916
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
I have only to regret, that, as it may be called in question at a future day, and that, as the letter itself, in such event, would be more true to the motives of its author, better evidence of its tendency to prevent, or to promote discord, than the confused, or the per- verted recollection of fallible and mutable man, its preservation, without doing an injury to any one, might have served hereafter, as a shield to the writer, against the iliberal and censorious attacks of more than one man, in times of high excitement. •The letter was ocasioned in part only, by the threat and visitation of the pretended collector of Goliad, to this town, for the avowed purpose, of collecting duties, searching for, and seizing goods, said to be deposited in the warehouses of this place. It_was occasioned principally, by an occurrence which transpired previous to the communication of that threat. The rights of an American citizen--of one ·who had violated M law ;-rights, the protection of which, had been solemnly guarranted by treaty-had· been invaded, insulted, spit upon, nnd contemp- tuously trampled in the mud. In doing this, the rites-the sacred rites, of even savage hospitality, had been denied and insultingly refused. Divested of his arms-his papers-travelling apparel; forci- ble possession taken of his horse, and thus deprived, for a time, of the means of transporting himself to any christi:m habitation- oppressed by disease; weak, and emaciated, suffering the paroxism of a fever, he was thus detained for hours in the open prairie, in o. . state of painful suspense which none can ]mow who have not felt it; and which, it is sincerely hoped, may 'Tlever never again be felt, even by a barbarian, in a land professing christianity, and calling itself civilized. Treated as an indian, and told that he was one, put in charge of beings, for less humane than the Arab of America, he was made to suffer the double torment of present deprivation n.nd Misery, and a threatening prospect of the future, if possible, still More alarming. . . , . These are some of the amiable proceedings, these are a part of the tantalizing and disgraceful doings of Men, calling themselves officers of the law, and guardians of the public interest. Oh, liberty! Oh, humanity! Oh, pity!! Wli..en, and why, did tbs thunder sleep~ Why was it reserved, why permitted, a "law- despising," unprincipled, and merciless banditti, thus to outrage, & pupil, of the school of "\Vashington ~ • But to proceed-My object in writing to the Americans in Goliad, was, to let them, and through them, the selfstyled authorities of that place, know the· determination, the unanimous, the individual, and the collective determination, of the people here, in case of an attempt,
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