784
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION'
or would be resorted to as the last and the only [reme] dy etc. But let all be done calmly, not one rash or abusive word ought to [be use]d-nothing that indicated passion or excitement or pe1·son[al f]eelings or animosity of a pm·sonal nature against any one-let all be mild, decorous and respectful but clear and firm-in short let it be a plain, open and unvarnished statement of facts. Also anything of the kind that is done and all the facts ought to [be] pub[lished] in Spanish and english and more especially in Spanish and sent to all the free and liberal papers in the nation, and to the government. Also if any official complaints are made to the gov- ernment they ought to be published in Spanish and English- [if th]is course be adopted you will at once see the great importance of having all such publications drawn up in pure and decorous language and in handsome stile-this is all important-for such papers [do not appoint a] com[mittee of] persons who have [not] a con;ect grammatical knowledge of the English language, or whose stile is inflated or bombastic or loaded with obscenities or a super- a[bund]ance of useless words etc [it] would [be * * *] exposing the colony to ridicule [every]where-this is in fact all [import]ant- under that view of the matter I hope no one will take it amiss if I recommend you to call in the aid of P. W. Grayson, Doctor Archer, T. J. Chambers, and Mr. Alexander Greaves. Also Father Muldoon-the three last for the Spanish language in particular, and Mr. Grenves most particularly, f [or I know] that his knowledge of the Spanish is better than any mans in Texas-he is an elderly, a silent, and a calm and prudent man. You will of course perceive that all I have said on this subject is predicated on the .fear, that circumstances may drive some of the people on ·Trinity to desperation·-if so and the cause is just, the sympathies of the colony will be enlisted-it cannot be [prevented] and indeed I believe it ought not to be, for all outrages against law, justice and good morals are attacks upon the whole community, how- ever low or * * * the individual may be who is personally assailed-. There is one point which must be kept in view, which is that by the constitution and laws [of the nation] and of the [sta]te the military are not subject to the judicial power; they are a privileged order, and cannot be tryed by a civil judge for any offense-a most infamous and unrepublican principle,-but [allowed by~] constitu- tion and law, and as such must be sacredly respected-[an] alcalde, or judge, cannot punish a soldier-keep this in view-take care and have all the law as well as all the justice on your side, for you see that under this military system what is law is sometimes very fa.r·from being justice-the rule which I have given to the [state~] and gen-
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