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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
these modern Fallstafs hail each other, as it were, with a splendid dis- play of fire works Our hero blocks the game on Mexico, by issuing his proclamation declaring all her ports under blockade, without having, or intending to have, a single vessel at sea. The Napoleon throws up his ske rocket in the shape of menacing bragadocia balderdash, threat- ning Texas; and all her aids, with final extermination if she did not return to her duty This rocket when it burst on the astonished gaze of the multitude, was hailed with illuminations, the roar of artillery, the ringing of bells, the shouts and huzzas of the whole rag-tag and bobfail, the tatur de malion of all Mexico Flattering their heroic Chief for his intrepidity and bravery, pronouncing it the greatest vic- tory since the days of Pizaro Our hero takes up the gauntlet and hurls back the menace of the Napoleon. in the form of an elongated skie-scraper of well pinned rhetoric daring him to meet the Wellington oh the Nueces where he will drub hini two to one, and finally that he would scale the walls of the Montezumas and plant his flag perma- nently on the isthmus of darien. In his various battles, seiges, storms, and escalades, his various individual rencounters, three or four to one in parrying the many swipes and thrusts made at his own important person, our hero, by his noble brave and intrepid daring comes out unscathed, saving and excepting, that his faithful sword was hacked like a handsaw;- a real sand-crab-fight Such a smoke, dust, mist and fog, was raised in this splendid and spirited display of mutual generalship and bravery, that poor Texas has ever since; not only been submerged in Egyptian darkness so dense that she could not .follow the trail of her leader; but it has now become condensed and falling back in torrents of rain, threatening to drown the Country for her folly as in days of yore To return from this digression; his Excel- lency as soon as the Congress adjourned (which inducted him into office) left the seat of government; having, as clearly appears, pre- viously arranged the descept on Bexar, to give him a specious pretext not to return; and another grand object was to capture those whom he knew would be in attendance on the court, many of them were in his way, acted as spies on his actions in that quarter, and had no confi- dence in his integrity;- and in order that they might be held by Santana as hostages for the good conduct of their remaining friends in the west. GeI}l. Woll not understanding his cue properly, acted as an officer might have been expected. He captured the prisoners as directed, and forwarded them immediately; but remained long enough to get a fight on his hands and was hurried out of the Country. It may be recollected that Genl. Woll's recall by Santana was published in the papers, for fighting in Texas as he had not been thus directed. This was only to let his Excellency know that he Santana, was acting in good faith, and as soon as that effect was produced, we see him restored and even promoted. The conduct of his Excellency about this time is too well known to be recited, he could not hold the people back and Woll had to flee the Country, without performing his whole mition It was evidently intended to capture the citizens of Austin also, destroy the seat of Government with our archives, take our armament and what could not be carried away rendered useless; and in this he might have succeeded, had the people waited the movements of his Excel-· lency. Our brave men of the west however, ever on the alert, never dispirited, met him so promptly that he was glad to get out of the
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