549
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
as secret as the grave. Yours, on the contrary are known to every body, before your mission can be hardly said to have commenced, and consequently you are placed in the awkward predicament of one who fancying he has an important communication to make, discovers too late, that it is, to use a byword but "piper's news" after all. And now let me, as.k you, sir, if I may be so presumptious, what are the "facts" in relation to my affairs in 1\Iexico, which have in- duced you to take this extraordinary step? A simple-minded man, like myself, would natrnrally have supposed, that before you pro- ceeded so far, you would at least have had the justice to make known these ''facts,'' and off~r me an opportunity to. refute any thing al- lE;ged against me, ''calculated to mar the mission, or any way to excite the slightest feeling in l\Iexico. '' But the propriety of this measure, it seems, never occurred to a man entrusted with a '' mission of great doubt and infinite delicacy.'' After receiving me with great cordiality and confidence, offering me the sum which you were required to place at my disposal, which I declined for the present accepting, and communicating to me the instructions of your gov- ernment, by which your conduct is to be regulated, what but sur- prise and indignation could ensue from the perusal of your note, by which the common -courtesies of life are broken off, and an abrupt termination put to our further intercourse? Let me tell you, sir, that if you should exhibit the .same want of courtesy and equal credulity in your communications with the Mexicam;, Texas will have occasion to -regret ever having sent you to negotiate with her enemy. This conduct of yours reminds me of a hint I received from high authority in Houston, which has been but too soon verified. In conclusion I will state, for your information, that the :Mexicans possess great tact in penetrating the character of individuals, and discovering and taking advantage of their weaknesses. For the honour of the country you are about to represent, I hope this information will not be thrown away. I have the honour to be, respectfully, Sir, Your obt. humb. Sevt. C. C. S. No. 1233 183.9 Apr. 30, B. E. BEE TO re. C.] SEBRING, [NEW ORLEANS, . LOUISIANA] 69 . Orleans, April 30th, 1939. Sir, your letter of yesterday 70 was hanp.ed last night just as I. was retiring, and as I had hea·rd Capt. "'right say you were very unwell I determined not to reply until this morning. You do me no more than justice when you say I received your courteously and at once entering upon the views of the l\Iission. Coming as you did with the full confidence of the President, and though known but little to me personally, yet that little was favorably. I understood, too, you Col. Bee to Mr. Sebring.
"Copy. With no. 1247. ' 0 No. 1232.
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