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No. 5 LETTER FROM J. PINCKNEY HENDERSON TO THOMAS I. SMITH
Executive Department Austin 5th May 1846
To
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Coln Thos I Smith Sir
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Herewith you will receive a commission authoriz- ing you to proceed to the Indian Tribes within the limits and on the frontier of the State of Texas and with said commission you will receive a copy of the act of the Legislature under which you have been appointed You will proceed with all dispatch to visit, in conjunction with Gen! E Morehouse, such of the Indian Tribes on the frontier of the State as you think proper to visit. Watch their movements and endeavor to find out their dispositions and intentions in regard to the present difficulty between Mexico and the United States and also ascertain whether there are any Mexican emissaries amongst them. The Executive of the State has not the power to authorize you to hold any official inter- course with the Indians or to enlist them in the war against Mexico-that power belongs to the General Government and you will be careful not to violate any policy or law for the Govern- ment of the Indians and also to avoid saying any thing or doing any act which will interrupt the progress of any Treaty which the authorities of the General Government may wish to make & confine your labours to watching the movements of the various tribes and securing their friendship by proper conversations. When you visit the United States Indian Commissioners & agents you will communicate to them fully the object of your visit to the Indians as the Executive has done in writing. You will also communicate to those Commissioners & agents as well as to this department in the most safe & expeditious manner ev- ery important fact which may come under your observation con- nected with your duty. It is made your duty especially to direct your attention to those Tribes most likely to commit hostilities upon the frontier or join the Mexicians against the United States and finally you are instructed to report to this Department your
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