WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
327
To THE INDIAN CHIEF LINNEY 1
Washington, March 5, 1843. MY BROTHER :- Your talk came to me. I read it and was happy! I remembered other days. Our words came back to my thoughts. We spoke to each other face to face. Our hearts were open to each other. Words of kindness entered into them and gave light to our countenances. When we talked together our people were in our thoughts, and we remembered the women and children of our nations! You have kept your words, nor have I forgotten mine. You wish to raise corn in our country and to be our friends. I know that you and my Delaware brothers are good men, and will not use crooked ways with your friends. I have written to our Com- missioners, and told them to let the Shawanees, Delawares & Kickapoos settle on the waters of the Brazos and raise corn. They will also keep all bad red men from our frontier, or if any should come they will treat them as enemies. You will stand by us and keep trouble from our people. If red men come to our settlements, or hurt our people when they meet them, the blame may fall upon good Red Brothers, and cause injury to them! and to their people. So that our Friendly Brothers must watch all those whose hearts are not straight, and who walk in crooked paths, and in bushes. If your People and my Friendly Brothers should raise corn, and live on the Brazos, and trade to our trading houses, and receive the Talk of our Agents, you must get the wild brothers to make peace, and keep it. If they do not you must look upon them as enemies, because they will bring harm upon your people, and this will cause great sorrow and crying with your women and children, and the loss of warriors sinks deep in the heart of the chiefs and wise men of a nation. Our Traders shall buy from you all that you may have to sell, and the horses and mules which you may bring to them, will get you all the things which you may wish to buy for your warriors, your women and your children. The Red brothers all know that my words to them have never been forgotten by me. They have never been swallowed up by darkness, nor has the light of the sun consumed them. Truth cannot perish, but the words of a liar are as nothing. I wish you to come, and we will again shake hands & counsel together. Bring other Chiefs with you. Talk to all the red men
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