TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859
332
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, and caused the Great Seal of the State to be af- fixed, at the C'ity of Austin, this the 6th day of June, A.D. 1859. and in the Year of the Inde- pendence of Texas the Twenty-fourth.
Seal
By the governor
H. R. RUNNELS
T. S. Anderson Secretary of State
Instructions To Messrs-Erath, Coke, Smith, Brown and Steiner-Peace Commisioners, etc. 1st The first and main object of your mission is, to prevent all further violence between the citizens of Texas, and the friendly Indians on the reservation and the U. S. Troops there stationed. You will therefore repair at the earliest possible time to the Lower Reservation, and if you find any armed body of citizens assembled there, or in that vicinity, you will confer with them and with the Agent at the Reserve and Officers in command of the U.S. Troops there Stationed. 2nd With acts of violence which may have been already committed you have nothing to do, as they must be adjudicated upon by the courts of the country, but you will use all your ex- ertions to gather facts for the purpose of ascertaining the true causes of the difficulties and to remove by all legal means those causes in the future and thereby secure a settlement between the parties which will ensure permanent peace. 3rd You will use all peaceable and lawful means to induce the C'itizens to desist from further violence and retire to their homes by giving them assurances of the determination of the Federal Government to remove the Indians beyond the limits of the State at an early day, as well as of the earnest desire and unceasing efforts of the State authorities to hasten that con- sumation, and at the same time warn them of the many evil consequences of any unlawful acts which must result not only to themselves but to the citizens on the whole frontier. 4th You will also use your efforts to induce the agents and Superintendents to adopt conciliatory measures and prevent any hostilities on the part of the Indians, and to keep all Indians within the limits of the Reservations, in order that non-inter- course except with persons coming on the Reserves for peace- able purposes may avert the possibility of suspicion on either
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