East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-10-27
DEAF SMITH.
THE CBLEBRATED TEXAN SPY.


About two years after the Texan revo
luton, difficulty occurred between th
government and portion of the people
which threatened the most serious conse
quences--even the bloodshead and hor
rors of civil war. Briefly, the cause wa
this: The constitution had fixed th
city of Austin as the permanent capital
where the public archives were to b'
kept, with the reservation, however, of
power in the President to order thei
temporary removal in case of danger
from the inroads Of foreign enemy, oil
the force of a sudden insdrrection.
Conceiving that the exceptional emer.
gency had arrived, as the Camanche'
frequently ravaged within sight of the
capital itself Houston, who then resided
at Washington, on the Brazo, dispatched
an order commanding his subordinate
functionares to send the state records tc
the latter place which he declared to be,
pro tempore, the seat of government.
1t is impossible to describe the stormy
excitment which the promulgation Of this
fiat raised in Austin. The Keepers of the
hotels, boarding houses, groceries, and
faro banks, were thunderstruck, madden.
ed to phrenzy; for the measure would be
a death blow to their prosperity in busi-
ness and accordingly, they determined
at once to take the necessary steps to
avert the danger, by opposing the execu-
ton of Houston's mandate. They called
mass meeting of the citizens and farm
ers of the circumjacent county, who were
all more or less interested in the ques-
ton; and after many fiery speeches
against the asserted tyranny of the adj
ministration, it was unanimously resolved
to prevent the removal of the archives
by open and armed resistance. To that
end they organized company of four
hundred men, one moiety of whom, re-
lieving 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 achivcd con
siderable renown in the war for indepe-
pendence, and had still more recently dis
played desperate bravery in two desper-
ate duels, in both of which he had cut
his antagonists nearly to pieces with the
bowie knife. Indeed from the notoriety
OF ms Shnrastfy r ss IGE EsHeNGs NG as well
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 fully
oouo Had HE ,,orcono al ,,rou,ose o,,oo,ro Il
and justified the prevailing opinions by
his boastful threats. He swore that if
the President did succeed in removing
the records by the march of an overpow-
ering force, he would then himself hunt
him down like wolf, and shoot him with
| little ceremony or stab him in his bed,
or waylay him in his walks of recreation.
He even wrote to the hero of San Jacin-
to to that effect. The latter replied in a
note of laconic previty.
"If the people of Austin do not send
the archives, / shall certainly come and
take them, and if Colonel Morton can
kill me, he is welcome to my ear-cap"
On the reception of this answere the
guard was doubled around the state house.
|
the road leading to the capital, the mill
tary paraded the streets from morning
till night, and select caucus had perm
anent session in the city hall; in short
everything betokened coming tempest.
One day, while matters were in this
precarious condition, the caucus at the
city hall was surprised by the sudden ap-
pearance of stranger, whose mode of
entering was as extraordinary as his
looks and dress. He did not knock at
the closed door-he did not seek admis-
sion there at all; but climbing unseen a
small bushy-topped live oak which grew
beside the wall, he leaped without sound
or warning through lofty window
He was clothed altogether in buckskin,
carried long and very heavy rifle in his
hand, wore at the button Of his left sus-
pender large bowie knife, and in his
leathern belt couple of pistols half the
length of his gun. He was tall, straight
as an arrow, active as panther in his
motions, with dark complexion, and lux
uriant, jetty hair, with severe iron-like
countcnance, that seemed never to have
hHOWH a. sHlilt, anu tNto vi iIttHSc WV
black, wild and rolling, and piercing as
the point of dagger. His strange ad-
vent inspired thrill of voluntary fear,
ard many present unconsciously grasped
the handles of their sidcarms.
"Who are you that thus presumes to
intrudc among gentlemen without invi-
tation?" demanded Colonel Morton, fcro-
ciously essaying to COW down the strang-
er with his eye.
The latter returned his stare with com
pound interest, and laid his long bony
finger on his lip as a sign--but for what
the spectators could not imagine.
"Who are you? Speak, or ] will cut
an answer out Of your heartY" shouted
Morton, almost distracted with rage by
the cool, sneering gaze Of the other, who
now removed his finger from his lip, and
+ laid it on the lfilt Of his monstrous knife
The fiery colonel then drew his dag
! ger, and was in the act of advaecing up
on the stranger, when several caught
and held him back, demonstrating.
, "Let him alone, Morton, for God'l
| sakel Do you not perceive he is crazy?"
: At the moment Judge Webb, a mar
: of shuewd intelcctand courteous manner