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TEXAS STATEJ LIBRARY
the object of Indian attack and the West will know that they are liable to the hostile action of Mexicans and Indians.--;- Were the Indians our only enemy, (which is the case whilst the French Blockade continues,) the situation of the three settlements, forming nearly a Crescent would ena-ble the Government to project a combined movement from each point into their hunting grounds, which would strike so many small and disunited tribes with terror- prevent the possibility of their escape, and compel them in their confusion and dismay to surrender, and by giving hostages to be kept till the war with Mexico is over; relive our worn out and desolated frontier from further molestation; But this relative position which would be our strength against a, single foe would prove our weak- ness against an united attack.- I was urgently solicitous for such a movement during the past summer and fall whilst Mexico was involved with France.- I have left the Comanches out of this calculation as I do not think that they are likely to unite either with the northern tribes or with Mexico, and a small force judiciously posted can hold them in check; But if we give Mexico time to settle her foreign and intestine difficulties and again invade us aided by the northern tribes will we have that small force to spare? or can they hold their position 1 I think not.- The result of all these facts, is, that the war (so far as our main enemy is concerned) will fall almost entirely on the West, which will be subject to an invasion by a navel force, and by a land force from by way of the Rio Grande-to attack by the Camanches to the North- west and by the northern tribes to the North east.- How then can the people of one section be drawn from their un- protected families to the assistance of an other section? The very same dangers that would prevent the citizens of Red River from going to the assistance of the west, would prevent the citizens of the upper Colorado and Brasos from going to the assistance of those on the La Baca and on the Gulf-and so vice versa. I doubt not the patriotism of the people of Texas, especially, of those of the frontier, and I state tha,t if we were but one great settlement so that uur energies might be concentrated, we would be able to set both the savage Mexicans and savage Indians at defiance.~But such is not the c·ase.- IIitherto the divisions amongst our leading parties have unfortu- nately been as marked as our territorial divisions- these divisions kept the army unimployed for months in the fall of 1835. before the weak forces of General Coss at Bexar-these divisions enabled Sante- Anna to surprise and massacre our whole forces on the frontier in the spring of 1836. and to devastate and ruin the whole Colorado and Brasos Countries-these divisions caused the neglect, starvation and final disbanding and ruin of the fine army collected on the La Baca in the spring of 1837-these divisions prevented the defeat and subjugation of the rebellious Mexicans and hostile' Indians near Nacogdoches in the summer of 1838- and it is now con'fidently hoped by all the friends of the Country, that under the happy auspices of your Excellency, an union of all the virtue, energy and talent, of the
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