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his clollting and a 11cwe hal togathc with all 1110:;t all l!H' doll 11 •s that l I-lad which was new '1 Williams 2 fin coals I l31ankl'l I Long Bufelow ~kin S Smith [illegiblcl 3 Large Blankets ... is a small part Lhal is sadc Lo be tal,c11 all most Evry house in the place broken open and Robel L. Smill,cr The tales that 1 Role you was Rilc scarsely know my head from my heals lAddressed: l Jeneral Stephen F Austen comandcr in chcaf at head ll uarlers
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[1088) [AUSTIN to PRESIDENT of CONSULTATION]
Confidential
Head Quarters above Bexar Nov. 5, 1835 I have heretofore expressed an opinion that it would be doubtfull policy lo grant letters of mark, on more mature reflection I am inclined to change that opinion- Every effort will be made lo dislroy us-we are therefore fully justified in resorting to every possible means of defense. After the convention have declared for the ConstituLion and federal sislem, and war against centralism, lellers of mark might be granted lo defend our coasts and cruise against the vessels of the centralists and military usurpers-under this view I am in favor of it, and recommend the measure, J n short we are in a war, in which the objects of our enemies is our total extermination. It is a matter of life and death-there is no medium or middle course left- none al all-under these circumstances there must be 110 half way measures on our side-no hesila.tion or scruples- The basis of the ConslituLion is just, and to defend that Con~titu Lion and ourselves, we are fuUy justifiable in calling in all the aid of every clcscriplion, we can get. . . I again recommend the 1mmc<liate organization of a civil
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