WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
447
What is our condition with regard to Mexico? We have an armistice. If it does nothing better, it at least suspends the present evils of war. I trust we shall have a prolonged truce, that will eventuate in a permanent peace. But if Mexico is continually encouraged by acts of insubordination among ourselves, the result may be far otherwise. These continued acts will encourage Santa Anna.-He will say: "These people are divided among them- selves: their newspapers say these things, and I will believe them." Matters of this kind go with the rapidity of lightning, almost. I will give you an instance: when Col. Hays came in to be fitted out, after having been in sight of Matamoros, the an- nouncement was made here, that Col. Hays had returned: that he had been out with fifteen men, and expected to return imme- diately. What was that? It was, in effect, saying, "Hays is a confidential officer of the President: what are your officers about? Crib him-hang him, and then Houston will be at the mercy of his enemies, and the country open to depredation." Using quota- tions from publications, I hope I shall not be censured. My political opponents would at one time have been willing to torture their victim, if they had him in their power. And for what? For saying to Santa Anna, as was alleged, in regard to the prisoners lately taken: these men have gone to Mexico with- out my orders; without the authority of government. The accu- sation is absurd. Would mercy to them have injured me? I asked for no mercy for them. No matter under what circumstances they went, their capitulation had brought them within the pale of prisoners of war. I demanded it as a right, that they should be treated as such. So did the government of England and France, and the United States. This was the position of affairs: and now, behold, the Telegraph, (to call nobody's name,) the Telegraph of the 18th of January, before it was known what their fate was, because it was uncertain, and various conflicting reports were in circulation in regard to it,-the Telegraph, I say, of the 18th of January, contains the publication of General Hunt's letter, saying that Col. Fisher and others had "refused obedience to the General's orders." This intelligence would reach Matamoros in ten days from this city, and in four days would reach lV[exico; they had not then the flag of this country to cover them. How, then, would the nations of the world regard them? On the 18th of January, they are denounced to the world as bandits and rob- bers, through the columns of the Telegraph, by having refused obedience to the legitimate orders of their proper officers. Yet I have come in for a large share of abuse in relation to this matter.
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