89
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
cepline, attached to the servise, devoted to him and ever ready for the enemy. Equal tranquility and peace prevailed in the civil de- partment of the government. Between the two authorities there were no collisions or jealousies. Nor were there any between the ~l- diers and the citizens. All abided in harmony, and acted in concert---;- were obedient to the laws, prompt in duty, patient in suffering, and consolidated and cemented by a common enthusiasm in favor of their leader. The man who could organize a government at all, out of such discordant elements as had congregated at Bolivar Point, and keep that government in harmonious action under so many adverse and trying circumstances, must have possessed more than an ordinary share of the lofty attributes of our nature. He must have had talents to inspire confidence; chivalry to attract admiration; gen- erosity to secure affection; and firmness to enforce obedience.- And such in reality was the character of General Long. He was a man to be beloved, honored and obeyed.- The prudence and felicity of General Long's administration, could not fail to produce a due effect upon public 9pinion in the United States. The American people could no longer close their ey~s to the fact, that there was a new government in successful operation in Texas; and that its affairs were conducted with an order~ propriety and efficiency which would not suffer in comparison with their own institutions. Whatever might be their opinion with re- gard to its legality, or their speculations upon its probable stability, they were, at least compelled to acknowledge its existence, and could not well refrain from inquiring into the designs of its founder, and the character and tendency of his operations. These had now as- sumed an importance which coerced the public mind into a serious consideration of them; and in proportion as they were investigated and complhehended, our hero increased in popular favor, and received the approval of the good and wise. He was now, no longer regarded as a mere adventurer, :s.eeking momentary glory at the canon's mouth; but one whose purposes were as laudable as his conduct was noble and honorable; as one who had sacrifised much, and was still periling life and every thing dear to him, in a noble endeavor to enlarge the boundaries of freedom, and to open new sourses of prosperity, to thousands. To appreciate his motives and designs, it was only necessary to comprehend them; and it was impossible for the generous and enlightened mind to witness his unrewarded toils, and contempate the innumerable blessings which would inevitably flow from his success, without sympathising with him in his difficulties, and feeling some solictude for the result. As evidence that public sentiment was now undergoing a very salutary change in reference to the operations of our hero, and that there was a wide-spread anxiety for his success, we will here insert the following encouraging letter which he received from one of his best frjends; "New Orleans July 8th 1820. Dear Sir, I have taken the enclosed letters from the Post Office this morning and availed myself of the opportunity of the
Powered by FlippingBook