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PAPERS OF :MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
No. 1362 1839 July 9, M. B. LAMAR, HOUSTON, TEXAS, TO "THE CITI- ZENS OF LIBERTY COUNTY, RESIDING NEAR THE CUSHATTA TOWNS AND VILLAGES" 60 Letter To the Citizens of Liberty County, residing near the Cushatta Towns and Villages : Fellow-Citizens- I have heard, with feelings of deep regret, of disturbances and conflicts 61 which have recently taken place between some of the citizens of Liberty County and the Cushatta Indians re- siding in their vicinity. I regret it, because such disturbances are calculated to involve the country in an Indian war, which at this time should be avoided, if it cane be done without compromiting the rights of our citizens, or sacrificing our national dignity. The Cushatta In- dians are in themselves; a weak and defenceless tribe, and as such not to be dreaded, but if they are treated with injustice, on account of their weakness, will they not fly for protection to more powerful tribes, and will it not aford those tribes a pretext for hostility, and aggres- sion, which they have already too anxiously sought? It is the settled policy and determination of the Government, to remove beyond our territorial limits, every Indian tribe that has no rightful claim to reside in Texas, and such is the state of our present Indian relations, that there exists a strong hope of our being able to do this without delay or bloodshed, provided they are not exasperated to hostilities by indiscreet acts on the part of our own citizens. When the emigrant tribes 62 shall have been removed, the few which claim the right to remain, will not have the means of giving us annoyance, and should they attempt it, there will be no difficulty in punishing them as they deserve, but it will be impossible to carry out the policy which has been adopted for the attainment of this most desirable end, if our own people, regardless of the dictates of prudence, shall upon every slight aggression make war upon such of the scattering tribes as shall be within their reach at the moment of excitement. I am well aware that there are vicious Indians in every tribe, and I have no doubt that you sometimes experience annoyances from such belonging to the Cushattas; but is it right, or in accordance with the liberal ideas of justice entertained by the white man, to punish in- discriminately the whole of a peaceful tribe for the misdeeds of a few bad men? it certainly is not, and especially when ample redress ran be had by a different course. I have therefore felt it to be my duty '°Copy. In no. 361, p. 134. A duplicate 0£ this letter signed by Lamar and the reply of the "Citizens of. Liberty County" dated [Au". 1, 1839), are in the Texas Archives, "Indian Affairs." 0 "See no. 1326. 02 The Cushattas were not considered an emigrant tribe, having lived in Texas before the advent of the white settlers. See Wooten, D. G., History of Texas, I, pt. 2, p. 729, and Garrison, Diplomatic Correspondence of the Republic of Texas, I, 399.
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