TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
96
ing appear in your name. Let everything speak in the name of the- Government of l\Iexico.- Pursue the system I have pointed out, and I am certain that in Six months you "'ill have credit, resources, force and every thing- yon can wish. · The moment General T'respalacios arrives you and your troops. shonld take oath of alligiance to the Govt. of 1\Iexico, and the Junta will appoint you a Lieut. Genl. in their army and Captain General of Texas; this gives you, in my opinion, a perfect legal support to· your authority. ' Genl. Trespalacios will issue Treasitry notes sufficient to pay all the- troops and officers; they will answer for a medium amongst your- selves. -I hope for God's sake you will make no movement. If you do, you will lose thousands of emigrants that will otherwise go to you this· winter. But yon ·can send parties of 1 or 200 men in boats to go to the Nueces river with Indians and obtain mules. A partizan warfare of this kind will give you resources and give perplexity to your enemies. All. this species of warfare, so far as it can be carried on securely, you can manage, The system which Genl. T. has adopted is a good one, and I think when published, will render the Mexican Cause extremely popular in the U. S.- There is one proposition I am authorized to make to you by a Mer- rhant at New Orleans who is largely concerned in the Dutch and German trade. If your officers and men will select their plantations to cultivate, he will supply them with as many German Redemp• tioncrs as they may want at 60D. per head on credit until they can make a crop. There persons to be indented, the old people for 3 years and the young ones until they arrive at full age. Y.ou sec that this. gives every man the benefit of a plantation at once, and fills up the conntry with inhabitants. · He has 9 ships engaged in the Trade, and could bring ont 3000 per annum. Get your men [to] go to work immediately to arrange farms and plantations on the Trinity and they will have nothing to fear. Yours very truly E. W. Ripley Such was the state of affairs at Bolivar Point, on the arrival of , Trrspalacios. He was received with a warm and generous welcome; heightened, no doubt, by the timely supply of provisions and clothing which he brought with him. His presence had a tranquilizing effect. He was a tall, sedate and dignified man, gentlemanly in his deport- ment, kind in his expressions and liberal in his dealings. He assumed command without giving offense to any, and entered upon the discharge· of his duties, with a promptness, zeal and sound discretion which in- spired general confidence, and gave new life and animation to the garrison. All seemed to be, once more, contented and happy. There was hnt one draw-back to the general jubilee; and that was the dis- position of the new Commander to set them to work instead of fight-
Powered by FlippingBook