TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916
279
pertaining to the United-among whom are Kickapoo Seminole as the followers of Wildcat, Pananotomi [?], Delaware, Lipan, Mescelero, Muscogee etc to the end, that all causes of complaint so far as these people or any portion of them are concerned, may be removed, and both frontiers in their respective and mutual interests present such a condition, and state of security for life and property, as shall give new energy and activity to industry and well grounded confidence to commercial enterprise and inter- course reciprocally betwen the Citizens of both countrys-, which desirable state of things it is believed has been measure- ably prevented since the close of the American rebellion and the Franco-Mexican Civil War by indian raids and savages in Texas robberies of immense properties and the murder and cap- ture of great numbers of her people, men, women and children, prosecuted even to this day under circumstances so aggravating that the whole population of Western Texas are are aroused to a state of excitement that nothing but the presence of the U. S. Authorities has prevented the out break of popular violence in redress of greivances and depredations known to have been committed by partys from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. Fortunately the most considerate, sure, and dignified judge- ment of the country, influenced and lead by the great Commer- cial and Mercantile interests prevailed in the popular meetings upon the subject resulting in the appointment of a committee of twenty from among the leading business houses of northern Texas, to investigate and bring the whole indian border question -thoroughly attested and in the most sol[e]mn form, as a last Appeal, to the Knowledge of the State and United States Gov-· ernments. To aid in this investigation and presentment of facts and history of that tribal peoples from the United States, the under- signed was appointed by the committee on a Mission to seek a conference with their Chiefs and head Men, it being understood that said peoples had their Encampments in Your State of Coa- huila, that I should endeaver to learn their situation and their disposition to return to the indian reservations or if they desired to solicit from the United States new reservations and homes for themselves within the territory of the United States. It was my purpose at first to have gone without formality directly to these peoples or tribes but as they were domiciled or now living in a neighboring state-, perhaps under circumstances and relations to that state of which we were entirely ignorant-
Powered by FlippingBook