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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1836
Admonished· by the past, we can not, in justice, disregard our national enemies; vigilance will apprise us of their approach, a disciplined and valiant army will insure their discomfiture. Without discrimination and system, how unavailing would all the resources of an old and overflowing treasury prove to us. It would be as unprofitable to us in our present situation as the rich diamond locked in the bosom of the adamant. We can not hope that the bosom of our beautiful prairies will soon be visited by the balmy breezes of peace. We may again look for the day when their verdure will be converted into dyes· of crimson; We must keep all our energies alive, our army or- ganized, desciplined, and increased agreeably to our present neces- sities. With these preparations we can meet and vanquish des- potic thousands. This is the attitude we at present must regard as our own. We are battling for human liberty; reason and firm- ness must characterize our acts. The course our enemies have pursued has been opposed to every principle of civilized warfare- bad faith, inhumanity, and devestation marked their path of invasion. We were a little band, contending for liberty; they were thousands, well appointed, munitioned, and provisioned, seeking to rivet chains upon us, or extirpate us from the earth. Their cruelties have incurred the universal denunciation of Christendom. They will not pass from their nation during the present generation. The contrast of our conduct is manifest; we were hunted down as the felon wolf, our little band driven from fastness to fast- ness, exasperated to the last extreme; while the blood of our kindred and our friend& was invoking the vengeance of an of- fended God, was smoking to high heaven, we met the enemies and vanquished them. They fell in battle, or suppliantly kneeled and were spared. We offered up our vengeance at the shrine of humanity, while Christendom rejoiced at the act and viewed with delightful pride the ennobling sacrifice. The civilized world con- templated with proud emotions conduct which reflected so much glory on the Anglo-Saxon race. The moral effect has done more towards our liberation, than the defeat of the army of veterans. When our cause has been presented to our friends in the land of our origin, they have embraced it with their warmest sympathies. They have rendered us manly and efficient aid. They have rallied to our standard, they have fought side by side with our war- riors- they have bled, and their dust is mingling with the ashes of our heroes.
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