Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-03
DGyE ESEsC.
TEXAS.

gun in Texas should end under the walls OF Mexico.
My meaning was, that the resistance mace ny lne pre-
sent inhabitants Of Texas, the overthrow OF the Con
sttution Of Me ico and the establishment OF military
desposfn in the civ of Mexico would be followed by
other states and PROVINCES unwilling to have their stale
governments put down at the point OF the hay"he and
that the usurpcr Santa Anna, would share the late Of
lturbide The political existence of the individual states
has been destroyed Nv military force, and could not
suppose that they would not lie ready 10 Sclze Inc hfs
opportunity regain it, But this opinion OF mnc found
I'd upon the supposed existence OF patriotism IN these
states. now fear may rest upon false loundaon TX
pectatons founded The supposed rlrutS ecen % IN
enlightened people, may be dcceted; then how much more
so, those who ignorant. debascd and bIgoted =
counted also upon Lcr vices, the want OF hdelity Z!
the Mcxcans each ot!cr the conflicting ambition of
voutuns have hitherto witnessed in that county
But from the later reflection have been led to differ
cnt cOncl:sIOn.
Santa Anna is man of great military talents, aud
very popular manners. lie is the first o.. the military
chiefs, who has succeeded in making any thing like
Judgment in the hearts of the Alexcans. Like Napo-
Leon he is completely identified with the military
lie delights in the military life; he lives in the camp
placing his la3ls at the head of civil affairs, ard in
stead OF affecting the show and parade and the name, or
the traprlngs of gnty, ne is content, tor The
present. with The substance. There can be no doubt
| that his object is the establishment Of military des-
| pptIsm ccntcring in his own person; and NV think
il probable, he W II accomplish it. Whether this lie The
best form of government fur such people, or The best
that the country is capable Of will not take upon me
70 say. They degraded race, twohrds are slaves,
in fact and in their present condition entirely unfit for
govern,nrnt founded on virtue and intelligence. have
always considered them the aStcapable OF niantannga
tree government Of any part of Spanish America: with the
exception OF the people Of the POrinccS LtcrnGS, who
are of better caste but this population is extremely
scattered bgo!tcd in religion, and with very few virtues
Yet is from the People Of these Provinces that Santa
Anna has most dread, and from mure than their
neighbours the Americans of Texas. 1t has become ne
| tI,o
the country and at the time to bring their brethren
of the United States, and the American institutions into
disrepule The difference Of religion is the prnc pal
means of exciting the hatred and jealousy of the bigo
ted Mrxicans, who have made so little progress in know
ledge that they look other christians hcretcs and
regard them with Tie contempt that the Turks do
the Christians of Europe partnership with the priests
is one of the OF Santa Anna. The native clergy
have been in favor OF independence of Spaln but that is
all because the disposal OF church dignlrs and ernolu
mrnls formerly in the crown this is no longer
the they ready To strengthen The hands that will
anrd them the best protection he opprobrlous epi-
thes so literally applied to the Texans, may easily
See are intended for the people OF the United States
1t is the policy OF SInla Anna 10 create hostile feeling
towards this country, the best mode 81 uniting the
Mexicuns in common cause; thus rendering large
force necessary and by that giving greater ln
porlance TO himself. With better materials he might
become most formidable to U.s. His policy and the bu-
sncss Of his supporters war, directly the reverse OF the
iabnal pursuits of this country. If with these physical
Il
iecls equal that Of the Americans he would become
4 fearful enemy as well neighbor. Twenty years
ago, predicted, in my work on Louisiana that if we
should ever have serious conflict 1t would be with
these people | thought that The establishment Of
such State as that Of Texas, politically united with
| Mexico and at the time possessing coininu
nifty Of feeling with US, would tend to preserve peace
and harmony between u.s. There would be the al
most desert region from the Rio Del Norre To The
present settlement Of the Americans in Texas, which
are nearly all this side Of San Anonio which is
the border Of the prairie, desert From the Colorado
to the Red River Of the Mississippi, where the settle
ments are situated there would be dense population
without any mixture Of Spanish Mexican In fact
with the exception of The little town Of San Aalonio
and the hamlet of Nacogdoces the whole population OF
Texas now estimated at serenity or tighy thousands, has
been formed by citizens of the United States. IT Santa
Anna succeeds his power will come in immediate contact
with us; we must turn attention 10 that qnarer and
keep up military force five times great as that which
we have OIL foot.
Santa Anna has been liberal in applying his cphets
10 our counlrymen of Texas He denounces them
set of pcridous wretces, whom the compassion Of the
generous Aexcans has permitted 10 tahc refuge IN their
counfry and who, like the serpent in the table, no sooner
warmed themselves than they stung their beneactoTs
Let us examine little, the Justice of this demonstration.
In the first place. by what title does Mexico lay claim 10
all the territory which belonged TO Spain IN North
America? Each province or state Of New Spain, con-
tended separately, or jointly just as il happened, Tor
their independence, did, and not united un-
der a general government representing the whole oil
the Spanish possessions, which was only done after
wards by mutual agreement, or federation: In Texas,
The Spanisi authorities expelled by the American
settlers the first time without being able retain it,
from The trcachcry IF their nflcan asS0catcS and the
second time with success they had as good right to
the soil thus conquered by them, the inhabitants Of
other provinces, WHO succeeded against Spain But this
is not the only view of the subject The right Of Spain
herself was queslioned; the United States claimed the
country to the Rio del Norte, under the trelty OF Louis
lana. When we negotiated with Spain on the subject
| has hal,
ed to us, and coded right TO the remainder 10 her
This was in the midst of the Mexican struggle for indie
pendencc. The Mexican title thought of we
have heard of no companhy Mexico, about the treaty.
which coded portion of the Spanish claim 10 west
OF the Rio londo aud Red River What may be in
| reserve we know not. THIS is another Important
sdeation The lines of the Tooth degree Of longitude
have been actually marked, and at the time of
the treaty consider abe settlement which has rapidly
increased since, coded to Spain. alIuce 10 the
settlement Of Pecan Point, which for time Under
the Jurisdiction Of Arkansas, and is now one OF the dis
| lrcts represented in The Convention OF lexaS Capt
Shreve, engaged in removing the Red llrer rat
says, that the emigration TO that country during the last
winter and fall, has been IMMENSE Nov, suppose thai
Santa Anna his friends the Camanche Indians, should
undertake to destroy this settlement Is II hkeiy tey
will stop cLactiy at the Tooth degree, or pass into Lor
| spna The Camunchcs have begun, and Santa Anna
| is endravnrng He must either be repealed
by the Texans, or the next summer will show state OF
thinrs for which the Americans have been little pre-
| pared as they were for the Seminole war
think it must be admitted that the pretence Of ingra
,,ude on the part of the Americans, TO the tahless,
bIoOd.tirsy merciess MeSicans is entirely without
foundation Nothing but the strongest necessity OF self:
could have induced peaceful To engage
in such all unequal contest They are in fact defending
their lives and their property They had every motive 10
be iailhfu-ie must have been urgent indeed
to have induced then to take up arms. need but
lion one of those reasons, to bring the home any
American eeman-key oere required TO de1er up their
arms and this to the orders Of whom they had just
seen destroying the Constitution by ,he bayonet and
who about 10 quarter large military forces 10 the
country II natural for them fear the consequent
ccs-thc next step would be to drive them from Texas,
and take possesso of their improved lands No other