366
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1843
to my credit for Indian purposes, and hold this as a voucher for settlement. Sam Houston [Rubric] 1 Papers on. Indian Affcifrs, Texas State Library. The arithmetic seems off in this bill, but it checks with the original. A PROCLAMATION OF MARTIAL LAW BETWEEN THE NUECES, THE FRIO, AND THE RIO GRANDEt .PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS: ~ Whereas, by an act of Congress passed the 16th January, 1843, martial law was authorized to be declared and enforced from the Rio Frio and Nueces to the Rio Grande: and whereas, it has been communicated to the Executive that parties are on our frontier claiming to be Texian citizens and representing themselves to be acting under the authority of the Government; and whereas, complaints have been made by the citizens of this Republic that they are suffering serious loss and injury to the aforesaid descrip- tion of persons; and it being to the great detriment of our frontier settlers and contrary to the policy of this government that such parties should exist to the annoyance of peaceful citizens: Now, therefore, be it known that I, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas, do, by these presents, declare and pro- claim that martial law shall from the date hereof take effect and be in force within and throughout the before mentioned ter- ritory lying between the Rio Frio and Nueces rivers and the Rio Grande; and I do prohibit all persons from entering the limits of said territory unless by permission of the government, or its officers specially empowered to grant such authority. And further, I do hereby declare and proclaim that all armed parties upon the frontiers, purporting to act under the orders of this government, except Major John C. Hays, of Bexar, with his command, are acting in violation of law and without authority and are hereby ordered under the pains and penalties of the law to disperse and not further to molest the citizens of the frontiers by acts of lawlessness and outrage; and the civil authorities of the country are hereby specially enjoined to arrest any who may attempt in future to embody themselves and act without authority from the government; and if it should become necessary to enforce order, the civil authorities are authorized to call upon the
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