PAPEHS 01,• :\[mABE.\U BuoNAPAHTI•: LAMAR 7!l of those who profess to uc enlisted under their b111111ers. It cannot be denied, that the present is an event fttl crisis-it is a struggle for liberty, against oppression & tyranny; the principles of the contending pm·ties arc directly & pointedly at Variance; all are interested in the rc•sult of the c-ontest, & all must hear some part in uringing it to its tinn.l issue. Nqw we do not pretend, nor do we desire to choose sides for others- we haYc chosen our own & arc willing to exert all our energies in support of the principles we espouse, & if, in the end, we are compelled to aeknowlc>dge that our efforts have been fruitless, we :,hall at least have the testimony of an approving conscience, that we have endea,·orecl to do good. We call upon all to take sides; & we repent it, there is no neutral ground, the contest is for principle against power-for freedom against might; & he who shall fold his arms, & excuse himself, by professing that he has nothing to do in this great conflict, let him be cl istrusted by both parties, as one willing to throw his influence into either scale, for hi~ own aggrandizement, No. 193. "WARS IN TEXAS FOR THE LAST TWENTY FIVE YEARS." ANONYMOUS [Newspaper clipping] [1834 ?] The following outline of these wars is from an article in the Lexing- ton Reporter: Their history according to the writer, shows that the :Mexicans have not ad\'anced in military tactics since the clays of }fontezuma, aud that in morals they have retrograded. The first contest between the people of the U. States and the :Mexican soldiers was in 1809 or 10. Col. Lu$sus commanded at Baton Rouge. To avenge the wrongs done by this officer to Col. Reuben Kemper, -!O Americans u11der Gen. Philip Thomas, took Baton Rouge with Col. Lassus and its garrison of 120 men. Col. Kemper then proceeded into Texas to aid the patriots o[ that province against the Mexican government. A party of 550 men under Col. Hoss nnd Lt. Col. Kem- per, then took Goliad and its garrison of two Mexican companies with- out any loss. In two months after 1500 )[exican troops besieged the 'l'cxians, but were attacked, defeated and all taken. This little army flushed with confidence., set out in 1812 for the conquest of J\lcxico. The l\f exicans were in forC'e to the number of :1000 near San Antonio, but were completc>ly routed and cut to pieces by Ross and Kemper. T\\·o Governors of Provinces were made prisoners, but were afterwards broken in upon b_y a young Spaniard, whose father had been shot, and who in re,·enge nnmlercd them and all the other officers. In :;\farC'h, 1812, a force of ·.IOOO :\fcxican troops nppenrt>tl near San Antonio. Col. Kemper hncl gone to Hed River for recrnit:-:, but his men determined to go against this army though se,·e11 times greater than their own. The victory wn,.; <·omplete, am! 011ly :~ men lost liv the .Americirns. In .August, 1812. Gen. Tolcclo arri\'C•d a11d took command of :-ia11 Antonio, nm1 with Ho~s·,.; forc·e ol' -100 nnd :WO Inclinns, attackecl nnotl,er )fexi1·1111 army of -1000 :11111 routed tlwm. These former snc-ces!-e<: may lie sai<l to hn,·f' :-e,·erPd 'l\•-.:a:-: from thl! mothPr country. In point of physic-al n11d mornl snperio:ritv 1 111tl brn,·en·, tlte writer compare, 10,fHl0 s\111cric-1111s to 100.000 ~lc\icm1.,.
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