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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
ing ;-for Trespelacios had come there, fully imbued with the general policy sketched in the preceding letter of Genl. Ripley, and was dis- posed to make it the basis of his administration; a policy, however, which was more easily conceived than carried into execution, and one which he found, upon a trial of it, altogether unsuited to tne genius and habits of those with whom he had to deal. Labor with them was infinitely worse than fighting. It was their contempt of the vulgar pursuits of industry which had lead them to adopt the more glorious profession of arms. Indeed we are a little surprised that a man of Genl. Ripley's experience and practical knowledge should have supposed for a moment, that it was possible to indu·ce a set of soldiers, collected under such circumstances, to turn from their idle habits to the clearing of the wilderness and the cultivation of the soil.- See Trespalacios's Proclamation. The paucity of our materials will not allow us to sketch the Admin- istration of General Trespelacios with much particularity; nor have [we] any knowledge of "the System" which General Ripley .calls '' a good one'' and which when published '' will render the J\fexican Cause extremely popular in the U. S;" but judging from the few documents before us as well from traditionary accounts, we are con- strain to approve of his c·onduct almost etire and to award to him the character of a wise prudent and just man. Among the first of his official acts, was .the appointment of Bernardo Guiterez to the Vice Presidency of the Supreme Council - an old veteran who had taken the field early, achieved much and suffered greatly in the cause of his conutry. He was the fiery hero of the bloody wars of 1812 and '13 in Texas; and although rather severely rebuked by the Americans for his frierceness in those terrible times, he was, never- theless an honest man, a warm patriot and successful General. w·e were pleased to meet him once more on the theatre of active opera- tions, and being well known and appreciated throughout his native land, his appointment was well calculated to popularize the enter- prise in Mexico, and impart to it a J\Iexican more than an American character. The Campaign of General Long in 1819 was recognised officially by 'Trespelacios as being legitimate and national and en- titling those who were connected with it, to the same compensation as other officers and soldiers in the pnblic service.-Upon this subject we venture to insert the- following letter which fully explains itself. -He says "having understood that there exist certain debts of the .Government of the Republic of Mexico, to individuals of Rapido and Natchitoches, created by General Don Bernardo Guiterez. James Long and Walker, I am authorised by the Supreme Council to liq- uidate them. I therefore beg you to use some exertion to collect testimony of these debts and forward tMm to the Province of Texas, where a fund has been raised to their final payment, satisfying at the same time the interest at ten per cent until their adjustment.'' In accordance with the advice of General Ripley, Treasury Notes were issued to the Officers and Soldier in payment of their clues; but these n:otes on account of the Merchants in New Orleans, r:efusing
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