WRITINGS OF SA?.I HOUSTON, 1838
187
Cristobal, later to Mexico City. After his release in 1842, he made his way back to Texas, and again entered the Texas army. He served, altogether, nine years in the Texas army-always in the quartermaster's department. In appearance Valentine Bennet was tall, slender, erect; he had sparkling blue eyes and a cheerful countenance. He died at the home of his daughter in 1843. His daughter had married Thomas J. Pilgrim, a Baptist minister, one of the first Protestant preachers to establish a church and to teach and preach in Texas. See Valentine Bennet Notes and Papers in the possession of Mrs. W. J. Hildebrand, Gonzales, Texas. Mrs. Hildebrand is a great granddaughter of Valentine Bennet. Also see The Q11a1·terly, Texas State Historical Association, IX, 145-156. E. W. Winkler (ed.), Sec1·et Jom-nals of the Semite, Re1mblic of Te,xts, 1836-184·5, 43. W. S. Red, The Texas Colonists cmd Religion, 70. Wooten (ed.), A Comprehensive History of Texa.s, I, 321. ELECTION PROCLAMATION, JANUARY 16, 1838 1 Whereas it has been represented to the Executive that in the formation of new counties in this Republic, and in changing the boundaries of old ones, by several acts of Congress, it has so happened that many of the County officers, heretofore commis- sion€d, find that their domicils are either in a new county, or by a change of boundary, in a County different from that for which commissions heretofore granted : Be it known, therefore, in such cases the said officers can continue legally to act under their commissions heretofore granted: Be it known, therefore, in order to remove such difficulties that I, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas do hereby order and direct, that, where, by the creation of new counties officers heretofore commissioned shall be domiciled within the limits of those new counties, they shall continue the exercise of their usual functions until the said new counties shall be duly organized, by the election and quali- fication of their proper officers, after which their authority by and under the former commission will cease and determine. But whereby a change in the boundary Jines between old counties the domicils of officers heretofore commissioned for one County, shall be by such changes placed under the jurisdiction of another county, they cannot continue to act; and their commissions are thereby vacated. And I do hereby further order and direct that the Chief Justice of the several counties in which vacancies may have been thus created in any County offices, do proceed forth- with to cause elections to be held for filling the same, according to law. In testimony whereof I have caused the Seal of the Republic to be hereunto affixed. Done at the City of Houston this 16th
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