162
TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859
scription of claims, His Excellency instructed me to place the affidavits you transmitted to him in their hands, which I have done, requesting them to communicate with you on the subject. Very respectfully,
Your Obt: Servant CHAS: A. HARRISON,
Private Secretary. [Endorsed] Relative to certain claims for indemnity on account of losses from Indian depred&tions. [P. B. Bell, Executive Record Book, Number 32, Pages 44-45.l
No. 110 LETTER FROM J. L. ANKRIM TO P. H. BELL Leona May 6th 1852
Gov. P. H. Bell. Dr Sir
After much detention I find my-
self this far on my way to El Paso-- While at San Antonio the mail from EI Plaso arrived-ac- companied by several gentlemen of respectibility from whom I received such reports of the exposed condition of the Upper Rio Grande Country and the defenceless situation of the inhabitants that we united in a statement to you asking your official inter- position in their behalf-and that as soon as practicable.- first-to induce the Genl Government to afford protection and in case of failure in that quarter then to appeal to your discre- tionary authority to bring the power of the State to operate in the protection of that distant region- I am fully aware of the responsibility attached to such a course and could not be induced to join in the appeal to the Executive on the subject did I not feel more than sustained by the lamantable condition of things in El Paso County--In order that you might be put in pos- session of the most undeniable evidence and being personally unacquainted with most of our citizens I suggested that those gentlemen at San Antonio who know personally many of the signers of the statement to which I refer to corroborate it by a similar representation-which was being done when I left
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