TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916 283 business I have in hand, to confer with all tribal peoples for- merly pertaining to the U. S. and now domiciled in Coahuila, with the purpose of attaining a better understanding between them and the citizens of the U. S. in western Texas, and if they desire to do so, to bring said peoples into direct treaty Com- munication with the authorities of the U. S. in Texas and at Washington, with the view of their return to the territory of the U. S. And since in the preleminary conferences there thus far held but five of these people had been notified or were repre- sented, and as neither an affirmative or negative conclusion was reached with the chiefs at the councils held, in harmony there- fore, as I understand, with the instructions of the Gov to Faces Hoss [ ?] I desire and would most respectfully ask Your Honer to more fully notify all these peoples, Kickapoo-Seminole, Pot- awatomie, Lipan, Delaware, Mescalero, Muscayus &c to take council in regard to their situation and the country in which they may prefer to live and to appoint a time and place and send their chiefs, Captains and head men to hold a conference with me, to the end, that their election as to the flag under which they will live, (and the sufferance of the Mexican or the obliga- tion of the american people as the case shall be) May determine conclusively when shall rest the legal and moral responsibilities of the acts and deed of these peoples as between the two na- tions, whether upon the Mexican or American authorities; that I may bear their final descision in this matter to the head quar- ter of Brevt Mg Gen Raymed at Austin and thence to the authorities at Washington City. Your Hon will do me the favor to appoint a Mexican Citizen to be present with me at the Confrence with these people. I cannot refrain from calling the attention of Your Honor to the community of intrests of the Mexican and American peo- ple upon this border, to which brief allusion is made in my let- ters to his Excellency Gov Cepada, believing that it is of the highest importance that a correct understanding of the true and unalterable relations existing between the frontier should be clearly and deeply impressed upon the people of both coun- trys. Do we consider that for five hundred leagues direct, and in its meanderings for full Seven hundred leagues, from the mouth of the Rio Grande up to New Mexico and thence westward to
Powered by FlippingBook