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PAPERS OF :l\IrnABE.AU BuoN.AP.ARTE LAMAR
between the two countries. Of these appointments, the Hon. Alcee Labranche, Charge d'Affairs of the United States, was notified 65 on the 27th. day of J\Iay last, and was also informed that these officers would be in New Orleans on the 1st. day of August to make such preparatory arrangements in conjunction with the officers appointed by the United States as were necessary to their entering upon the dis- charge of that duty. The officers of the two Governments met accord- ingly, but in consequence of sickness and other embarassments prevent- ing the immediate prosecution of the work, they adjourned to meet again on the 15th. October at the mouth of the Sabine, whence they would proceed immediately to the discharge of the duties assigned them. From a communication, however, just received from our com- missioner, we learn that the officers of this Government had met agree- ably to adjournment, and were at the date of said communication wait- ing the arrival of the commissioner on the part of the United States. It is sincerely to be hoped that no obstacle may arise to defeat the exe- cution of an object so important to both nations. The letter 66 of our commissioner will accompany the report 67 of the Hon. Secretary of State. It affords me great pleasure to inform the honorable Congress, that notwithstanding the embarassed condition of our finances, the war which we have been compelled to wage against the savage hordes infesting our borders, has been prosecuted with a degree of energy and activity which has given us victory in every conflict, and shed addi- tional lustre upon our national character. The particulars and de- tails, together with a full exposition of the various disbursements of money, will be seen in the, able and satisfactory report 68 of the Secre- tary, of War, to which the attention of Congress is specially directed; not only as affording all the important information respecting the military operations of the year, but also for the purpose of shewing, that though the achievements of arms have been numerous and im- portant, they have not been attended on our part, with any waste of either life or treasure. But whilst the Executive assures Congress, that every thing has been executed with an eye to the strictest econ- omy, he still feels that a brave and generous people will never shrink from any requisitions which may be deemed essential to the mainte- nance of their rights; and the defence of character. War under the most economical conduct, is always expensive and onerous; but most commonly successful in proportion to the judicious liberality of its expenditures:-it seldom succeeds under the guidance of those who would value gold above liberty, and life above honor. In coming into office gentlemen, I could not forget what many of you have occasion to remember, that the hope of rendering protection to the frontier was a strong consideration with many of my confiding fellow-citizens in calling me to the station I occupy. The people on the borders had suffered long and deeply; their soil had been stained 05 Thi.s communication is printed in Garrison, G. P., ibid., II, 52. ••see note"" in no. 1514. • 1 Thia report is transcribed in' the Texas archives, Records of the Departm<>nt of State, Book 36, p. 139. 68 A portion of the original report is in the Texas archives, "Army Papers," under date of 1839.
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