The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-11-28
Deaf Smith, The Celebrated Tex
2, .s an Spy.

aiaAbou. two years alter the Texan Rev
= olution, difficulty occurred between the
new Government and porliou Of the
,,psopls which threatened the most serious
Consequences, even the boodshec and
horrors Of civil war. Briefly, the case
was this: .4ss ..s.aig
-.T The Constitution had fixed the city OF
Austip as the permanenI capital, where
the public archives were TO be kept. with
the reservation, however, of a power in
aths President to order their temporary
removal IN case of danger fsom.ihe in.
roads Of a foreign enemy, or the force ol
.asndden iusurreclion.
Conceiying that the exceptional emer'
gency had arrived, as the Camanches fire.
.aueotly committed ravages within slgh'
Of The capital itself, Houston, tEen resi-
ding at Washington Oh the Brazos, dis
patshed an order commanding his subor'
sdinate functionaries to send The State rec
ords to the latter place, which he declar
ed was pro tsn.pore the seat OF Govern
ment. = +"
It is impossible to describe the stormy
excitement which the PRONUNCIATION o.
this fat raised in Austin. The keepers
of hotels, groceries, boarding houses, and
fare banks, were lhunderstruck; madden
ed to frenzy; for the measure would be
death blow to their prosperity in business
2 and accordingly they determined at one'
to take the necessary steps to avert th'
danger. by opposing the execution OF tho
mandate of Houston. They called mas
meeting Of the citizens and farmers OF thu
circuIpjacent country, who were all mor'
or less interested in the question, and at
ter many fiery speeches against the asser
ted tyranny Of the administration, twas u
unanimously resolved to prevent the reno
val of the archives by open and armed re
sistauce. To that end they organized
company Of four hundred men, one mole
ty OF whom relieved the other at regula
periods of duty to keep constant guard
round the State House until the peril hat
spassed by. The commander ol this fore
was one Col. Morton. who had achieves
considerable renown 10 the war OF inde
pendence. and had still more recently dis
ysplayed desperate bravery in two duels; i
both Of which he. lad cut his antagonis
4. nearly to pieces with The bowie kniie. In
deed from the notoriety of bis characte
&-for revenge. as we'll as courage, II wa
thought that President Houston wonl
renounce bis purpose, touching the arch
ives. as soon as he should learn who wa
the leader Of the opposition. VI =.
Morton, on his part, whose vanity fuI
ssly equalled his personal powers, encou'
aged and justified the prevailing oplnlo
by his boasting threats. He swore thd
ie the President did succeed in removin
the records by the march Of an o'erpoW
ering force, lie would then himself hnr
him downlike wolf, and shoot him vii
,aas little ceremany. He even wrote to tll
hero of San Jacinto to that effect. III
latter replied 10 note Of laconic braver
- "If the people of Austin do not sen
the archives l shall certainly come an
take them; and if Col. Morton can tai
me, he is welcome to wear my cap"
On the reception Of this answer Il
guard was doubled around the Sta
House. Chosen sentinels were statione
alspg the road leading to the capital, Il
military. paraded the streets from NOR
ing Till night, and select caucus he
permanent session in the City Hall,
short. everything betoEened coming CO.
test. .rat.s. .,-
One day, while matters were in tn
precarious condition, the caucus Of u
City Hall was surprised by the sudd'
appearance Of stranger whose mode
,ehlsring was extraordinary as his lool
and dress. He did not knock at the cl
sed door-he did not soek admission sbe
at all; but climbing. unseen a small bus
y topped live oak which grew beside d
wall. he leapsd without sound or warnir
through lofty window. He was clot