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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1842
186
be stained with blood. The last Council took brush out of our way. Clouds hang no longer over us, but the sun gives light to our footsteps. Darkness is taken away from us, and we can look at each other as friends. I send councilors with my talk. They will give it to you. Hear it and remember my words. I have never opened my lips to tell my red brother a lie. My red brothers, who know me, will tell you that my counsel has always been for peace; that I have eaten bread and drank water with the red men. They listened to my wol'ds and were not troubled. A bad chief 2 came in my place, and told them lies and did them much harm. His counsel was listened to, and the people did evil. His counsel is no more heard, and the people love peace with their red brothers. You, too, love peace; and you wish to kill the buffalo for your women and children. There are many in Texas, and we wish you to enjoy them. We are willing that your women and children should be free from harm. Your Great Father, and ours of the United States, wishes the red men and the people of Texas to be brothers. He has written to me, and told me that you wanted peace, and would keep it. Because peace is good, we have listened to him. You, too, have heard his wishes, and you know the wishes of our red brothers on the Arkansas. Let us be like brothers, and bury the tomahawk forever. Bad men make trouble; they cannot be at peace; but when the water is clear they will disturb it and make it muddy. Tbe Mexicans have lately come to San Antonio and brought war with them; they killed some of our people, and we killed and wounded many of them. We drove them out of the country ; they fled in sorrow. If they come back again, they shall no more leave our country, or it will be after they have been taken prisoners. Their coming has disturbed us; and for that reason I can not go to the Council to meet you as I intended. But my friends that I send to you will tell you all things, and make a treaty with you that I will look upon and rejoice at. You will counsel together. They will bring me all the words that you speak to them. The Great Spirit will hear the words that you speak to them. The Great Spirit will hear the words that I speak to you, and He will know the truth of the words that you send to me. When truth is spoken His countenance will rejoice; but before him who speaketh lies, the Great Spirit will place darkness, and will not give light to his going. Let all the red men make peace; let no man injure his brother; let us meet every year in council, that we may know the
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