140
TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1825-1843
[Endorsed] Report
of / Sept. 4th, 1842 Indian Commissioners
No. 112 LETTER FROM JOSEPH WAPLES TO JESSE BENTON, JR. Department of State Houston, 9th Sept 1842
To Jesse Benton, Junr Esqr Dist Atty of 7th Jul Dist- Sir,
Enclosed, I have the honor to transmit you a copy of a note of the Honl Joseph Eve, Charge d'Affaires of the United States on the subject of a letter alleged to have been written by Majr James R. Oneal, of the 2d Bat 4th Regmt 4th Brigade Texas Militia together with a copy of said letter and a copy of a letter of A. M. Upshaw, Agent of Choctaw Indians It is the instruction of the President that you cause an im- mediate enquiry into the Conduct of Majr Oneal in this matter, and take such measures for his pun"ishment as the law requires, acting agreeably to former instructions from this Department so far as they are applicable to the case.-and in accordance with the Treaty stipulations between Mexico and the United States, of April 1831-which treaty is held binding between Texas and the U States. The President also instructed me to say that, whenever you shall hear of any infringement of that treaty, or of the Laws of the United States, or of the rights of Citizens of the U. States by citizens of Texas within your d"istrict you will immediately caus~ an investigation therein, and prosecucte [sic] to punish- ment any such offenders with the severist rigor of the law. It is ali important to Texas that the mutual feeling of friendship be- tween the two Govts should not be disturbed by our citizens under any pretext. The United States did with a noble magnanimity, immediately on application having been made, send to her bor- der a large force to protect Texas aga'inst incursions of her Indians into this Country and the protection of our citizens which has had a very salutory effect. Therefore let not Texas nor Texians be the first to make an inroad into the harmony
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