn ihe Government.
Thf sre were no troops in the city of Mexico to oppose him
anJ it was believed at Vera Cruz that he would take pos-
isesi. ion of the city without the firing of a gun. General
Urr ea the Governor of Sonora has also declared sigainst
Hei Tera and has established an independent government
in t! lit province. Il is feared that these events will pre-
vent" Mr-Slidel fromnegotiilinga treaty with the existing
Gov 'efnment of Mexico for ihe cession cf the territory
past ol the Rio Grande to the Urihd States and the ad-
just nent of the boundary line of California. Paredes had
pro! jably "obtainedjiossession of the city of jJlexico b fore
Mr. Slidel could rpach It; and it is hardly o he expected
that ' a treaty would be ratified without hisjtonsent. He
how ever and Herrera artr both in want of money and it
is p ssible that they may accept the propositions of the
Am jrican Minister if he is authorized lo pay them a few
mill ions of'dollais Money has a wonderful it'ifldenceiu
Me: licon diplomacy.
president Jones arrived in town on' Friday evening-
::
CJapL Elliott the British Charge d'Affuires airivdjn
rn this mornings -
l
IOU-
' The editor of the Austin Register mentions that a
Mt 'xican who recently arrived from the Rio Grande "re-
ports that tho number of murders committed by the Indians
up on the Mexicans high uponthe Rio Grande amounts to
sa veral hundred a day." It is not mentioned at whst point
on the Rio Grande these murders are committed. It is
no t in the vicinity of the Presidio for we have recenl in-
lei ligence frem that section and there were no signs of
hn stile. Indians near the settlements. The next swUernent
on the river above the Presidio 13 nt the Passo del Norte
but it is hardly probable that the "Indians have zttacked
lhai t point as the people there have for many years been
at p eace with thesurrounding tribes and we heive heard
of n o new cause of hostility. It is more probable that the
trib cs around Santa Fe who commenced hostilities with
the Mexicans in lhat section last yearihave been embold-
enei i by success and are ravaging that province- It i
noi improbable that some of ihe hardy American iunts-
mer i of the Rocky Mountains imagine from the bombastic
pro. ilamation of Arista lhat war has been declared by
Me tico against the United Statss- and concluding like
Cor nmodore Jones at Monterrey lhat it was best to make
a bo Id move in the outset have prompted the Yuta Indians
and their associates to make a desperate inroad upon the
Mej tican settlements in the upper valley of the Rio
Gra nde. It is said lhat many "Rocky Mountain boys"
are r esiding with the Apaches vvest'and south of Santa Fe;
and i hey may have incited these Indians to make the re-
cent i 'ncursions into Durangoand Chihuahua the accounts
of w hich have been published in the Mexican journals.
The . VIexican editors declared lhat these depredations were
owint- ' lo the ins'iigationsof the North American adven-
Hirers and there may be much Iruth in iheir statements-
Our5 Western settlerswhen-lbeyfiist received the procla-
mation ol Arista realyjmagin!d that it was equivalent fo
a declaration of warjbyjklexico. and.iiis-quite-probable
that the Rocky Mountain buntersbfonghjpuFU!! tne"
northern provinces of Mexico and in the wilds of northern
Texas entertain a similar opinfon.and like good patriots
have endeavored to vym over thalndrau tribes tojakepart.
with the United States. L J.
fPassed December 22 184.il
RESOLUTIONS for the admission of iht Slate of Texas
ihio the Union.
Whereas the Cungressof the United States by a "joint
resolution" approved March the lstl845 did consent that
the territory properly included within and rightfully be
longing to the Republic ol 'IVxas might be erected into a
new Stale with a republican form of government to b&
adopted by the people of said republicMy deputies in con
vention assembled wilb the conaenlW the existing gov-
ernment in order lhat the same might be admitted as one
of the States of the Union y which consent V Congrtss
was ojven upon certain coHdiWcnsspicified in the hi and
2 1 sections of said jpint resolutions: and whrt as the peo-
ple ofthe said republic oj 'iVxas by deputies in conven-r
lion assembled with the consent of the exiling govero-
nYent did adopt ar(iB5tilulionand.erct &!iejvy5t athwart
a7epublican form qf go-vefjmeBitand m ihe numeof'the-
people of Texas and by their authority did-odamandde
claft&hat they assenttrito nnJaccej led the proposals con-
ditions an'dL guarantees cimtaintd in said 1st and 2d -sections
of said "resolution and wbereast-ifrsaid-conslittiiiun.
with the proper t;idvnce of us "adoption by ihe people ot
iheepublie of Texasha bren-Tt nnsmttlt dto tbePresldent-
oflhe United SlaU'Syand. laid Before Congiessin conformi-
ty lo ihe provision of said joint resolutions: Thereforr-
Be it resolved by the Smale and House of Representa;
lives ofthe United Slates of America in Congress assem-
bled That the State of Texas shall be one and is hereby
d dared lo be one of the Unitid States of America and
admitted into the Union on an equal footing with ihe ori-
ginal St ties n all respects whatever.
Be it further resolved 'I hatrunti! the representatives h
CuTTgwKrlfliaH; he apportioned- according to lheactual-
enumeration of ihe inhabitants of the United Siates.the
State of Texas shall be entitled to choose two representa
tives.
x
Passed. December 22 1 845
AN ACT extending thero-ws of the United States 'over
the Slate of Texas.
Be it enacted by Iht Senate- om&. House of Representa-
tives ofthe United Slates ojArnericain Congress assem-
bled. Thai alt the laws-of the United Stales are hereby-
declared to extend to-and over and to have full force and
effect wiihin the Shite of Texast admitted at the present'
session of Congress into the confederacy. and Unionofthesjp
United States- fCjf
Sec. h. And Be it further enaeltd Thai the said. Stale
of Texas shall constitute one jpdicial district to be called
the district of Texas fogwhtch one judge shall be appoint-
ed who shalLreside thejeirivand whohall receive a sala-
ry of two thousand dollars per annumand whoshall hold?
the first teim-of said coo it at Galveston on the first Mon-
day ol February next and at soeh other times andlpjaces-
in said district as may be. provided by law. or asjsaid'.
judge inay orderf andthausaid court shall have and ex-
ercise the same-powers and jurisdiction aisFhave beerf con-
ferred by raw ooHbe distrrct cotirts of the United Slates t
and also shall have and exercise the powers and jurisdic-
tion of a circuit court of ihe United. States: and appeals
and writs of error shilMie fronvrfie decisions of said dis-
trict and circuit courts for the district of Texas to the Su-
pnnte Court ef the ETnile'rl States in- ihe same cases as
form a circuitcoaft of ihe United! Stales to said Supreme
Court 'and-under ihe same regulations'.
Secri. And B&ti further enacted That there- shall
be appointed in and for said district nerson learned m
the law loact asattoraay of the United States for said dis-
trict and also a person to act as marshal of the United
Slates for said district each of whom shall receive an an-
nual salary of two hundred dollars and also such compeh
salion and fees for official services as have been or may?
be provided by law for United Smtes district attorneys and-
marshals; arid the judge ofsaid court shall appomt'a
clerk" tfiereof.whosha.il. receive a like compensation arid'
fees as have been or maybe allowed by law to clerks-oB
the district and ckcuiL courts ofthe Cuited States. r
iPasseduDecember 29 1845 . i
AN ACT" to establish a collectoral district in the State of"
Texas and for other purposes. -
Be it enacted by thn Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the Uuited Stales cf America in Congress as'
sembled That the Slate ol Texas shall be one collectoral
district and ihe city ot GaFvesioh the-only port of entry
to which shall be annexed Sabine Vellasco Matagorda
Cavallo Lavaca and Corpus Christir-ns port3 of delivery-
only. Sec. 2. And be-il further enacledTiTh.ttji collector for
the district of Texas aforesaid shall he appointed by the-
Prrsid. nt with the advicp ahdeonsent ofthe Senate of the
UnitLd Slates- who shall hold bis office upon the terms
and for ihe time prescribed hy I iv for the like officers in
oth r disti lets. The said collector shall xcsidttat the city
of Galveston and he shall dp entitled to a s.lary not ex-
ceeding 2000 including in that sum the fes allowed by
law: and the amount he shall collect in any onetyearfor
fees excetdmg ihe said sum of S-iOOQ shnlrbe accounted
for. and paid into the treasury ofthe United States "
Sec 3 And be it-further enacted. That a survjycrtfor
eich ofthe a foresaid ports of delivery to wij: Sabine
Velasco Matagorda Cavallo Lavaca. andCorpusChris-
ti shall be appointedby the President with the consent
of the Senate of ihe Unhd States whoshall hold their of-
fices respectively upon ihe terms and for the time pre-
scribed by law for the fike offices in other districts. The
said surveyors shall be entitled each to a salary not ex-
ceeding 81.000 inrluding in that sum the fees allowed'by
lawand.;he amount collected by any of
in anyone year for fees exceeding thesaid
sT!?a ? ior' HrpaicFiiiiionnr
lawand.;he amount collected by any of said surveyors
sum of'Sr.OQQ.
rrtrerreasury of the
United States
By the President of the Republic of Texas.
A PROCLAMATION. "--.
Wheria The Congress of the United Stales Save
passed a Joint Resolution fo'rthe admission ofthe State
of Texas into ihe 'Union approved December 29th
1845 official information of which has been transmitted
by the President of the United States to this Govern-
ment; and . 1
Whereas by the thirteenth nrticle ofthe Constitution of
the State ol Texasrit is rnade.theduty of the President
upon ihe receipl of said'informatlon to convene an
early day the Legislature of the Slate at the Sealof
Govi rnment establjshed by said Constitution : 7
Therefore Be it known that I ANSON JONES
President of the Republic of Texas by virtue ofthe power:
vested in me by. the Stale Constitution do by these'pres-
cms direct and require that ihe Senators and Repiesenta-
tives elect to the Legislature shall assemble in regular
biennial session at the City of Austin on Monday thesix-
leenth day of February next ensuing then and there 'to
organize a Slate Government and to consult ancldjjiei;-
mine upon such other measures as in their wisdomiiaayi
be deemed meet for the-general welfare. ' "'""
In testimony whereof. I have caused the Great Sealof
the Republic to be hereunto affixed "" t
Done at the City of Austin this twelfth day
of January in thp year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and forty-six and
of the Independence of Ihe Rejfablic t'Be
tenm. i s
- .fcANS"OjN JPNESI
Uy lhi!-Presidentj I -zU '
RfiPK. A'f.T.W' i " !
e ' re. v "tt
oiriu j ui uiair. . j tn
Supreme Court. We understand that the Supreme.
Court adjourned on the 3rd inst.
.J-
rs -' t
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Moore, Francis, Jr. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, January 14, 1846, newspaper, January 14, 1846; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth78132/m1/2/: accessed May 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.