541
PAPERS oF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
Vera Cruz. This was effected most quietly, in presence of the inhab- itants of Velasco. I had previously directed to them a short adress" which produced the desired effect. Two days after my embarkation, Capn. Brown of the Invinci- ble informed me that he had orders to send me shore. In consequence of which I adressed to hlm the letter No 20. 32 He gave a verbal answer shewing himself di,sposed to cai·ry his orders into execution by the dint of force. The cause of this change was owing to 130 volunteers who having arrived that day, from New Orleans, under the command of a person who styled himself general T. J. Green, had mutiued and asked with threats that l should be delivered into their hands. • I immediately wrote to Mr-,-Burnet the note (No 21) 83 the conclusion of whi'Ch was that I had resolved not to leave the vessel unless I tvas dead. His answer (No. 22) 3 • was brought on board by .several persons who assured me that my detention cottld last but a few days and that my person would ind11bitab¼fl be, respected. After having been landed and offered in spectacle to the peo- ple, who had caused my disembarkation, I was trusted to the mili- tary power and imprisoned under the custody of capn.W. Patto1c1 who had been exp1·essedly sent--from Victoria, with a commission, for that purpose, and who did transfer me to a small house in the vicinity of Columbia, where .I remained one month and a half. Irritated by such proceedings I protested (as may be seen by the document :Ko 23) 35 against the non ac'Complishment of the conven- tion on the part of the Texians. Therefore and as an immediate consequence of the coercion, which had been employed towards me in all tl1e acts s11bsequent to my imprisonement, the conventions be- . came void and I was left to my fate. In another part of the report, after relating how he happened to enter into a correspondance 30 with gal. Jackson, Sta Anna says: "The answer of genal. Jackson was founded (as may be "easily seen by a reference to my letter) on a mis-interpretation -0f "it. I had not asked from him any thing but to inter/el'e ·with the " 'Texians, for. the fulfilement of their engagement in regard to my "liberty as I had already fulfilled my own engagements or was com- "pletely disposed to accomplish what was stiJl wanting, if the Texians "would exact it. However the negative answer of genal. Jackson left "this point completely concluded, and my liberation was neither the "consequence of bis answer or of the conventions of the 14 May. It ''was, as I have already said, merely the result of the spontaneous "will ·of Houston who,. in consequence of the intelligence received "from Mexico, was moved by the hope that my presence in my country "Ibid. 126. See -also no. 376. "This protest, dated June 9, 1836, and Burnet's reply to it, June 10, were printed In Niles' Register, 51, 191; and Foote, H. S., Texas and the Texans, II, 345. •In the Austin Papers dated Feb. -. 1837 Is a supplement to the Matamoras Mercury which contains the Jackson-Santa Anna correspond- ence. 12 lbid. 126. "Ibid. 126. "lbtd. 127.
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