WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1833
274
To Hon. Mr. Ellsworth and others, Fort Gibson. 1 Raguet Papers, The University of Texas Library. Morphis, History of Texas, 16-18. H. Yoakum, Histo1-y of Texas, I, 467-468. 2 Henry L. Ellsworth, Colonel S. C. Stambaugh, John F. Schermerhorn, Francis W. Armstrong were the Indian Commissioners at Fort Gibson in 1832. See Grant Foreman, Pioneer Days in the Early S011thwest, 87, 154, 162. 3 Albert Pike who had traveled extensively among the Comanches, wrote to Secretary of War Lewis Cass, on March 16, 1833, and was rather caustic in his statements concerning Houston's conference with the Comanches. Pike said that Houston had visited only the southern portion of these Indians, and those were already friendly. He predicted that Houston would never dare meet a single one of the northern Comanches from whom the government had most to fear. He furthermore added, "and even should he do so he would be immediately scalped." See Pike to Cass, March 16, 1833, Indian Office. Also see Foreman, Pioneer Days in the Early Southwest, 202-203.
To ANDREW J ACKSON 1
Natchitoches, La. 13th Feb. 1833-
To General Jackson Dear Sir Having been as far as Bexar in the Province of Texas, where I had an interview with the Comanche Indians; I am in possession of some information, that will doubtless be interesting to you; and may be calculated to forward your views if you should entertain any; touching the acquisition of Texas, by the Government of the United States. That such a measure is desirable by ninteen twentieths of the population of the Province, I can not doubt. They are now without laws to govern or protect them. Mexico is involved in civil war. The Federal Constitution has never been in operation. The Government is essentially despotic and must be so, for years to come. The rulers have not honesty, and the people have not intelligence. The people of Texas are determined to form a State Govern- ment, and separate from Coahuila, and unless Mexico is soon restored to order, and the Constitution revived and re-enacted, the Province of Texas will remain separate from the confedera- cy of Mexico. She has already beaten and expelled all the troops of Mexico from her soil, nor will she permit them to re- turn. She can defend herself against the whole power of Mexi- co, for really Mexico is powerless and penniless, to all intents and purposes. Her want of money taken in connexion with the course which Texas must and will adopt, will render a transfer of Texas inevitable to some power, and if the United States, doe1
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