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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
Archer of my intention of visiting this place for trading purposes and at the same time mentioned that I had made considerable Ehipments here in connection with some of my friends intending to enter ex- tensively into the Mexican trade and requested some information of him as to whether the Govt would protect the interest of her citizens located here for the purpose as above stated and his answer was that he was issued orders to the civil authorities for the apprehension and if they were not able to do so he would call out the Militia for that purpose under those assurances I came down here & arrived just as a force was sent to apprehend Messr Aubrey & Kinney on how unjust, charges (made by unprincipled and interested individuals) Your. Excellency is already aware- I remained here during the absence of the above named Gentlemen at Austin and I ha.-e taken some pains to inform myself of the true state of affairs from actual observation- I fully appreciate the motives of the Honble. B. T. Archer in send- ing out the Volunteer Companies from Victoria but the Country will have much to regret if some immediate steps are not taken to restrain them to a proper discharge of their duty, at present I fear they are transgressing all authority vested in them, as a company came to this place a few days since and carried off several Horses amongst them some belonging to Aubrey & Kinney, this act was committed under the pre- tence that the Horses were Mexican property and if an unlicensed soldiery are allowed to commit such acts as the above under such slight pretence then farewell to all law & good order and the frontier must be evacuated by all citizens who are disposed peaceable to attend to their Vocations A Company of Volunteers are now at determined to subdue the disaffected persons who were plundering the . traders on the frontiers & that he had apprehended a few days since but subsequently made their escape and were followed by a party of Capt January's Company.- The above 33 men were detained by a party of men stationed at San Patricio & not by a part of Capt. Januarys Company The policy pursued by the different Companies 0;1 the frontier toward the Mexican traders are tended to exasperate the frontier settlers of the Rio Grande who are otherwise the friends of this Country, but under the existing arrangements the traders are robbed of all their effects and turned adrift to make the best of their way home on foot, from men treated as above we have every reason to expect similar treatment if in their power and with the few men now here we are completely so. und I would respectfully suggest that if it· is consistent with the Policy o: the Administration that a force should be stationed somewhere in this Vicinity under the command of a ·disinterested & responsible offirer such a Gentleman as Capt Hayes or any other equallf respectable I must here remark that I have paid particular attention to all mat- ters connected with Aubrey & Kinney and their manner of treating the Mexican traders which is uniformly just and cor- San Patricio and they continue apprehend- ing all traders Thirty three of which were
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rect and from their mode of business and popular manner I have no doubt
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