WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1840
357
been pursued, the east would have been depopulated-the Chero- kees would have swept over our country with the besom of de- struction, and the fair fields and villages in the east would have presented nothing but one wide-spread desolation. The pledge was made, the country saved, and all acquiesced in the measure, except a few interested speculators about Nacogdoches. He spoke in high terms of the great mass of the pe0ple of Nacogdoches, but said there were some, whom, if it would not dignify them to hate, his blood would curdle with rage. They had all their lives been engaged in land speculations, and had not been very particu- lar in the means they resorted to to obtain it. On one occasion they were surprised by a man of not much ceremony-he broke in upon them-they commenced stowing away their papers, some in one place, and some in another-but they had not time to secure all their precious documents, but took to their heels, leav- ing the ground covered with papers, like a flock of white pigeons! But it had been said that the decree of the consultation had been procured by fraud and deception. Was it very probable that fifty-six members, composing the most intelligent part of the community had been deceived? It was a time of great danger, and the members saw the necessity of doing something to avert an Indian war. They knew that if this country violated the rights guaranteed to them by the Mexican government, that we should have them to fight. Two thousand desperate Indian war- riors upon our northern frontier at the time of the invasion of the Mexicans would have ensured our destruction. To avert this calamity the pledge was made. It was wise policy, and if the Indians had no title under the Mexican government, the circum- stances of the times would have justified the measure. The pledge was made by the representatives of the nation; and in order to make it as acceptible as possible to the Indians, it was written on parchment. It gave us peace with the Indians, and saved the country from destruction. Now, we are told that the members of the consultation ,vere deceived into the measure. There would have been no deception in the east if they had been attacked by two thousand Indian warriors. (He read the pledge.) Does this give the Indians no rights? It was a pledge as solemn as a nation's faith could make it, and as binding as any obligation which a nation could enter into. The pledge was one of the proofs of title-he had many more, but he should not occupy the time of the house by referring to all of them.
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