Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. IV

TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916

31

Elias Rector Esq. Supt. Ind. Affrs, Fort Smith arks.

No. 24 LETTER FROM S. A. BLAIN TO SAM HOUSTON Wichita Agency L.D. April 23d 1860.

Sir:-

At the solicitation of the Chiefs of this Agency, I ad- dressed you a note dated April 13th/60 touching your Indian troubles in Texas. Since the date of that note I have received an official despatch from the Superintendent of Indian Affairs, a copy of which and my reply thereto, I herewith enclose you. If I had not the most conclusive evidence of the innocence of these people, since they were placed under my care of the crimes attributed to them I should not raise my voice to utter one word in their defens•~; in fact if I believed them guilty of one of the many outrages charged to their account in Texas, I would not hesitate a single moment to visit them with the chas- tisement which they woul•j merit through the U. S. Troops, that are in my immediate vicinity, knowing that I should receive the cordial approbation of the entire Indian Department as well as that of my fellow citizens in Texas. But feeling confi- dent of their innocence of the crimes with which they are charged, and knowing their poverty, and that they are daily growing poorer, through the very same medium by which Texas is robbed and plundered continually, I felt 'it to be my duty to call a Council of their chiefs, in order that I might lay before them the grave charges that are being uttered against them perpetually, and to let them know that these charges were poured into the ear of the Government, and that unless they were prepared to refute them, and make their innocence mani- fest not only to their agr,nt, but to the State of Texas and the General Government; also that they would ere long be over- whelmed and ruined by the mass of evidence that was being circulated and believed against them. After having heard all the allegations against them in Coun- cil the Chiefs have directed me to say to your Excellency, that,

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