seem, ought to cling to each other with a stronger tenacity, now that we are oppressed and at war with those who ought to protect us. The Council appointed a committee called the Vigilance of Safety to act for the Council. In November funds to the amount of five hundred dollars were received from Tennessee for the use of the army. The committee resolved that this money should be appropriated to the payment of the members of the Council, while the Governor determined it to be for the purpose for which it was intended. This and some other differences caused the Governor to make a communication to the Council, which so exaperated that body, that the committee to whom the communication was referred made report as follows:
(Royall to Council, January 11,1836]
January 13th, 1836.
In order that you may get some idea of the charges, as . preferred against Governor Smith, by the General Council, I will send you an extract of the address drafted by the committee to the people of Texas, setting forth their reasons for adopting such measures as they did against his Excellency.
(Council to the People of Texas, January 11, 1836]
Such are the charges which the committee of the General Council brought against our Governor, and for which they attempted to put him out of office. In this attempt they failed. I will not pretend to justify Governor Smith fully, though I think the proceedings of the General Council against him unjust. Governor Smith is an exceedingly gentlemanly person, and one who always appeared to me to have the good of his country at heart. The Consultation had decreed on the 11 December, 1835, a bounty of six hundred and forty acres of land to each volunteer, which bounty they increased on the 15th of December, by the addition of one hundred and sixty acres. This boun Ly is to be given to the heirs or legal representatives of the volunteer in case of his death in the service. The several counties now held meetings to discuss whether we should hold to the Constitution of I 824, or declare our
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