[2783) [PERRY to BURNET]
New Orleans 16th April 1836
To His Excellency the Prest of the Texian Republic Honoured & Dear Sir
I congratulate you & your country on the prospect now before us; The old spirit of '76 is up; the flame that burned so bright on Bunkers Hill, newly kindled beyond the Sabine, is about to be better fed by the Sons of Liberty this side of it. The 9ountrymen of Washington are awake to the fact, that it is time, that the blessing of Reform should be now tasted in the fertile region of Texas-There has been much apathy and enmity here-people were afraid of prosecutions by the U. States, in the midst of this I have uniformly told them that if such a thing were attempted, the Indignant Spirit of '76 would seize upon the caitiff who would dare it, and strangle him-This is now about to be the case, there is a power superior to all law, it is popular opinion, and this feeling is now well at work. But in order to produce a greater degree of activity I think the Govmt should issue Lheir bonds for lots of lands if a mile square each, payable to the holder at a certain price; then let offices be opened in this City, in Mobile, in Natchez in Savannah & Charleston for the Sale of those bonds. Let those distant remit by bills of exchange to the principal office here: Let a Rendezvous for Recruits be opened al or near to Natchitoches say just beyond the Sabine. Then as soon as the war is over let the land be surveyed and given over to all such claimants. This mode would enable every man to enlist (if not his person his money) in the cause. Yes Sir! even the drayman & Hodman would purchase. I trust that this matter will be looked into, whence I confidently expect good results. In the organization of a Regnt. I wd. beg leave to suggest that there ought to be two to four companies of Riflemen-and six to eight of lnfantry armed with Musket, Bayonets and a pair of belt pistols. Rifles are of little strength upon the Prairies without this defence, which the Gun and Bayonet wd. produce, then the Rifles could play away with tremendous effect. I wd. say that three lines would be required, the innermost should should be
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