63
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837
been, and still are making what are called improvements on un- occupied land, thereby holding out the idea, that such improve- ments, or fictitious occupancy, will give them a priority right to said lands. Therefore, be it known that I, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas, do hereby forewarn and caution all whom it may in any wise concern, that there is no law to justify said acts, nor will said surreptitious occupancy give the least priority of claim. Sam Houston. J. Pinckney Henderson, 2 Secretary of State 1 Proclamations of the Presidents, Revubl·ic of Texas, Texas State Library. Telcgrnph ancl Texas Registe1·, March 7, 1837. !!James Pinckney Henderson. See Houston to the Texas Senate, Novem- ber 24, 1836.
To ANNA RAGUET 1
Columbia, Texas, 7th March 1837. Miss Anna, Altho you are indebted to me some two, or more letters, I have concluded as an opportunity offers, by Col. Millard,:? to write, altho', there is at this moment no recent news of interest. That Genl. Santa Anna left the U. States, in a Government Vessel is certain but owing to what cause is not known. It is fair to suppose that some arrangements between him and Genl. Jackson, satisfactory to the latter, were entered into, appears very probable, and almost ce1·tciin. If it is the case our Minister, at the date of his advices, 10th Feby, was not advised. This does not surprise me, as Genl. Santa Anna, would wish every thing to be kept profoundly secrete until he cou'd reach Mexico, and if; as is said; Texas is ceded to the U States as far as the Rio Grande, he wou'd not wish it known until he cou'd lay it (the treaty) before the Mexican Congress; as the conditions of the Treaty wou'd be liable to misrepresentation, as well as misapprehension. For these reasons, our Minister might not be apprised of what had taken place, & it would be retained, by Santa Anna, and the Cabinet at Washington. Some suppose, that as Col Almonte, 3 had been the former Commissioner to 1·un the line, that he had by virtue of that commission, under direction of Santa Anna, established the line at Rio Grande, or Nueces. Indeed, it is stated here, and believed that Colonel Almonte, had written this much to the Lazardis of New Orleans-a Spanish Firm!
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