WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1843
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feeling; and there are many persons here ready to excite them in favor of a war beyond the Rio Grande. The last Congress passed a law favorable to what war spirit there is in Texas; and the President has the authority to accept the services of forty thousand volunteers, which he would be authorized to land at any point on the coast of Texas, entirely beyond its settlements, and on the borders of the Rio Grande. You will see from these papers, that General Rusk is raising a very large expedition to march across the Rio Grande; but it is possible that it may be delayed awhile, although the prepara- tions will go on. If I were to judge from what I have heard since my return, and what I knew before I was taken prisoner at Bexar, I would think that Houston would prefer peace, if it could be on terms he thought perfectly honorable to T'exas. He has always been opposed to an irregular warfare between the two countries; but he has now succeeded in making peace with the Indians, and, as that will relieve the northwestern frontier of much embarrass- ment, it is possible that he may unite all the influence he may have with those in favor of prosecuting the invasion of Mexico. If this should be the case, and Texas should apply all her energies to war, I think she would be easily able to raise from her own citizens an army of ten thousand men, besides volunteer immi- grants, as they are called; and, that they would take care to land within one or two days' march of the Mexican frontier. I will not be so presumptuous as to advise your Excellency about any- thing; but as things have changed since I communicated with your Excellency in relation to the affairs of Texas, I feel bound to inform you of such facts as result from my observation. If your Excellency should wish to send me any instructions, or make any further communications, you can have them directed to the care of Major James H. Cocke, custom house, Galveston, who will forward them to me wherever I may be. I will endeavor so to manage as to get my dispatches to your Excellency through some safe channel. Your Excellency will be aware of the dis- cretion with which I will have to act, from the character of the communications I have made in the papers. 1 John Henry Brown, History of Texas, II, 256-260. Brown says that this letter was dictated by Houston, although it was written by James W. Rob- inson. Brown's statement is probably correct.
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