440
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, l8tl5
was compelled to send a special agent. Mr. Porter was sent to Mexico as an agent from this Government, carrying with him $2,500 in specie. Immediately on his arrival from Vera Cruz, he wrote for $2,000 more, which was placed in the hands of Messrs. Schmidt & Co. at New Orleans, subject to the order of the agent in Mexico. He was recognized and had to escape to Havana, where he had an attack of yellow fever, which nearly cost him his life. None of this action was required by the act of Congress; yet so great was the anxiety of the Government to relieve the wants of the prisoners, that the Executive assumed the responsibility of acting in the case where the law was not sufficient for the emergencies which arose. Were it not that persons who have been friendly to Texas and the prisoners, would be exposed and endangered in their lives, and subjected to the confiscation of their estates, I could present many facts which would convince any man of the difficulties under which the Execu- tive labored. The act of the Congress required that all drafts over one thou- sand dollars should not be paid by the collector, until thirty days after sight. On the 19th day of October, 1844, one was drawn for $3,740, and information given with the draft, that the money was necessary for the comforts and needs of the prisoners who were suffering of want. On this representation of the collector, I directed him to pay the draft forthwith, and told him that for his indemnity, I would pledge $2,512 for which I had taken a draft on the Custom House for my salary, and the contingent fund of the Executive which was $2,500. T'his was the course which was pursued by me, and this presents the facts which are imputed to me, as evincing hostility to the sufferers at Mier. It has been sheer falsehood and slander, that ever gave rise to imputations, intended to create a prejudice in the community, while it would exasperate the minds of the Mier prisoners against me; and when they were circulated, they were known to be untrue by their authors. There was but one cause assigned for the decimation of the prisoners by General Santa Anna, and upon which alone he placed his justification before H. B. M. Minister. It was not the attempt made by the prisoners to escape, for that, he said, prisoners had the right to do, but it was the conduct perpetrated by certain followers of the army at Laredo. It had been repre- sented to him, that after the submission of the inhabitants of that place, some persons broke open houses, and robbed the inhabitants· and for this reason, he ordered the decimation. It '
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