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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
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Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the Republic at Washington, the 28th _day of March, 1843. Sam Houston 1 Executive Reco,·d Book, No. 40, p. 233, Texas State Library.
TO BENJAMIN BRYANT, INDIAN AGENT 1 Executive Department, Washington, March 28, 1843.
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To Maj. Benj. Bryant, Indian Agent. Sir:- Your letters were handed to me by the Lipans and Toncahuas. I will send you some forms of returns as soon as they can be prepared. It will be of some importance to have a complete census of those tribes. I hope the commissioners will succeed in making a desirable treaty at the Waco Village. If they do, I am anxious that you should cultivate sentiments of friendship on the part of those Indians towards the other tribes. I am desirous of removing every cause of excitement to the Indians on our frontier. The future prosperity of Texas only requires peace to ensure its protection. I send you a copy of a letter which I had forwarded to you by Yonsey, a Toncahuas. I am afraid•he did not deliver the original. Until the country has more ability to bestow favors than at present, I am anxious that the Indians should not resort here. To those who have come contrary to my wishes, I have made small presents. I have written by them a letter to Gen. Flacco. 2 I hope it will be interpreted to him with care. I send him four plugs of tobacco. To his wife I send eleven shawls, the mother of young Fiacco that was slain. Of his murder I know nothing, only it is said that Mexicans from the Rio Grande killed him. Maj. Hays has written to me on the subject. When I get new particulars of his death, I will write you and you can inform his father of the facts. If the Lipans and the Toncahuas will go out to take satisfaction for his death, tell them by no means to harm women and children. The warrior scorns to hurt a woman or a child, and only fights with men. I will never shake hands with a red brother who has stained his hands with the blood of women and children. He is a "squaw" and a coward himself. I will direct the Indians that are here to communicate with their tribes not to come to this place except on important busi- ness that cannot be done by the a~ent, and I will tell them so to !lreak to their people. And that they are to listen to your talks
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