WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1852
345
2 This was Robert S. Neighbors. See biographical note under Houston's speech on the Texas boundary, June 13, 1850, in this volume. 3 Houston refers here to Judge John H. Rollins, who was Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Texas from November, 1849, until his death in Septem- ber, 1851. Judge Rollins had tuberculosis, and his friends vainly hoping that an out-door life might improve his health, used their political influence to obtain for him the appointment as Indian Superintendent in Texas. But he was never able to go into the field. The work of conciliating and gathering the Indians together for a treaty council-a work so ably initiated by Neighbors while he was chief Indian agent, from '1845 to 1849-was carried on by Robert S. Neighbors: and John S. Ford, who were engaged as special agents to the Texas Indians. This purely patriotic work, for neither man was ever adequately paid, resulted in the Spring Creek Treaty, December 19, 1850, on Spring Creek, near the San Saba river. This treaty was probably the best attended and the most satisfactory Indian treaty ever held in Texas. Rollins was carried to the field for the purpose of signing the treaty, but he was a mere figure head; the work was all done by Neighbors, Ford and others. After Rollin's death, Neighbors was again made head of Indian affairs in Texas, a position he held until his death in 1859. As Houston correctly states, there was never any dissatisfaction, in Texas or the United States, with Neighbor's work as Indian agent; his loss of control of Indian affairs in Texas in 1849, was merely the result of a political turn-over. And it was during these two years, 1849-1851, that he and Ford opened up the road from San Antonio to El Paso, and that he was appointed to divide and organize the territory of Santa Fe County. At the Spring Creek Council, one article of the treaty provided that the Indians should receive gifts from the United States in the amount of $10,000; but the United States did not fulfill the pledge, rather dallied and delayed the fulfilment so long that the Indians were about to lose confi- dence in the white man's promises. The entire gains made by the treaty would have been lost, had Sam Houston not used his influence with the Torrey Brother's trading house to induce them to procure the presents, distribute them among the Indian chiefs, and wait on the United States Government for their pay. For the whole story, see Papers, on Indian Affairs, 1845-1860, Texas State Library; also John S. Ford's Journal (MS.), and the Neighbors Papers, both of the last named collections being in The University of Texas Library. See also· South.western Histol"ical Quarterly, XXXI, 126.
To AsHBEL SMITHl
Washington, 2nd June, 1852. My Dear Smith, If you can come up to night, or ·early, by the train in the morning, do so. I wish much to see you, on important business! Houston Doct. Ashbel Smith, Baltimore, Md. 1 Ashbcl Smith Pavers, The University of Texas Library.
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