65
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
main, which they then occupied, from the Mexican Government, and held it by the same tenure of title that the colonists did theirs, and their title equally valid - that the land speculators (the Williams claims and others) were surveying their land even by moonshine; - which evinced on the part of the colonists a disposition not to respect their grant, and as such they had become greatly exasperated and evinced every disposition to hostility: depicting all the horrors that would immediately result to the east, and ultimately to the west. Which could only be averted by an immediate and formal declaratj.Qn on the part of that body, that their grant should be respected, and so soon as an organization was properly effected that it should. be ceded to them by treaty. Clubs now being trumps and this, to him, the most important trick in the game, he nailed it with his right bower; - in the capacity of a quack preacher; who seconded his motion, and whose whining tones of hypocritical rhetoric, - whose antiquated dress and appearance, - his pants just banded above his hips his long skirted vest and coat, - his elongated and time worn visage, - his succumb- ing attitude, - in short his whole toutensemble might be aptly com- pared to the knave of that suit at cards, - and clearly indicated that he was no new adept; but had been long hackneyed in the paths oi sin ru;1d iniquity He immediately arose in his place, and. nailed what his leader had said, as it were, with scripture And furthermore meu- aced the body with a threat by saying that unless they immediately adopted the resolution, and carried out its provisions, that he, with n number of his colleagues, must immediately decamp (which would break the quorum) and take care of their women and children : - his manner and. attitude, the rubbing of his hands, his countenance in every feature depicted the horrors and terrors, of one of the ancient brothers of time, with might and main, imploring protection, from the uplifted hatchet and scalping knife; which left the body without a remedy The advantages held out by Genl. Houston were, that it would not only give security and protection to the east who could then cooperate with us; but would make those indians efficient alies in our war with Mex- ico The members, well knowing that the colonization law, under which they had acquired land, 11.Ilowed indians similar privileges, particularlJ natives, and feeling that the ground on which they stood was holy, they could not imagine for a moment, that at such a time, and at such a place, any member (who ought to have been honest then if ever). would take advantage of their credulity and perpetrate so gross a fraud on the country. Besides they had no possible means of ascertain~ng the facts. And anxious to relieve the anxieties of their fellow coun- trymen and serene them from the hatchet and scalping knife, which were represented as inevitable; and do an act of even-handed justice to the indians whom they had no wish to rob, they at once adopted the reso- lution and made the required declaration: - which was drawn _up with all due formalities on, perhaps a ramskin, at least a large piece of parchment signed by all the members with all the seals ribbons and tags, giving it the appearance of a grave state document This was immediately forwarded to the (Bowl) grand chief. When the provi- sional governmenCwas organized by that bodv Genl. Houston was ap- pointed commander in chief of the army. He solicited, and received
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