77
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
Country. To resume however, when his Excellency found the torrent too impetuous to be resisted, he would seem to float with it; but allways kept his grapple out to check up at the earliest opportunity Troops collected as is well known to pursue the enemy even across the Rio Grande and chastise him at home, and let him in turn feel the miseries of war. It is a fact well known that his Excellency threw every im- pediment in the way that ingenuity could invent, to embarrass dis- pirit and break up the expedition Finding a portion of the men would not be discouraged even after every effort to tire their patience; and fearing they would officer themselves; he finally sent them a leader to complete the balance Genl. Somervill as a subaltern was bound to obey his instructions, If he was not secretly instructed not to attack the enemy, but to act on the defensive then I have been grossly mis- informed If he was not secretly instructed, should the men insist, in carrying out the public order to cross the Rio Grande; and if so, · to immediately retrace his steps and return to Texas, then I have been misinformed If the Mier men had not permition from him to take the course they did. I do not understand his report to the war de- partment This however I presume will not be denied Why then de- nounce them as a bandit? That his Excellency did do this there is but one loop to hang a doubt upon: and that is, that the English and American Ministers conspired and committed a forgery upon him. This I presume would be considered rather improbable; hence I am bound to pass sentence and pronounce him guilty. The published com- :{OUnication from the state department, and paraded with so much pomp and circumstance will not do for a subterfuge. This was written by his Excellency himself and I presume entirely unknown to the secretary This communication was entended to shew Santana that he was also acting in good faith and did not design to make war upon him, and that these men were acting without orders, and deserved to be shot. The sacrifise of a few hundred patriots, is considered nothing but acts of common courtesy between such unprincipled whole sale murderers, mere small change in large transactions Circumstances go to prov'e conclusively that our western judge of epistolary memory, cousin ger- mai~ to his Excellency, and well worthy of the relation, was a willing prisoner, and perhaps a bearer of despatches from our hero, who as soon as he made himself known to Santana was released, and sent back as bearer of despatches from him; and among others his ultimatum; which this mutual agent dresses in its most beautiful apparel and has the affrontery to pusuade honest men that they would derive immense advantages in abandoning their liberties and rejoining this miserable horde of barbarians It seems he has been using all his energies to breed sedition in the west, and keeps up a regular correspondence with his Mexican master, notifying him of his great success This is a fact well known to his Excellency, but as it is playing directly into his own hand, he takes no measures to prevent it This is known to be an old offender, and is a very suitable ball to roll between the Napoleon of the West and our Wellington of the east It is well known to my readers, that about this time, great excitement pervaded the whole Country, so that even our friends of the North were roused, they felt anxious to do something to ward off the blow which the enemy had threatned and which from circumstances we had every right to expect His Excellency called an extra session
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