WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1844
291
attention. Their present situation has been enforced upon them more from a desire to get rid of the difficulties which surround them in this country and secure to themselves the blessing of peace than from a settled desire of annexation. Like the Israel- ites of old in the wilderness, they long for the flesh pots of Egypt, and though they have no Moses to lead them by divine command, they are always willing to impute to him who rules, the evils and misfortunes, which their own disobedience has brought upon them. Whether or not negotiations will take place between the United States and the agents of this government I cannot assure you, nor an1 I prepared to say to the friendly powers that their media- tion is no longer desired with Mexico. At the time that Texas assumed her present attitude touching the subject of annexa- tion, I was not apprised that France and England had inter- changed any communications of late relative to the condition of this country, nor, indeed, had I any advices from either of those countries, except the general assurance that you gave me and in which I had implicit reliance. I often imagined that Her Majesty's Government could not be impressed, distant as it was from the scene of action, with the harrassing pressure of our necessities, and that we were constantly liable to be thrown into a state of agitation where idleness would find employment in the vocation of mischief. Immediately anterior to the arrival of Santa Anna's proposals for an armistice the Secretary of State had communicated to our Charge d'Affaires instructions, to inform the friendly powers that if T'exas was not placed in a situation more desirable than the one she then enjoyed, she would most certainly change her policy. This declaration was induced by the apprehension that Mexico would continue to annoy us and that we could no longer endure such a situation. The prospect of an armistice and peace quieted down the agitation of the country; and had it been con- summated, I doubt not but what the present attitude of Texas would have been different from its present character. My dear Captain, I deplore not only the cause, but your contemplated absence from. this country. I would have been delighted to have seen you again before your departure. It is decreed otherwise, and appears impossible. I shall yet hope to see you in Texas, and enjoy with you hours of satisfaction equal to the past. But if Fortune in her freaks, or Destiny in its
Powered by FlippingBook