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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1824-1857
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Boat is allowed to leave the Brazos River; and to land which I hold in my own right and property. Given the day and date above written under my hand & seal. Sam Houston [Rubric] [Seal]. [Note: Attached to the face of this document, in the form of stickers, there are two stamps, printed in this manner J : Post Office Department Officially [Seal] Sealed United States of America Written in long hand on the upper margin of one . of these stamps are these words: "Review B.C.? Value 50° 0." On the lower margin of the other there is this address: "Dr. Alex Dienst, Temple, Texas."] 1 Copied from the originals by courtesy of their owner, Mr. Earl Van- dale. Besides the document signed by Houston, Mr. Vandale also has donated a copy of the following document, which evidently relates to Houston's pledge: "Republic of Texas, County of Harrisburg. "Be it known to all to whom these Presents shall come, That I, John E. "Ross, the holder of the within grant for and in consideration that the proviso herein contained was to aid the public service by giving individual property. I renounce, release, and relinquish all rights, title and interest to all and
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every claim vested by virtue of the within instrument. "Witness my hand & seal the 18th day of May, 1837.
John E. Ross [Rubric]."
"Witness: Benjamin C. Franklin, Dist. Judge." It seems clear that John E. Ross, the captain of the "Yellow Stone," by this document, voids the pledge that Houston had been compelled to make to Lewis C. Ferguson, engineer of the steamboat, before he would permit the crew of the boat to transport the Texas army across the Brazos river, in 1836.
To THE COMANCHE CHIEFS, DECEMBER 3, 1836 1
Comanche Chiefs-Brothers Yo·u as well as the Americans have always been free and never conquered. Your enemies and ours are the same. I send you my friends to talk to you-to give presents and to make peace with you and your people. You have many things to trade and to swap with us. You need many things that we can let you have cheaper than you have ever been able to get them from the Mexicans. You can let us have horses, mules and buffalo robes in change for our paints, tobacco, blankets, and other things which will make you happy.
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