WRITINGS OF SAM. HOUSTON, 18£13
320
Texas has no force to keep stationed on her frontier. If any were to be employed within the borders of a neighboring country, they would either be drafted militia or volunteers, and there would not be the same guaranty for their good conduct and behavior, and the privilege would not be reciprocal on that ground. Furthermore, the conduct of our people on the frontier in passing into the limits of the United States in armed bodies, under the control of no responsible individual, has given rise to serious complaints through the Minister of .that government to the government of Texas; and that may furnish a clue to the motive for the qualification which is given to this article of the proposed treaty. The United States will be bound to restrain the Indians within their limits, and if they do so, it will be unnecessary for Texas to be tenacious upon this point. If you think it will benefit Texas, and the commissioner from the United States should attend, I wish the stipulation, if possible, so expressed that by no con- struction, it could be understood that the United States were released from the obligation of restraining the Indians resident within their territory, or any other Indians, from committing depredations or acting otherwise than in good neighborhood towards Texas. These are the suggestions which appear necessary to accom- pany the extracts; and if no modification should take place, it is better to take the proposed article as it is, than not to have some provision. The bare weight of the United States connected with a treaty, cannot. fail in having a salutary influence with the Indians. We must regard the moral effect these things are to have upon the Indians, and I am disposed to bring to our aid all the moral and political influence within our reach. You can impress the fact of the co-operation of the United States upon the minds of the Indians, as a matter of course and as one we can rely upon with confidence. We are a very young people, and unfortunately, the Indians do not know us advan- tageously for our national character. I hope our intercourse with them will have a tendency to improve our condition as well as amend our character in their estimatton. Sam Houston. 1Executive Reco1·d Book, No. 40, pp. 217-218, Texas State Library. George W. Terrell: See Houston to George W. Terrell, May 16, 1842.
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