348
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1839
The date of this speech is given as the editor of the Journals of the Fom·th Cong,·ess gave it; she says: "The Journals are given as they are dated in the Texas Sentinel (This part of Jounials of the Fom·th Congress is taken from Texas Sentinel, January 15, 1840.); however, it appears from the subject matter of the speech that the reporter's records were confused. The first issue of the Texas Sentinel was published January 15, 1840." 2 John Henry Brown, Histor11 of Texas, II, 169-170, states that William Menefee was in the chair during the debate on the Cherokee Land Bill. 3 The following are some of the contemporary newspapers that com- mented on the Cherokee Land Bill: Telegrcq)h and Texas Registe,·, Jan- uary 1, 1840; Colorado Ga.zette and Advertiser, July 4, and September 28, and October 5, 12, 1839; Brazos Courier, March 10, 1840; Moniing Sta1· 1 January 25, 1840; Texas Sentinel, March 4, 1840. The Letters of Publius, beginning in the Texas Sentinel, March 4, 1840, were designed to throw some light on the official conduct of Houston, condemning him in general, and his action on the Cherokee Land Bill in particular. David Burnet wrote many newspaper articles during this period; they were signed either "Pub- lius," or "Poor David." See A ustin City Gazette, March 25, 1840; also, editorial notes on this document in the Journals of the Fourth Congress, Republic of Texas, II, 202. Also, see Houston to Anna Raguet, February 8, 1839, for notes on Kaufman. 4 See The Qua,·terly, Texas State Historical Association, VII, 96-165; The Southweste,-n Histo1·ical Quarterly, XXV, 229-236; XXVI, 1-29, and 128- 148, XXIII, 153-170, 231-270, also XXIV, 39-80, 87-139, 195-234, 317-324, passim, for history of the Cherokee Indians in Texas. ~The brackets are in the source, and the spelling of the name is Iuterbede. Article 27, Decree 190, p. 192, Laws and Decrees of Coahuila and Texas reads as follows: "The Indians of all nations bordering on the State, as well as the wander- ing tribes within the same, shall be admitted in market exempt from all ·duties in their traffic in the effects of the country; .and should any of the same being attracted in this manner, and by the mildness and confidence with which they shall otherwise be treated, W!sh to establish themselves in any of the settlements, after declaring themselves in favor of our insti- tutions and religion, they shall be admitted and share the same quantity of land as the other settlers mentioned in this law, native Indians to be distinguished as Mexicans, and border Indians as foreigners, and the former shall not be required to furnish any stock." Also see Gammel, Laws of Texas, I, 302. osee The Journal of the House of Revresentatives of the Rcpttblic ol Texas, 3rd Cong., 1st Sess., 87-96. 1see Burnet to Lamar, January 20, 1840, Lama,· Pa.vers, III, 306-307, also see editorial in Texas Sentinel, January 22, 1840, upholding Burnet as Indian Commissioner, Secretary of State, and Acting Adjutant General.
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