WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1838
239
frontier without the most absolute and particular instructions, they will feel disposed to do something that will distinguish them, nor will they ever want a pretext to declare any and all Indians our enemies, and attack a camp of any tribe if they should chance to be on their way to sue for peace. The last winter and spring have exemplified this suggestion, and the blood of some of our best citizens has paid for the dis- obedience of an officer and his men, who abandoned their posts on the Brazos, and, instead of pursuing Indians who had stolen horses, crossed their trail proceeded to the three forks of the Trinity, with a view to steal horses from Indians, with whom, our government was then treating. This has broken off for the pres- ent, all prospects of a treaty until those Indians can be ap- proached through our friendly tribes. This subject has not been neglected by the executive, who will in the course of the summer give a personal attention to the object of a peace with those tribes. If means were placed at the disposal of the executive, and agencies with trading houses should be established at the proper points on the frontier, with a few troops stationed at each place, who will do their duty, and while men and companies on the frontier will act with prudence, less than one-fouxth of the amount required to sustain the force contemplated in this act, will make peace, and preserve it on the frontier. The Indians of the prairies have no local habitations, and, therefore, we can- not hope to conquer them by any number of troops. They can elude us when they do not wish to fight, nor will they fight with- out an advantage in the prairies-we cannot overtake them for they are fleet horsemen, and can disperse themselves with a signal, to meet at any point, having a knowledge of the whole region, unknown to the white men. If we once can treat, and they find that they can trade with us-and learn that we are not their enemies, they will become our friends. The Executive has never yet known a treaty made with an Indian tribe to be first infracted or violated by them. Everything will be gained by peace, but nothing will be gained by war. The Comanches have lately come in and desired peace. They are powerful, and if peace is made with them they will find it to their interest and security to obtain from the hostile tribes on their borders obe- ' dience to them and peace to us. The reason is obvious, because should depredations occur, they would be liable to suspicion,
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