147
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BtJONAPARTE LAMAR
,exist without property or jurisdiction over their own territory; a political confederacy in the midst of territorial ce·ntralism, free and -constitutionally independent nations without lands! In my embarrassment I met with but little ass:stance. Tru~ I received the encouraging visits of many distinguished Texia-ns among whom Messrs. B. T. Archer, Wm. H. Wharton, S. l\L \Villiams, S. F. Austin, Chs. P. Hawkins etc. who all insisted upon the continuation of my paper, assuring me that my losses and labors would not go· unrecompensed; but I could never obtain more than nineteen sub- ·scriptions in Texas, of which thre~ remained unpaid; and all the subscribers, both abroa-d and at home, amounted only to _seventy-one, from whom I Mllected but three hundred and sixty-eight dollars. I transmit an extract from my journal in relation to this subject to .dissipate every thing like distrust. I cite the names of Messrs. George Fisher and T. Toby with pleasure, as these gentlemen con- tributed to prolong the publication of the ''Correo" to the 15th of August, 1836. Various· papers throughout the Union, and some in particular in New-Orleans, desirous of depriving Texas of the powerful support derived from the numerous volunteers ·who flocked to her stand- ard,. described the conduct of these patroios as "injurious to the national honour, and prejudicial to commerce.'' Such allegations <!reated a profound impression on the minds even of the sincerest friends of Texas. The "Correo" was the only paper that dared to refute them, as will be seen by the editorial headed "l\Texico-Texian Question," in the number of the 11th of April. The victory of the 21st of the same month achieved by the Texia-ns .at San Jacinto, opened the field to discussions of far greater impor- tance. Every one applauded Texian valor; every one ridiculed Mexican folly; but all did not agree with respect _to the legitimate right of the Texians to their political independence, and much less upon the recognition of it by the United States. On the 28th of May, in one of the most numerous meetings which have ever assembled in this city, I had the boldness to mount the rostrum, and address, as well as I was able, an assemblage of not less than two thousand citizens. I inserted my discourse in the Correo on the 6th June in Spanish, and of the 20th in English, under the head of '' Texas and the United States of America.'' I sustained not only the indis- putable right of the Texians to their absolute independence, hut the obligation of the American government to recognize it, in con- formity with the laws of nations, and with its constant practice under similar circumstances. The '' Commercial Bulletin ' ' of New-Orleans re-published this address on the 23d June, and is received insertion in other northern papers. I treated the question under an entirely dif- ferent aspect in point of law; and the result has proved that my principles were not unworthy of the thinking minds in the Union, inasmuch as the United States finally reco1:,YJ1izcd the independence of Texas, in spite of the animated opposition of several members of Congress, and especially of John Q. Adams, displayed in his famous speech of the 31st May, concerning which I expressed myself in the Correo of the 11th of July.
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