Jan 14 1836 to Mar 5 1836 - PTR, Vol. 4

ever Keep slemlily in view as being your ~uidc in the discharge of the imporlanl ohjccls for which you were appointed. You will avoid as far as may he consislcnl wilh lhc silualion of T1:xas, The dircd acknowlcd~cmenl of any nal ional rights existing in the Comanche Indians, and make and fix no definite boundary, 111:lwcen lhcrn and the free people of Texas, but you may give the consent of the Government lo the said Indians, lo hunt, fish, &c in certain boundaries, for and during the pleasure of the Government of Texas. You will impress them with the sentiments of the Texans, that they arc friendly lo them, but its continuance depends upon thc~ir conduct, that if they remain our friends we will aid them if the centralists of Mexico, make war upon them, but if they are determined upon war impress them with a just dread of the horrors we can inflict upon them, by giving them to understand & be informed of the aid in men and money that we can get and are daily receiving from the United Stales, and that the same nation of Indians (the Shawnes) who 20 in number completely defeated 300 Cumanches near San Antonio, are also our friends and will he arrayed against them in battle with us- & if they do grapple with us we will utterly exterminate their tribe and not leave one to tell that they ever existed and that we will pay tribute to none But the circumstances in which you may find yourselves placed will make il necessary for you to use your own sound discretion, keeping always before you our present exposed situation and the future importance of the right of soil which these predatory tribes may wander over, and to which they have no right or claim other than that of hunting, temporarily at our pleasure. and imediately on concluding a treaty with the said Indians, you will send the same to this Department of the Government to be presented lo the General council for consideration, or to the authorities that may succeed it, or in the event of not being able lo adjust the difficulties between the Indians and the Government of Texas, you will imedialely inform this department of the failure of your mission, together with such advise lo your government as you may think proper, and the sum of five hundred dollars is by this resolution of the council put at your disposal in the manner pointed out by the resolution which you will draw as you may think proper to attain the objects contemplated, and apprehend, that if from any unavoidable accident or circumstances all of you cannot attend, a majority of you are authorized lo act. I am your most obt. Scrvt, James \V Robinson Actin~ Governor

49

Powered by