TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859
256
No. 156 LETTER FROM E. M. PEASE TO P. F. SMITH
Executive Office Austin, Texas Oct. 13-1855.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, this day, of your letter of the 11th inst. with the papers enclosed therein. Previous to its receipt, I had written to Capt Callahan, on the 10th inst. disapproving of his taking possession of or occu- pying any property of the Citizens of Mexico, and directing him, if he has not already done so, to retire forthwith within the limits of this State, I send you a copy of that letter, enclosed. You will perceive that I made no objection to his pursuit of the Indians across the Rio Grande, and that I only objected to his occupation of the Territory of Mexico after the termination of his engagement with the Indians. That he was justified in pursueing the Indians across the Rio Grande on their retreat from this State, when they had been committing depredations upon our Citizens, I presume will not for a moment be questioned, and if this leads to a border warfare between the Citizens of this State and the Mexicans and Indians no one will regret it more than myself, but the fault lies with the United States Government, whose neglect to furnish protection to our settlements against the repeated inroads and depredations of these Indians during the past year, rendered it necessary to call into service, Volunteers of this State, for our protection
Very respectfully Your obt. Servt. E 1¥'.i PEASE
To
Bvt. Maj. Genl Persifor F. Smith Com'g Dept. of Texas
[E. M. Pease, Executive Record Book, Number 35, Page 316.]
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