Our Catltolic Heritage iti T e:ta.s
violent enmity for the United States Government." 18 This animosity had not prevented him, however, from becoming Justice of the Pe~ce in Natchitoches. Not long after the arrival of Gutierrez, Paillette, in the name of the French minister in the United States, •offered to raise and equip four hundred men. He further proposed to advance one hundred thousand dollars for military supplies. Paillette emphasized the danger from the British, who,. he informed Gutierrez, were making preparations to enter Mexico. The acceptance of the Paillette offer would enable the leaders of the Revolution to free the Interio'r Provinces and keep them from falling into the hands of the English. The offer was tempting, to say the least, and impressed the Mexican envoy. 19 Various Anglo-Americans approached Gutierrez at about this same time to ask him if he would assume command of five hundred fully equipped meri with all necessary supplies and two cannon. This force would be ready to march against the capital of Texas within two months. 20 A sergeant and a corporal, deserters, who had recently arrived in Natchi- toches from Bexar, brought word that discontent was widespread among the soldiers at Bexar, because they were neither paid nor properly clothed. They assured the now famous, self-styled ambassador of the people of Mexico in the United States that the garrisons in Texas would join him the moment he entered the province. Little wonder that the veteran revolutionist began to waver in his determination to await word from Washington before crossing the beckon- ing border: of his native land. Shaler watched with deep anxiety the in- creasing activity of the sanguine adventurers, the designing foreign agents, and the land-hungry pioneers, who had looked with greed for so many years upon Texas. In his correspondence with Secretary Monroe, he admitted his growing apprehension, but he praised the firmness of Gutierrez, who had withstood all offers and had communicated them to him. He warned Monroe, however, that it was too much to expect that the Mexican envoy would continue to tum down such inducements. Zeal for the cause might induce him to launch an expedition prematurely if the prospects of success were good. 21 11 Sibley to Eustis, June 24, 1812, Old Records Office of the War De,;artment. 19 Sbaler to Monroe, May 22 1 1812, State De,;artment Records, National .Archives, Washington, D. C., hereafter cited as N. A. W. ZO'fhis group was evidently the filibustering expedition which Magee was organlz• Ing. The party that made the proposal to Gutierrez actually stated that the men would assemble in the Neutral Ground. Strange that Shaler would not reveal their Identity to Monroe. For further details, see Garrett, Green Flag, I I 8. ilShaler to Monroe, May 7, 22, and June 12, 1812, State De,;art~nt Records, N. A. W.
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