The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1853-11-26
without entering further into its details.

without entering further into its details.
In reference 10 Indian policy and the pre-
lection Of tho settlements ON our wcsicr,
frontier, SO much has been said In the seycru
general and special messages that have ha
the honor to address to the Legislature durinI
my administration, that I feel /. n work o
supererogation to renew my appeal to you
Honorable Bodies, and nothing but the i'm
pcrious nature Of the subject would induce
mo to make this, my final effort, In the hop
that something may he devised, somcthin,
may be done toward cfIectually relieving IN,
General and State Governments from On In
cubus that has pressed upon them heavily fo
years, toward encctually securing the life ant
prosperity OF the settler, tho existence ant
pacific department of the Indians.
Tho system of military defence hithcrt,
pursued by the General Government though
assisted by the strenuous efforts of the Indiar
Bureau at Washington City, has cvidcntl,
been inadequate to tho task of rcpressing In
dian murders and dcprcdations. The vast ex
tent OF country to be protected, the implcdiat,
contignity OF trackless wastes over which tn,
feet of white men rarely if ever tread, th,
numerous fastnesscs and places Of retreat
known only to the savage, the cunning of the
Indian IN all his offensive operations, the fleet
ness with which when pressed he can hy from
his pnrsuer, his hartihood, and capability O
enduring under extremes Of starvation nnd
fatigue, and the unsuitable nature of tho mill
tary material that has been employed by the
General Government to carry out their policy
must convince every thinking mind that nc
hope can be reasonably entertained Of chang,
for tho better until an alteration In tho system
has been effected, and additional means enjoy
cd to accomplish the end.
From time to time the attention of the Ex
ccutivo has been drawn to distressing appeal,
for succor and military aid by petitions numcr
iously and most respectfully signed, supported
by afiidayits Of the deplorable situation IN
which the petitioners were placed. and this
Department has anxiously, though thus fa,
dolusiveIy, hoped to arrest their recurrence
oy dcvising somo means that would secure
their defcncclcss situation from the maraudine
savage. Without means, the employment o.
Hangers was In the most cases imprauticable
and. although the responsibility Of calling
three companies of that class Of troops into
the service of the State, was found 10 bc ab,
soiutely and unsyoidably necessary to proven,
the total destruction OF tho settlement on tho
Lower Rio Grandc, still tho peculiar situation
Of those on tho Upper Rio Grandc rendered Il
impossible to extend to them similar assistance,
and they consequently have been, and still are
suffering the lamcntable results. M
OF nil the portions Of the frontier that have
needed military aid and protection, the county
Oh ~ rsso STANDS foremost ana, strange e
say, witn inc greatest iieccss's'cs ana the leas
lMs,ilcat,on, sne mas ncsn tils most neglected
.., me" .ne r'gn'soI .ne s.asc werc leoparaixea
NV" uo ".vs. w'As.s1us woul,
"'S '. uss.y e"uu n.u suS ny ~. AscIseu
i, y sS'.o', s',' o'pv WV "
y. ,. asoInu m, nol wss coniuAon anu Ie
o WI .s,o nyms ~ =. so savaH
uv oSns =. na uyans s,ss.II
;Ss ., NV ss Sns, acalu.ess a0 ~ ne
az" 49,, =. = ..ss y.
ssMs ~ - t'' stsS IS
,,,s,t ,,s;..ssaa !. ~ -. ~ IL
hv IN sN - ss's 's'ss's ssss' ~ ssssssPs
Nc q. i, ~ =.
Rurcn,, atnrs 4, S.vo S,s 4, t - s.,~ y
her ,,oi,cyF !. ith ,,.s,s 3. =. sts - ~ ~
40 he, hscn tha ys ~ ~ so,,,o s,,s.s h,, i,ss:s.
for th.n, sv;ti,;n sin c,r f,,as 81 A.. Ss"s. =
,rh;s matter waa frcniv ,l;scnsscJ q, ,s,,s,,y
confarcnce with Major Ne,chi,ors ths
JInited States Sunerinacnfl;ng in,i;an Ass,,s
for Texas; and he strongly urgod tho impor.
tanco Of some steps, on tho part Of this Statc.
whereby such an arrangement could be effect.
cd. The Executive, coinciding with the opin.
ION Of tho Agent, had in view the 0Joint Re.
solution concerning Indian boundaries . An.
proved February l6th, 1852. In which Inc
Legislature had made provisions. under certain
restrictions, 10 mect this oxigcncy: but Inc
Department concciving this resolution conte,n.
plated that tho General Government would
jako tho preliminary steps Ia tho matter. and
no Official action thereon at Washington City
having reached the Department until tho "a.
ceipt Of a communication from tho Secretary
OF War, under date Of tho 10th ul.imo, In rs-