WRITINGS OF SAl\·I HOUSTON, 1845
439
the newspapers had stated to the world all the facts of the ex- pedition, and that the army of General Somerville had returned, and that those who marched to Mier, had gone "contrary to orders!" Whatever complection some may have tried to give the facts connected with this matter, it is proper to state (notwith- standing what may have been his course, or statements, after- wards,) the Hon. Waddy Thompson, the American meteoric dip- lomatist, ·stated in a letter to the Hon. Bailey. Peyton of New Orleans, that so soon as he heard of the situation of the Mier prisoners, and of the order for their execution, that he called on the British Minister, Mr. Packenham, who promptly inter- posed in their behalf, and rendered every aid in his power. This is substantially Mr. Thompson's remark in the letter referred to. Now, it would seem that my letter had not induced Captain Elliot to make such representation to Mr. Packenham as caused the decimation of the prisoners. The cause of their decimation will be stated in the conclusion of my letter. It would seem very ridiculous in an executive who had labored under the most dis- advantageous circumstances to obtain the release of the Santa Fe prisoners, to conspire against the lives of gallant men in misfortune, many of whom were sons and kindred of the friends of his early life. The misrepresentations relative to the Mier prisoners do not stop here. When Congress made the appropriation for the relief of the prisoners, by secret act, it has been charged that the Executive had prevented means from being applied to the relief of the prisoners, with a view to aggravate their sufferings. Time will be the best refutation of this calumny. With the return of the members of Congress to Galveston, came the letter of notifica- tion, and instructions to the agent Mr. Hargous, from the Secre- tary of the Treasury, and was forthwith sent to him at Vera Cruz. He declined acting in behalf of the prisoners, as the agent of the Government, and assigned, among other reasons, that a General Thomas Jefferson Green, had swindled him out of several hundred dollars, by giving him drafts to the Treasury of Texas, and on his brother in New Orleans, and that on applica- tion, he found that Green had no right to draw on the Treasury, and that he had no brother in New Orleans. That kindness he had rendered Green, and his subsequent vain glorious letter, through the New Orleans papers, thanking :Mr. Hargous for hi:;; kindness, &c., had endangered his life, and caused a prosecution against him, which cost him five thousand dollars befor he could extricate himself. Under these circumstances, the Governnwnt
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