Year: 1874




ing til 1t part of Gov. Coke's MESA ge
relatin. to Frontier Protection, for
eur us,,- leader to-day:


The efforts Of the General Govern.
menL for the protection of our er-
tended line of frontier have proved
unavailable. The people inhabiting
that portion Of the State have saffered
long and greatly. Their women and
children have been butchered, and
many Of them carried into captivity
worse than death, their property
stolen and destroyed, and both prop
erty and person rendered so insecure
by the continuous incursions and dep,
relations Of savage Iadians as cot
only to threaten, but actually tried,
on some portions OF the line, to drive
out the settlements and depopulate
the country. Theae people are citizens
of Texas, pay taxes to support the
government, are amcnable to our
laws, and are entitled to protection


Every citizen Of Texas IL entitled
to demand Of the State Government
protection for lilo, liberty and prop
erty, in return for his homage to the
government. Besides, the property
interest among these people is large
and valuable, and contributes very
considerably to the revenues Of the
government. The country is pictu-
rescue, healthy, rich and productive,
and with proper security for person
and property would be most inviting
TO the immigrant, and would sosn
TEEN with population and wealth.
Every consideration of humanity,
justice and interest demands protec-
ton for the people on the frontier.


The Federal Government should
give that protection; but, failing to
to do so, Texas must discharge her
duty to her people; she must redeem
that primary obligation due from
every government to its citizens; pro-
tect them and their property. The
tomahawk and scaiping knife must be
stayed in their bloody work, and the
lives and property of our people
made secnre. The people Of the
frontier were assured that in the
platform Of the dominant party, that
they would receive protection from
the State Government, and the ad-
ministration just inaugurated is
pledged to policy which shall make
good the assurance. I make no
doubt that your honorable bodies will
redeem the pledge. The Federal
Government is charged with the duty
of guarding the frontier line, and it Is
unjust that Texas should bear the
burden. We are informed by the
events now transpirlng in Congress
that the Representatives now in that
body from Texas have introduced and
are pressing bill looking to meas
ures which, it is believed, if enacted
into law, will finally meet the neces>
sites of the frontier In the matter OF
protection, and relieve Texas of the
expense she must otherwise incur in
taking care Of her people. In view
of the Importance to Texas Of the per-
formsnce Of the duty on the part Of
General Government, I suggest that
. memorial from your honorable
bodies, to the Congress of the United
States on this subject might be
productive Of some good, and
give some aid to the Texas
delegation in that body in procuring
the necessary legislation. The past
of Texas, however, de-
mands that we shall no longer rely on
that source, but provide ourselves for
the incursions Of the Indians,
and protecting our State from their
raids. ! know the question
how the frontier is. TO be protected,
to be difficult OF solution. COnsid-
cred with reference to the ability OF
The State to meet it, it remains with
ta,s wisdosS 6f your honorable bodies
to give it the best practical solution
that can be arrived at; that all should
be done which IS in the power of the
State to do. Having reasonable regard
for other public interests, l recon-
mend to your consideration the gen-
eral plan as indicathd IN sections one,
two, three, four and six of the act to
provide for frontier protection and