USA > Texas > A new history of Texas; being a narration of the adventures of the author in Texas, and a description of the soil, climate, productions, minerals, tons [!], bays, harbours, rivers, institutions, and manners and customs of the inhabitants of that country; together with the principal incidents of fifteen years revolution in Mexico; and embracing a condensed statement of interesting events in Texas, from the first European settlement in 1692, down to the present time: and a history of the Mexican war > Part 12
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own foulness-who had the effrontory to put himself, in nomination for Congress the other day, and was immedi- ately frowned down by an indignant people, and made to withdraw his name at once from the contest-here is such a wretch, rotten to the core, disappointed, detested, and consequently venomous towards others more fortunate than himself, constantly burthening his paper with tirades against the alleged offences of his fellow citizens. Is an independent community, fully capable of thinking and act- ing for themselves, to be led by the nose by the immaculate Dr. Moore-than whom a more impudent and contempti- ble apostate does not live amongst us ? Is there no virtue in the land but that which Dr. Moore approves ? Is there no talent but that which he applauds? Have the people no rights, no judgment, no will, but those which he licenses? If we are "men of straw," to be dictated to, to be influenc- ed, to be transferred like a flock of sheep, I say let us have a wiser and better master-not a hypocrite, not an aboli- tionist, not a piratical crusader against the private charac- ter and domestic peace of his neighbors.
A FRIEND.
To the Editors of the Intelligencer :
All candidates for popular favor are more or less expos- ed.to the attacks of the malicious and designing, and none can expect, however irreproachable the whole tenor of their lives, to escape without encountering some of the . missile indiscriminately hurled by the understrappers and retainers of a party. For my own part, when I consented to acquiese in the urgent solicitations of a large and re- spectable portion of the citizens of Galveston, to permit my name to be run as a candidate for Congress, I expected to be abused and calumniated, and to have every part and portion of my life, whether public or private, held up and
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exposed to public view and public judgment. I not only expected this, but I also desired it. I consider the private and public character of all candidates fairly before the pub- lic ; and whilst friends have the right to exhibit the bright side of their character, the opposers have the same un- doubted right to hold up the dark and objectionable side. Had I consulted my own individual inclinations I should not have been running for office at this time. The par- tiality of my friends, and what I consider the untiring per- secution of my enemies, have however again brought me before you ; and desiring that no part of the history of my life should be exempted from close and critical examina- tion, I have ever said to my enemies, examine it, and sift and expose it to the public view. And I again say to them, on that subject, I ask no favor at their hands-I crave no mercy, I ask for no quarters ; but hurling back on them the gauntlet of eternal defiance, I make my appeal to the public at large. I address myself to the citizens of Texas; to the cool, candid and charitable mind ; to those who desire to ascertain truth, and who will judge as men desir- ous of doing right. I address myself to those who be- lieve charity to be a virtue, and who consider that their judgments of the characters of men ought to be formed in that merciful spirit of justice which they themselves may require in passing down the uncertain road of life.
It is not a single act of right or wrong which should determine the character of an individual ; on the contrary, his true character can only be correctly understood by fol- lowing him in his progress through life; by analyzing his deeds and discovering whether or not the principles which govern and influence him are virtuons. But few men in this life will bear a critical examination into every act ; and if every man is to be damned in public estimation because one dark spot may be found in the midst of 3
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thousand bright ones, then I venture the assertion, that few will be found in any country passing safely the inves- tigating ordeal. I ask for myself in this investigation, that the history of my whole life should be entered into ; that the talisman of virtue should be applied, and that hard justice alone should be awarded me.
The first and only charge against me is that I defrauded the Bank of the State of Alabama, out of the sum of twen- ty-one thousand dollars, which offence drove-me to this country. Since my coming to Texas I have never at- tempted to palliate or excuse this charge. I have invariably said to all, that it was as inexcusable as it was censurable. So far from attempting to color or disguise any portion of the transaction, I only asked, on my coming to Texas, that people would suspend their final judgment until time should test whether or not the act was committed by one whose heart was vicious, or whether it might not be set down as one of those great and flagrant errors in which the best of men have sometimes been involved, and who have been considered the worst of characters, even at the time their very souls abhorred and loathed the deed ; and that such a thing could be possible, would seem to them strange indeed, and inexplicable. I have, to my mostinti- mate friends, asserted that the act was one to which I was driven by circumstances ; that it was an expedient resort- ed to for the purpose of raising money, with the firm ex- pectation that I should be enabled to meet the payments, and with not the remotest intention of ever injuring or defrauding any one whatever. I now declare that the intention of wrong, in this whole transaction, was as for- eign to my breast as to that of any other individual what- ever ; and that, although I admit to the fullest extent that it did result in a fraud to the bank, yet that result was
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more my misfortune than my offence. If fraud had been my object, and if that act was induced by a vicious heart, the great presumption is that my object in life would have been to have derived all the benefit possible from that fraud, and to have continued in the pursuit of the same vicious course. I am willing the public mind should try the principles which influence me in life by this test, and ascertain whether or not I am, in principle or action, the individual my enemies represent. Let the facts speak for themselves.
On my arrival in San Felipe, in the year 1832, I had but a single dollar in my pocket. An entire stranger, suspecting my destitute condition, loaned me ten dollars, with which I found my way to Liberty, and settled down to the practice of law. Torn from my political position in Alabama-separated from my family-without a dollar in the world-a stranger in a new country, without a character, and almost without hope ; I felt my heart sick- en and die within me : I felt hapless, hopeless, and forlorn. I saw not a glimmer of hope in the wide world before me; and the prospect of honorable support was gloomy in the extreme. Had the principles which iny enemies charged me with ever glowed in my bosom, I ask of every candid and impartial mind, if they would not, in this situation. have been brought into action ; and would I not. in this desperate situation, have resorted to some act of duplicity or intrigue to have recruited my broken fortunes? But no enemy will charge me with this : every friend Inows that I toiled in my profession, and even manual labor twelve months, gaining barely enough to support me in common gentility. No. fellow citizens, a higher object influenced my course. Though broken down in spirits, in fortune, and in reputation-though pointed at and scorn ed, I resolved in my own mind that I would rouse every
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energy, that I would encounter the taunts and insults of the uncharitable and unfeeling, and that I would devote my life to the acquisition of those means which would enable me to make restitution to the bank, and convince the world, so far as I could do so, that, no matter how illegal or censurable, or however, apparently fraudulent might have been this one act of my life, that, in reality, my soul was incapable of any act of fraud, and that I was the child of misfortune, and not of crime.
In pursuance of this resolution, I settled in San Felipe, in September 1833, where I soon attained a large and profitable practice in my profession. My history had become well known to the people: the circumstances under which I had come to the country, were familiar to every one, and they appeared disposed to throw the man- tle of charity over the past, and judge by the operations of the future. Had it been possible for me to have been governed by the principles attributed to me, surely in the course of an extensive business, in which hundreds of thou- sands of dollars passed through my hands, I would have been induced to have departed from the path of duty. Had any other than feelings of honor governed me, sure- ly some of the numerous persons who have employed ine would have cause of complaint. Here, fellow citizens. I pause, and ask a strict, close, and scrutinizing investigation of this critical and tempting period of my life. Hope again dawned upon my mind : the prospect of recovering from my fall was brightening ; a re-union with my family, a re- covery of my lost name, was placed in tempting colors before me. But no enemy can charge me with a depar- ture from the most serupulously circumspect course of con- duct ; and I here throw down the gauntlet of defiance to the world, and challenge the man to come forward and say that I have wronged him in my profession, or that I have
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detained from him one cent not my due. If any man show such to be the fact, I shall return ten fold. In my land opcarations with the people, if any one can come forward and with truth say that I have decieved him, that I have taken him in, that I have in any wise injured him, or that I have at any time speculated upon his necessities, then will I make restitution with twenty fold. Whatever I have in Texas has been honestly obtained-obtained by my own exertions, and not taken from the poor, the needy, or the inexperienced. The great object of my life has been accomplished : I have been fortunate in Texas ; and I have settled with the Bank of the State of Alabama, the whole amount of their claim against me, including princi- pal, interest and damages.
On the 14th of July, 1837, I addressed a letter to the President of the Bank, informing him of the changed con- dition of my affairs, and of my anxiety to settle the claims of the Bank against me. Receiving no answer, I again wrote the following letter.
Houston, March 10th, 1338.
To the President of the Bank of the State of .Alabama :-
DEAR SIR-Enclosed I transmit a duplicate of the let- ter which I had the honor to address you sometime since in answer to yours of the 28th March, 1837. Iam fear- ful my answer did not reach you, as I have received no intimation of its reception, and anxiously desiring to ad- just all demands against me, I again address you.
I wish the bank to understand that I do not propose or desire to dictate the terms of settlement; on the contra- ry, I am only willing to settle in a manner which shall be perfectly satisfactory to the bank. Life is uncertain, and I am anxiously solicitous while I do live, to pay in a satis- factory manner the demands of the bank against me ;
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and I again earnestly request that you will appoint some agent with whom I can manage the matter. We have no banks nor monied facilities of any kind; and it is wholly impossible in Texas to raise any thing like a re- spectable sum in money.
If it would meet the views of the bank I will pay fif- teen thousand dollars in the bonds of the government of Texas, redeemable in five years, bearing an interest of ten per cent, payable semi-annually, and the balance I will pay in good paper of undoubted character, at one, two, and three years. Or I will pay in land at the current price. In fine, I owe your institution so much money, which I am anxious to redeem, but cannot do so in cash as it is impossible to obtain it; and if none of my propo- sals are considered satisfactory, I can only say, that what- ever property I have is subject to my debts, and I am willing the Bank should dictate its own terms. I should be glad to hear from you on this subject at as early a pe- riod as convenient.
MOSELY BAKER.
In accordance with my request, Mr. Joel White, a Di- rector of the Bank of the State of Alabama, was appoint- ed agent to settle with me, and came to Texas last May for that purpose. On Mr. White's arrival, I said to him, that I had lost my good name on account of my operations with the Bank ; that my object was to recover that name, - so far as possible ; that I would make no proposition to him. I said to Mr. White, that my property was abun- dantly sufficient to pay all my debts ; and that if he saw proper he might sell, under the hammer, for cash, so much as would pay the whole demand. Mr. White replied to me, that he was instructed to settle with me in such a manner as would be convenient to me, and at the sanie
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time do justice to the Bank. I then told Mr. White I would pay the amount in land or in good paper, or I would pay him in bonds of the Government of Texas. He chose the bonds of the Government. When we came to the settlement, Mr. White exhibited his papers and was about to commence a calculation to satisfy me of the amount due. I said to Mr. White, I would make no calculation, but that I would pay exactly whatever the bank charged. I settled with him twenty-one-thousand dollars principal, eight thousand one hundred and seven- ty-two dollars interest, and twelve hundred and sixty dol- lars damages, making the sum of thirty thousand, four hun- dred and thirty-two dollars ; for which I received his receipt in full. So perfectly satisfactory was his settlement that the Bank, on Mr. White's return. passed unanimously re- solutions of a complimentary character, and withdrew every action and proceeding against me.
I know that the answer to all this, on the part of those opposed to me, will be, that the offence committed can not be washed away by money. Addressing myself alone to the liberal and impartial, I only ask that the extraordi- nary exertions I have made. to make restitution. should be placed in the ballance against my offence ; and that in determining my character, my whole life should be re- viewed.
Among the most clamorous of my revilers are to be found men owing thousands of dollars in the United States, who never have and never will make an effort at payment ; and who, to avoid the payment of their just debts, contracted even in this country, cloak their pro- perty in the names of others ; and yet such men dare to set in judgment and pass sentence on their neighbor's character. Men now rolling in luxury have joined in the hue-and-cry against me, who, if their debts were paid,
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would not be worth a dollar. Others also are to be found with open mouth, whose hearts if examined would ex- hibit a mass of depravity shocking to the view, and yet such generally are the men most forward, most unrelent- ing in their denunciations of my character. This, how- ever, is not to be wondered at; the experience of life amply testifies that those most clamorous, most vindictive, most unforgiving, are generally the greatest rascals in so- ciety ; who, knowing the infamy of their own hearts, gladly seize hold of every opportunity to blacken and de- stroy the character of another. To such men I address not myself. f address myself to those only who believe in the justice and truth of the poet's words:
" To err is human-to forgive, divine."
I have said my transactions with the Bank was more my misfortune than my offence-that it was so viewed and considered in Alabama, I appeal to every unpreju- diced individual acquainted with the circumstance ; I ap- peal to every man of honor and standing who has ever known me in that state; and it is one of my greatest comforts in this life to know, that among my best friends I rank many, very many of the first persons of the state of Alabama ;- and it is further a proud gratification to me to know, that among the old and respectable citizens of Texas, I have a great many very warm and very zeal- ous friends. And, to conclude this part of the subject, I ask only of those who shall read this appeal, that, in mak- ing up their conclusions, they would pursue the golden rule: " Do unto others as you would they should do unto you." MOSELY BAKER.
The foregoing are selected from several publications of a like character ; and I feel unwilling to burden the pages
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of this work with any. more, believing as I do, that this specimen is quite sufficient to convey to the reader a tol- erable definate idea of the topics discussed during elec- tioncering campaigns ; there being, at present, but few leading measures to divide the people into distinct politi- cal parties. This is certainly to be principally attributed to the recent origin of the government and the absence of some of those exciting questions which at so early a day fixed a line of demarkation in our country between that party discipline, named Republicans and Federalists; but it seems that in the absence of these and other bones of contention, the Texans can indulge in stigmatizing each other as the most abondened characters, while they pay their devotions to particular men, leaving measures en- tirely out of the question.
It is much to be regretted that the acknowledged rules of party warfare in the United States tolerate the most scur- rilous abuse of every candidate for popular favor; the effect of which is, to drive from competition modest worth while our legislative halls are frequently made theatres in which acts are performed that should disgrace the veriest bully and blackleg that ever infested society. Public opinion must correct this evil, or the most alarming con- sequence will eventually ensue, and then it will be with a bad grace that the most malicious can point to Texas as a land governed by rengades, even taking Gen. Baker and the Editor of the Telegraph as samples, the last of whom is no other than his honor the Mayor of Houston, a per- sonage already sufficiently noticed in this work.
It is true, that I never yet saw in the United States such electioncering hand bills as the foregoing, and do hope I never shall ; but it is not my purpose to set in judgment upon the conduct of particular individuals, and recent oc- currences have made the transactions of Gen. Baker so
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complex that however guilty he was in the eye of the law, for committing a forgery, that a charitable mind would avoid passing sentence pro or con.
One important occurrence is the payment of the sum thus obtained with interest and damage, amounting in all to upwards of $30,000, and that this was done of his own free will none can doubt, since no law known to Texas could have coerced the payment ; much less au- thorized his delivery to the authorites of Alabama to be dealt with by their criminal code.
Whether he carried $21.000 to Texas but did not hap- pen to keep it in his pocket at the time of his arrival at San Felipe, or whether he was made the dupe of some great villian and for this had to fly his country, is perhaps only known at the present day to himself; but there is no doubt but that his present possessions are immensely valuable, and whether restitution was made out of policy and to recover his lost reputation in the United States, where it is understood he has many highly respectable relatives ; or whether he was prompted by that faithful monitor, which is said to intrude upon the slumbers of the guilty, I for one presume not to decide. It may be possi- ble, however, as the General has quoted from the tragedy of Macbeth on the occasion of his hand bill, that he might at other times do the same, and perhaps when asleep, has rehearsed the following, or something much like it:
"Hence-horrible shadow, Unreal mockery-Hence!"
With all our boasted privileges it may sound strange to some, that oppression has driven individuals to seek an asylum in Texas, and have there met success, they never would have enjoyed here ; but strange as this may seem,
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itis nevertheless true, in many instances, and it is a grave and important question whether all the ends of justice cannot be compassed after materially modifying many of our codes of law, such as cause our citizens to expa- trate themselves from the land of their birth and the tombs of their fathers.
That such cases are few I would gladly believe ; but I fear they are much more common than is generally sup- posed ; and who can estimate the amount of misery that an honorable and sensitive mind must endure under a combination of such distressing circumstances, to say nothing of the friends and relatives he leaves behind .- That many of an entire different character are in Texas, is admitted ; many, indeed, who have, untrammelled with difficulties, voluntarily emigrated to Texas as they might have done elsewhere, and many who had involved them- selves to such an extent that the laws of God and man have stamped them as outlaws; and while such men would exercise a pernicious influence any where, those who have been made victims of oppression are by an easy process deprived of half their former benevolent feelings, and as a natural consequence entertain too unfavorable opinions of all mankind.
I am no apologist for crimes or criminals, but I would fain place the most charitable construction upon the ac- tions of all men, and would, if I had the power, annul every ordinance that fixes the stigma of punishment upon him who is not the first aggressor, but provoked to retali- ate for injuries which the laws of his country cannot be made to reach.
It is a subject of deep regret, that in this boasted land of liberty, and equal rights, those at the head of affairs do not always make the public good a cardinal principle ; but too is it proved a melancholy truth that public men
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are more intent upon strengthening a political party, and aggrandizing themselves, than ordaining laws of equal operations ; thus striking at the root of all legitimate gov- ernment, and destroying the fondest hopes of those who contribute to its support ; and it is a fearful truth, that par- ty spirit is sometimes permitted to enter the very sanctu- ary of justice, where the hopes and fears of those clothed with authority are made to bend before what they per- ceive is popular, in place of fearlessly deciding upon eve- ry case according to the unyielding principles of right and wrong.
In vain will the American people boast of their govern- ment and the liberty of the citizen; in vain will the christian and philanthropist mourn over the depravity of the world, until some radical cure is found for this wide spread malady, and an effectual check applied to the dan- gerous influence of money, and also that which is exer- cised by combinations under various names ; who plot in secret conclave, and from a masked battery can pour de- struction on the unoffending head of any individual who does not choose to resign his birthright and be made a tool in their hands.
But, says the reader, what has this to do with Texas? I answer it has much. I consider the institutions of a country and the character of a people of a thousand fold more importance than any description of climate or soil, and that in deliniating the national character of Texas I have been compelled to allude to individuals with no in- tention of exposing or defending any particular person, but to illustrate the whole, not by holding up to view the very worst in the country and leaving out of view such as are altogether better men than many in my own.
Besides, I claim the privilege of expressing my honest opinions on public topics, and if they are received with
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the same impartiality as that with which I deliver them, I shall hope that my labor is not entirely lost, and glad would I be, if I could arouse the dormant feelings of hon- est indepence of thought in many bosoms whose impulses lead them to continue the slaves of fashion and the tools of demagogues for the paltry consideration of a life of de- pendence and a death of obscurity.
I love my country, and am proud of some of her insti- tutions ; but I am one of those who believe that the gal- lant band that burst the bonds which united us to a foreign government did not bequeath an inheritance of any value, if the mass of the people have only exchanged masters ; and although the sun in his grand rounds does not reflect & his rays and warm and fertilize such a country on our plannet or one that is so bountiful in all that can contri- bute to the happiness' of man as the United States, yet with all our obvious resourses, and the experience of ages before us, who will say that we are a happy or an inde- pendent people, or that there is not a multitude who suf- fer from the injustice of others, that there is not indeed much misery in the land.
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