The National Register.
London, England, 1821-09-30 00:00:00

T 7

AMERICAN PAPERS.

(From the National lateMgt-urn, Aug. 304

New ORLEANS, Almost 3 —We have conversed
w th several gentlemen just returned from an excur-
sion along the coast of the province of Texas, as far
as the bay of Matagorda.
The Independents are in some corm at Galveston,
under the command of Major Minger. Besides se-
veral parties scouring the country, there were about
)25 men at Fort Bolivar, which is in a good state
of defence, having some pieces of very heavy cane
non mounted. The independents there were in cur-
respondence with the puople of St. Antonio, and
other towns in the Provincias Internas. The latest
accounts from the interior give assurances that the
cause of independence would be supported by the
whole of the population.
A Mexican armed cruiser was lying at Galveston.
She is a large schooner mounting nine guns; had
lately been very successful against the Spaniards,
aad was foil of colonial produce.
Smuggling in those parts is carried on with a high
hand. A negro trader, with about 200 slaves on
board, lately landed her cargo at a small river this
aide of Galveston. Dry goods and West India pro-
duce arc often introduced by means of the different
bayons.
The Carrancrau Indians were apparently in con-
siderable iiwee; near 200 fires were counted along
the coast. Our informants having landed on an
island in the Bay of Matagorda, discovered marks
of the cruelty of these cannibals. A post driven
into the ground appeared burnt all around, and on
one side hung part of a man's arm naked to the
wood. Not fiir off a wreck was seen, which being
all of cedar, was probably Spanish.
Whilst noticing the affairs of Texas, we cannot
well avoid remarking, that if political motives some
years ago induced the President to seize on Amelia
Island, the same reasons, but in tenfold greater
force, call for the occupation of Texas. A great
number of our citizens are gone and going there.—
The conntry has no regular system of laws. Bands
of armed men speaking our language hover over
the frontier.
The sea coast is the most favourable that can well
be imegined for smuggling. Numbers are found
now-a-days above the dull pursuits of civil life, and
nothing but the strong arm of power and the must
energetic measures, in similar circumstances, cloture
the observance of the taws of nations and those of
the United States. If common report is not a most
bare-faced liar, smuggling appears likely to grow to
as great a head as in Spain itself. We have been
told, and that repeatedly, by men who have visited
those parts, that the country on the Red River, the
Opelousas, and the Attakapas, arc full of African
negroes and fine Indian and European goods, smug-
gled in. The Government of the United States
should know Cie truth, and check the evil ere it at-
tains greater enormity. Were we permitted to
advise, we should recommend the occupation of
Texas: the establishment of three or four compa-
nies of mounted riflemen on that frontier, and the
presence of four or five light cruisers, under diligent
officers, in the Gulf of Mexico.
What a picture does the account from the coast
of Texas give us of the condition of that country !
Bands of outlaws in arms, tribes of cannibal Indiana,
gangs of daring smugglers, with hordes of miserable
African slaves ! There is no question but such evils
demand the interposition, in some shape of our go-
vernment, to defend the American territory from
the contaminating influence of such a congregation
of fatuity, fanaticism, and crime. For this purpose
we are entirely of opinion that a part of the recom-
mendation of the Louirriat GmAle ought to be lid-
lowed, and that our police vessels by sea, and a de-
trchment of troops by land, ought to be employed
fur the punishment of those who laugh to scorn
national law and private morals, and for the preven-
tion of similar offences for the future. We have no
doubt that the attention of government will be at
once directed to this object.
NVith respect to our occupying the Spanish ter-
ritory adjoining our limits, without the consent
of Spain, as recommended by the New Orleans
paper, that is another question, dividing itself' into
two—the first of right, the second of necessity. It
is hardly adaiacable, having just settled our old dis-
putes with Spain, to begin already to prepare ma-
terials for new ones—not to speak of the consider-
ations of public law involved in this matter. If we
are to take possession of every territory adjoining us
whenever it becomes is harbour for smugglers and
fugitives from justice, there would be no end of our
occupation of territory, till we got the whole Con-
tinent to ourselves, the north pole at one extremity,
and the Atlantic cud Pacific oceans washing the
shores all round besides On this principle, we
sinned ham; ago have " occupied" the Carinthia on-
the north, and the West India islands on the south.
No, no, this will not do. Seize what we might we
should yet leave something uograsped, It is imam-
veaieut to hare territory contiguous to us belongirg

-.A

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

to others; but to extend our limits in the hope of
avoiding it, would only be to exchange one line for
another ; we should have contiguous territory still.
We are therefore perfectly satisfied with the limits
we have, and hope never to see them transgressed,
unless, by an amicable understanding with our
neighbour, to chastise those whom she cannot con-
troul, or in actual pursuit of the violators of the
laws of nations. It only requires means at the dis-
posul of the government to be employed. to remedy
all the evils which this country is likely to suffer
from that quarter.