Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-03-11
Deaf Smith,
The Celebrated Texan Spy.

About two years aftef the Texan
revolution, a difficulty occurred be-
tween the new government and a
portionIof the people, which threat
ened the most serious cd dnsequences,
even the bloodshed and horrors Of
civil war. Briefly, the cause was
this: The constitution had fixed
the city of A ustin as the permanent
capitol, where the publ lic archives
we're to be kept, with the reservation
however, Of d power in til He president
to order their temporary remova al IN
case Of danger from the i hroads of a
foreign enemy, or the for{e of sud-
den Iinsurrection.
|. Conceiving that the exceptional
en- mergeney had arrived, a the Cam
anehes frequently committed rava-
ge$ within sight Of the capitol itself,
Houston, who then resided at WASH
ington; on tn E Braozs, dispatched an
order comma nding his subordinate
functiona ries to send the state rec
ords to the latter place, which he de-
clared to be, pro temYore, the seat Of
government,
1t is impossible to ddscribe the
stormy excitement which the pro-
mitigation of this fiat rails ed in Aus
tin. The keepers of the hotels,
boarding houses, grocerid IS and faro
banks, we're thunder-str rpck, mad
dened to frenzy; for the measure
would be death-blow to their pros
perity in business; and, a ecordingly.
they determined at once to take the
necessary steps to avert the danger,
by opposing the execution Of Hous-
toms mandate. They cal led a mass
meeting of the citizens a nd farmers
of the fircumjacent cod dntry, who
were all more or less interd dsted i'll the
question; andafter many ifry speech
es against the asserted tyranny OF
the administration, it Eas unani-
m0usly resolved to preyeh ht the re-
moval Of the archives by open and
armed resistance. To that end they
organized a company of toar hun
dred men, one moiety Of whom, re-
lieving the other at regulhr periods
of duty. should keep const tant guard
arc ound the state-house until the
peril passed by. The commander
Of the force was one Colon el NJ orton;
who had achieved considerabl le re-
no ownin the war for independence,
and had still more recently displayed
bra avery in two desperate duels, in
both ofwhich he had cut bis antag-
on list nearly to pieces with the bowie
knife. Indeed, from the notorlety
ofhis character for revenge as vel
! as courage, it was thought that Pres
lident Houston would rd dnounce hls
purpose touching the a fchives, s.
soon as he should learn who was the
leader of the opposition
Morton, on his part, vii Hose vanity
fully equalledhis personal prowess, ,en
;. couraged and justified the prevailing
:. opinion by his boastful til ireats. ID
swore that if the President didsuccee,
in removing the recordsbJ the marcl
Of an empowering force he woul'
then himself hunt him down hk
a wolf, and shoot him wit b little cel
emonv.or stab him in His bed, o
.Iwaylay him in his walks Of recreation
IE He even wrote the hero of San ia
cinto to that effect. The latter re
Piled in a note Of laconic breyity:
IF t he people of Aus tin do no
send tn E archives, I shaI certainl..
come and take them; and if Co lone
Morton can kill me, he is welcome t
: my eaf=cap."
/, On the reception Of This answer
the guard was doubled around tn
state-house. Chosen sen tlnels wer
stationed along the road leading t
the capital, the military |paraded tn
streets from morning till night, an
: a select caucus held permanent se'
!. sion in the city hall. + short, eN
eerytehing betokened a c pmlng ten
nest.
! \ One day while matte drs we're l
9 9. this precarious condition the cape1 2,
! at the city hall was surprised BY tt
sudden appea rance OF a strange
] whose mode Of entering was as e.
} traordinary as his looks and dres
1 He did not knock at the closed doc
} he did not seek admission there ;
] all; but climbing unseen a sma
hrcb,t- tonned live oak, which gre