expect to need it so soon, or I should then have pressed you farther on the subject. The time is near al hand-nay has arrived, when we have to look around us and prepare, with out limited resources, for fight. I am well satisfied that you have nol been an idle spectator of what has been passing in the Interior slates of this Republic, and of course, it woulrl be superflous for me lo go into a detail of all the grievances the people of Texas have suffered, until forbearance is no longer a virtue; and we now have the dread alternatives presented to us, "of a tame submission to the subversion of our Constitutional rights and acquiescenc~ to Military rule, or like men (& free born white men too) fight to the knife." It is scarcely necessary for me to say which horn of the dilema, will be laid hold of, and with what pertinacity that hold will be maintained. We have no men to spare, but each man is a host. Our preparation is now poor but hope soon that it will be bettered. There are but few Muskets and only some 6 or 8 pieces of artillery, & few ball &c but 1000 fathom of chain cable; and at least 4000 Rifles. If you can get a l\fap, you will sec that we are well fortified to the west-there being a distance of some 200 miles of a perfeel barren desert, & only six watering holes in the whole route- They now have bu_t one armed vessel (Montezuma) and she mounting one Pivot gun-We are threatened with a desent by water and land of l 0,000 troops-and there has already arrived al Bexar (formerly San Antonio) some l 500 or 2000 men & 20 pieces of Artillery- The water party cannot, & we are credibly informed, will not sail to co-operate with them before Novr via Galveston Bay &c. To meet this imposing force, we are now preparing-having organized the National Guards into Companies; and sent orders to the U States for arms & munitions; and united in the call of a Convention of the People on the 15th October next. That Convention will Declare us Jndcpendent, for the reason that we cannot go for the old wreck of a Republic, that having been subverted, a Centralism substituted in its stead & acquiesced in by the other Stales-Letters of marque will be issued (applications are already rec'd from old & gallant officers) and we will have afloat a sufficient naval force to guard our coast and cripple their trade from the Campcachy banks to N. Orleans-The land party will, thus closed in, be an easy prey.
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