421
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1853
man had his three miles square of land, and for this they were all to peril their lives in repelling the wild Indians upon the borders, and to build up for Mexico an established community. They engaged to do so in good faith, and they continued in it from 1825 to 1835, multiplying in number and in resources, gathering about them all the elements of prosperity; and when they were prosperous, they became the objects of the cupidity of Mexico, which attempted to rob them. The people submitted to successive drafts made upon them, and. yielded obedience. Years after- wards, when a revolution grew up, there was just cause for it, as I shall show. The constitution of 1824 was subverted by Bustamente in 1832. After the subversion of that constitution, Santa Anna, then a military chief, became the champion of free principles, and he warred successfully against Bustamente, with the aid of troops stationed in the interior of Texas, for they never saw the frontier near us. They did not engage in war with the Indians, but left the citizens to attend to them. Those citizens, when they received this intelligence, instantly rose in behalf of free prin- ciples, and under the standard of Santa Anna's edict, they achieved, not the independence of Texas, but the expulsion of the troops, and had them turned over to the authority of Santa Anna, the then champion of liberty in Mexico. This was in 1832. In 1834 or 1835, Santa Anna deemed fit to subvert the con- stitution and proclaim himself Dictator of the Republic of Mexico, governing with the rod of his power, and the mandate of his will. Under these circumstances, the Texans remained loyal, but he was not satisfied, for as they had helped him to expel tyrants, it indicated an aversion on their part to tyrants altogether; and as he had assumed to be one, they were his enemies from that time. General Santa Anna sent his officers to Texas to demand of them their arms which were necessary to them for their defense and the defense of their families-those arms which had often repelled the Indians from their border, and sustained the flag of Mexico. They told him that arms were necessary for their support, not only to give them food from the game which they brought to them, but were indispensable to their protection again the Indians who hovered upon their bor- ders. That excuse was not deemed sufficient. The private arms of Texas were demanded. T'he people would not surrender them. There was but one piece of cannon left to protect a
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