WRITINGS OF SAi\•I HOUSTON, 1859
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protecting our frontier, than any other description of troops. The misfortune which has attended us is the fact that annuities paid by the United States to tribes that infest our borders, are received by these Indians by way of Arkansas, and not by way of Texas, which causes them to believe that they violate no treaty stipulation by marauding upon Texas, because the people of Texas are not identified with those of Arkansas. If annuities were paid to the Indians upon our borders it would exercise a salutary influence upon them. We must look beyond mere phys- .ical means for defense. There must be a moral influence exerted upon the Indians, and I earnestly hope that will be exerted by the President of the United States, having full confidence in his desire to promote the well-being of the whole country, and that he will not withhold any means in his power to protect our bleeding frontier. The various tribes on our borders, if they were.invited to meet at some place convenient on our frontier, and a treaty were made with them to give them a trifling annuity compared to the amount required to afford us but partial pro- tection, would give us peace to our borders. This policy at the time of annexation, gave security to our frontier. Of the future it is fair to judge by the past. In the meantime we must not neglect the demands of emergency; but must ourselves provide means for the immediate defense of our settlements. Our entire boundary upon the Rio Grande, from the anarchy which prevails in that country, is in an exposed and excited condition. The utter disregard of all law and order in Mexico, has communicated its unhappy influence to this side of the Rio Grande, and a portion of our citizens, at this time, are in a most deplorable condition, and in what it is to eventuate it is impossible to conjecture. The federal arm has been extended there, and I hope will give security and restore tranquility to our people. I will deem it my duty, if sustained by the Legislature, to institute a proper inquiry into the causes which have led to the recent disorders and adopt such measures as will prevent the recurrence of similar outbreaks. I am satisfied they have grown out of local causes, and that no premeditated insurrection was con- templated. Whilst your representative in the Senate of the United States, being well apprised of the hopeless condition of Mexico, I intro- duced a measure for the purpose of establishing a Protectorate by the government of the United States over Mexico. The meas- ure was received with disfavor. Aware of the State of Mexican
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