Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. IV

TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916 E O CORD

436

Brevet Major General, Commanding.

[Endorsed] Copy of Genl Ords letter 6th Jany 1880-

No. 274 LETTER FROM J. B. JONES TO 0. M. ROBERTS Jany 12. 1880

0 M Roberts

Governor Referring to the Statement of the Hon S. H. Darden, comp- troller, of the appropriations for frontier defense from 1855 to 1861 and from 1865 to 1879 I have the honor to state that, of these appropriations and the manner in which they were ex- pended previous to 1874 I know nothing except what is shown by the records of the Adjt Genls office and a general knowledge of the frontier which I have had since my earliest recollection. The records show that state troops were in the service as indicated by the "Statement" of the Comptroller and were en- gaged in operations against Mexican depredators on the lower Rio Grande or hostile Indians in the Northern frontier of the State, and that the money appropriated as shown by the Comp- trollers statement was expended in maintaining them. My general knowledge of the frontier and of the depredations committed on the border settlers by marauding bands of Mex- icans and Indians justifies me in saying that there was a neces- sity for these troops and that they did good service although the force was not sufficient to give that protection to the lives and property of the frontier settlers which they had a right to demand and expect from the government. The amount appro- priated and expended previous to 1874 was $934.387.95. The appropriation, May 4th 1874, of $127.527.19, was paid out for the companies which have been in the frontier service previous to that time under the administration of Governor Davis. The appropriations, in all $870.775.11 expended for frontier defense in 1874 under Gov. Coke administration, and since that

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