TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916
237
No. 156 LETTER FROM W. E. JONES TOE. M. PEASE
New Braunfels 7th Aug. 1867
Govr Pease
Dear Sir,
I have learned within the last four days, since coming down from the frontier that you had been appointed to succeed Gov. Throckmorton- I have not yet heard that you had taken charge of the Executive Office, but suppose you will do so soon. I write particularly to call your attention to the old subject of Indian troubles and to solicit you to exert your influence with the military authorities and also to us-whatever power you may possess in giving some relief-There is no safety for life or property at any point within forty or fifty miles of the out- side settlement, except immediately about the Military Posts or in the Towns and even the latter are not perfectly safe. In addition the usual dangers, we fear there is every rea- son to believe that the North Western Indians, unable to with- stand the armies of Genl. Hancock and Custer, are working there way down to the Southern frontier and we may suddenly find ourselves assailed by Indians in numbers sufficient to sweep every thing before them-The few military posts would be no barrier and the people are now less prepared than ever at any time before to do any thing to resist. There is no sort of organi- zation, nor could there be any sort of systematic combined action by the settlements. The irruption of an unusual number of Indians into the frontier Districts would create an immediate panic and every one would be for taking care of himself and his own and no combined action could be had to drive out the Indians- In fact, the small parties which have depredated for the last 18 months have seldom been pursued or any attempts made to punish them- the people have in some localities be- come unable to do any thing for want of horses or too discour- aged by the persistant inroads of the Indians, to be perpetually on the guard against them. I acknowledge the difliculty of suggesting what ought to be clone- The true policy would no doubt be to send treble the
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