WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837
114
are great, from the fact of their having to pay an exhorbitant price for board. Their individual means are quite exhausted. They have tendered me resignations from time to time, induced by their actual necessities, intending to pursue some other course that they might obtain the means of subsistence. The Executive since he has come into office, has received into the treasury, and disbursed, only five hundred dollars for provisions for the troops. Under these circumstances, your honorable body must be aware of the absolute necessity of some provisions being made to sustain the country, and the aid which it is in your power to give, is most sincerely and earnestly invoked. Sam Houston. 1 ":Messages of the Presidents," Cong1·essional Papers, Texas State Library. The Journal of the House of R<ipresentat-ives of the Republic of Texa.s, 1st Cong., 2d Sess., 116-117.
To THOMAS J. RusK 1
City of Houston, June 7, 1837. Genl. Thos. J. Rusk, or the Chf. Justice of the County of Nacogdoches- Sir- Congress has passed a law 2 authorizing the employment of the Northern Indians in our service to operate against the Indians of the Prairies. They will be entitled to Eight Dollars per month- The Captain of each company will be entitled to Twenty-five and each Lieutenant to Twenty Dollars. When out on the Frontier and they take any P1·operty, it shall all belong to them. When out with other Troops the spoils taken by. the Army to be divided. Get the Cherokees, Shawnees, Buluxies, Kicapoos and Cush- atees, and Choctaws to go out if possible with the promises that have been made. Let regular Muster Rolls be taken and transmitted to the War Department of all that may be engaged. I send you an Act which you will find on the first Page of the Telegraph, "An Act for the better protection of the Northern Frontier. This will give you much desirable information. You can have it read and explained to the Indians. 8 Let it be done with all possible dispatch. Tell the Indians that my smallest words shall not be broken. The officers under this new Act have been appointed and wrn soon receive notification of the same. Let the Indians be hurried out on the Frontier as soon as possible.
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