1670
Al\IERTCAN HTSTORTCAL ASSOCIATION.
the Country nnd the infoncy and feebleness of the white population within it, is rendered still more alarming by the warlike and ferocious character of ·those •warriors-They have been long tried in arms in many fierce and bloody .contests with the hardy back- woodsmen of the north,: and have always displayed. great bravery and indefatigable ·enterprise and '!Jersurverance-They .are admir- ably expert in the use of the Rifle, and although compelled to retire before the nccnmmulated.masses of the north Americans, who have gradually driven them. from forest to forest nnd over .river after river, they have never acknowledged ·themselves conquered, but still feel able to contend _with eqnul numbers of .the best ·troops of the civilized world~. Should these· Indians ibe allowed to remain .and obtain a per- manent foothold in. the Country, it .will . inevjtably attract the residues of their respective nations to·.re-unite with them, and in all probability other Tribes will be allured by their example to seek a more .congenial residence than is .to be found . in the inclement forests of the North-Ii~ the lapse of a very few years unless some prompt and efficient measures are taken to _check .this dangerous imigration, these northern barbarians will swai;m, in Texas as the Goth and Vandals swarmed into Italy, .and impelled by the same motives and .the same. antipathies, they:}' 1 ill sprend a similar desola- tion in their progress"""'"" .Another and very immin~nt clanger connected with this emigra tion is found in the great pl'obability that these strangers. will form at least a temporary · ulli:rnce. with om· ancient enemies the Comuncl~es, the ·whacoes and .the Tuwackanies, and combined with those treacherous people to devastate. the exposed frontiers of the Republic--:-:-Such a combination would be replete with mischief and might require the utmost energies of the nation to suppress it-- vVe, the undersigned, do therefore feel it a duty as the confidential agents of this Government appointed to superintend the Coloniza- tion of important Districts of Texas, to represent this interesting subject to your Excellency as the proper organ of the Federal Gov- ernment--,V-e conceive the subject to be important ,to the Country at large, but to involve in a peculiar and especial manner the vital interests of Texas, and we submit it to Your Excellenpy.in the hop~, that some suitable measures may be adopted .to arrest the progress of a fearful and growing .evil and to save, the ·peaceful ;Citizens of Coahuila and Texas and all the regions around and contiguous to the Rio· Grande from t,he tomahawk an~ .scalp-in[!' knife. of a ruthless, infuriated and savag~ f_oe-~l~e. e.v~l of: wluch we speak is yet in its incipien_t state, _but 1t 1s ,rap1c1ly matur~ng, and although
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