Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-12-20
An yntrrrsting storp,
DEAF SMITH,
THE CELEBRATED TEXAN SPY.


About two years after the revolution, diff
fculty occurred between the new government
and portion of the people, which threatened
the most serious consequences-eyent the blood
shed and horrors of civil war Briefly the
case was this:
The constitution had fixed the city of Aus
tin the permanent capital where the public
archives were to be kept, with reservation,
however, of & power in the President to order
their temporary removal in case of danger from
the inroads of a foreign cmeny, or the force of
sudden instruction.
Conceiying that the exceptional emergency
had arrived, as the Camanches frequently COM
mitted ravages within sight ofthe capital itself,
Houston, who then resided at Washington, on
the Brazos, dispatched an order commanding
his subordinate functionaries to send the State
records to the latter place, which he declared
to be, pro tempore, the seat of Government.
1t is impossible to describe The stormy cx-
citement which the PRONUNCIATION of that fiat
raised in Austin. The keepers of hotels,
boarding houses, groceries, an 4 faro-banks,
were thunderstruck, maddened to phrensy for
the measure would be a death blow to their
business; and accordingly they determined at
once to take the step to advert the danger by
opposing the execution of Houston's mandate.
They called mass meeting of the citizens and
farmers of the circumjacent country, who were
all more or less interested in the question; and
after many fiery speeches against the asserted
tyranny of the administration, it was unani-
mously resolved to prevent the removal of the
archives by open and armed resistance 10
that end they organized company of four
hundred men, one moiety of whom, relieving
the other at regular periods of duty, should
keep constant guard around the state-house
until the peril passed by. The commander OF
this force was one Colonel Morton, who had
achieved considerable renown in the war of in
dependence, and had still more recently dis.
played desperate bravery in two desperate du-
els, in both of which he had cut his antagonist
nearly to pieces with a bowie-kni ife. Indeed,
from the notoriety Of his characte ter forrevenge,
as we'll as well as courage, it was thought that
President Houston would renounce his purpose
touching the archives, as soon as he should
learn who was the leader of the opposition.
Morton, on his part, whose vanity equalled
his personal prowess, encouraged and justified
the prevailing opinion by his boastful threats.
He swore that if the President did succeed IN
removing the records by the march of an over
powering force, he would then hunt him down
like wolf, and shoot him down without eere-
mony, or stab him in his bed, or waylay him
in his walks of recreation. He even wrote the
hero of San Jacinto to that effect. The latter
replied in note of laconic brevity:
"If the people of Austin do not send the
archives, 1 will certainly come and take them;
and if Colonel Morton can kill pe, he is well
come to my ear-cap."
On the reception of this answt ter, the guard
was doubled around the state-hon use. Chosen
sentinels were stationed along the road lead
ing to the capital, the military paraded the
streets from morning till night and select
caucus held permanent session il the city. In
short, everything betokened doming temp
est.
One day, while matters were ip this preca-
rious condition, the caucus at the dity-hall were
surprised by the sudden appearane ee of stran-
ger, whose mode of entering waS as extraor-
dinary as his dress. He did not knock at the
closed door-he did not seek admission there
at all but climbed unseen smal bushy-top'
ped live oak, which grew beside the wall when
he leaped, without sound or warm hg, through
lofty window He was clothed altogether
with buckskin, carried a long and very heavy
rife in his hand, wore at the butte in of his sus
pender, large bowie-knife, and ih his leath
ern belt pair of pistols, half the length o.
his gun. He was tall, straight IS an arrow
active as panther in his motion, with darl
ooun,ex;on. and luxuriant hair, with severe
TLo oountenance, that seemed never Il
I". Lnown q smile. and eyes of intense, vivit
La a Lid and rolling, and pier rcing as th'
N;o. Di:S' ,s = daorer, His strange advent inspir