USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume I > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
"7. Resolved, that we concur heartily in unanimity of purpose and feeling with the resolutions of the meeting of the Jurisdiction of Columbia, and that we invite the citizens of the other Jurisdic- tions of this department to concur with us in the adoption of meas- ures tending to the same end."
For the purpose expressed in the sixth resolution, the meeting ap- pointed John Rice Jones, J. W. Kinney, and A. Somervell; and the next day these gentlemen joined the Columbia committee in a letter to the Columbia ayuntamiento saying that they would in a few days make a
124
HISTORY OF TEXAS
full exposition of the affairs of Texas. In the meantime, they recom- mended to all "peace, union, moderation, and a strict adherence to the laws and constitution of the land." They were shortly joined by D. C. Barrett, representing the municipality of Mina, but although they were expected, other delegates did not arrive.
Three other meetings were held on the 14th, the day of the San Felipe meeting. In the precinct of Alfred a committee consisting of R. J. Moasley, B. Beason, J. Burnham, William Alley, and J. Betts reported resolutions, which were unanimously adopted, declaring a faithful adher- ence to the laws and the constitution, protesting against a march on San Antonio for the purpose of establishing there a provisional government, condemning "all or any participation in the capture of any garrison or garrisons in Texas at present"; and recommending "union, organization. and moderation." At Caney Creek Robert McNutt and Charles Bach- men were chosen respectively chairman and secretary of the meeting and resolutions were adopted, revealing a somewhat amusing bewilderment as to what the excitement was all about: (1) "Resolved, that we do not deem it necessary to take up arms against the general government with- out first knowing that we are really oppressed. We are desirous to have peace, if we can have it on favorable terms, if not we are willing to defend our rights and liberties." (2) "Resolved, that we will support the constitution and laws of our country." (3) "Resolved, that inas- much as we are satisfied with the government under which we have for- merly lived, we are ready to defend our rights under that government." At Harrisburg Captain John W. Moore presided and Meriweather W. Smith was secretary of the meeting. Dr. David Gallaher, Edward Wray, Nathaniel J. Dobie, Thomas A. S. Pratt, Isaac Batterson, and the chair- man and secretary were appointed to draft resolutions. After a stirring speech by the secretary, reviewing the encroachments of Santa Anna upon the constitution, the meeting recessed until 5 o'clock for the committee to prepare the resolutions. These declared that the colonists had been invited to Texas by the free people of Mexico to participate in their rights and liberties, guaranteed by the federal constitution. Trusting in this charter of rights and taking an oath to support it, the Texans . accepted the invitation. They believed that the constitution was being violated, and considered it their duty to sustain its principles. In the performance of this duty it was resolved that citizens who left Texas to avoid participating in "this, her struggle," should forfeit their property for the public good; and that foreigners who volunteered and served dur- ing the struggle should be rewarded with 1,000 acres of lands. The chairman and secretary and Dr. G. M. Patrick were then chosen to act as a committee of correspondence and the meeting adjourned.
John Henry Brown gives in his history of Texas an account of a meeting held at William Millican's gin house on July 17 by the settlers along the Navidad and Lavaca rivers, which adopted resolutions some- what similar to those of the Harrisburg meeting. In his summary of the proceedings Brown says that the people unanimously declared "Their belief that Santa Anna was hostile to state sovereignty and the state constitution : That they would oppose any force that might be introduced into Texas for any other than constitutional purposes: That, whereas,
125
HISTORY OF TEXAS
there were then at Goliad two hundred infantry en route to reinforce the garrison at Bexar (as promised by Cos in his letter to Tenorio), they called upon the political chief to intercept them, and as a greater guaranty against invasion, to take the necessary steps to capture and hold Bexar. That they favored a general consultation of delegates from all the muni- cipalities of Texas. They concluded by calling on the militia to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning, which the militia did, as was proven by the alacrity with which, when the emergency arrived, the companies of Captains Alley and Sutherland marched to the seat of war at Gonzales and San Antonio de Bexar."
At Nacogdoches a meeting was held on July 19, Col. Frost Thorne in the chair and Col. Thomas J. Rusk acting as secretary. A resolution was unanimously adopted asking the political chief to call a meeting of his department for the purpose of adopting measures for acting in unison with other parts of the province, and a committee of vigilance and correspondence was appointed consisting of John Forbes, George Pollitt, Thomas J. Rusk, Frost Thorne and J. Logan. In writing of this meeting on the 21st, Forbes said: "Notwithstanding the efforts of a few tories here who are untiring in their efforts in misrepresenting matters and keeping back expression of the people's sentiments, the Red Landers will not be a whit behind the people of the Brassos and other parts of Texas in the maintenance of their liberty and rights, and will stand shoulder to shoulder in the defence of the republican institutions and support of the laws of their adopted country."
On August 8 the citizens of San Jacinto community held a meeting. Capt. William Scott was chairman and David B. Macomb, secretary. A committee on resolutions was appointed to "express the sense of this meeting in relation to the present condition of the country and the propriety of calling a general convention as soon as practicable." David G. Burnet was chairman of this committee and the very able and con- servative resolutions which were adopted by the meeting were chiefly his work. Other members of the committee were James Ruth, Philip Singleton, Doctor Gallaher and David B. Macomb. The tone of the resolutions is represented in the following :
"Confiding in the correctness of the information we have re- ceived from the various quarters, we consider the federal republican government of the Mexican United States as subverted, dissolved. annihilated ; and that the allegiance of every citizen to that govern- ment is, necessarily, absolved and of no more political or moral obligation.
"Although we consider it premature to pronounce definitely upon the new government, established or to be established, at the City of Mexico, because the particular constitution of that government has not been made known to us, we are ready now and at all times to declare our utter abhorrence of any government that is purely mili- tary in its character ; and are now and at all times ready to resist the imposition of such a government with all the means and all the energies that Providence has conferred upon us.
"We nevertheless entertain a cheering confidence in the dis- tinguished leading citizens of our adopted country that they will not
126
HISTORY OF TEXAS
permit the land of their birth and their affections to lose the dear bought benefits of so many revolutions, by one inglorious revolu- tion retrograde by a sudden transition from light to darkness, from liberty to despotism. That they will organize a system of govern- ment in accordance with the spirit of the 19th century ; a govern- ment based upon wise and equitable laws, with such a distribution of the three cardinal powers as will assure to each individual all the guarantees necessary to rational political liberty.
"We have marked with surprise a disposition to attribute the late movements of the general government to a recent reported specula- tion in the lands of Texas, and to charge the speculators as the authors of the present disquietude. That we reprobate all nefarious and fraudulent speculations in the public domain as warmly as any portion of our fellow-citizens can do; but we can procure only a short-sighted puerility in attributing radical changes in the govern- ment of Mexico to the intrigues of a few speculators in the town of Monclova.
"We deem it altogether inexpedient and highly injurious to court a contest with the government of Mexico. That we have always considered and do still consider the aggregate Mexican Nation the rightful sovereign of the territory we occupy-That nothing short of an absolute determinate violation of those essential, sacred and imprescriptible rights which pertain to us as members of society should induce the Anglo-American citizens of Texas to abstract themselves and the noble soil which the Mexican nation has so liberally conceded to them from the sovereignty of that nation.
"That the dissolution of a government does not of necessity requisite that the constituent parts of the nation should separate finally. That the abstract right to do a thing does not always ren- der the doing of it wise or commendable. That although the citizens of Texas may have the political right to reject the new government of Mexico, and to adopt one more consonant to their habits and feelings, we do very seriously question the policy of doing so, un- less constrained by imperious circumstances, such as, we trust, do not and will not exist. That as adopted citizens, we ought to exer- cise even our absolute rights with some diffidence, and with a peculiar regard to the moral obligations that may rest upon us.
"That inasmuch as it is impracticable for a people so dispersed as are the people of Texas to act collectively and in unison in any public exigency requiring deliberation and interchange of opinions. we conceive it expedient that a convention to consist of two dele- gates from each precinct be elected, and to assemble with all con- venient expedition at the Town of San Felipe de Austin, or some other convenient point, to confer on the state of public affairs to devise and carry into execution such measures as may be necessary to preserve good order, and the due administration of the laws; to collect and distribute information relative to the nature and the operation of the new government of Mexico; to communicate with the authorities of that government ; and to adopt and to carry into execution such ultimate measures as in their wisdom may seem
127
HISTORY OF TEXAS
meet and proper ; and conducive to the substantial, permanent wel- fare of Texas. Strictly enjoining it upon each and all of the dele- gates so to be convened, to preserve by all possible means, compatible with the character of a free people, the peace of Texas and the unity of the Mexican nation."
In The Texas Republican of July 25 there appeared a notice signed by William H. Wharton, W. H. Bynum, W. D. C. Hall, A. Calvit, S. Whiting. P. Bertrand, W. T. Austin, and W. G. Hill calling a meeting at Columbia on July 30 to express the sentiments of the people "in regard to the importance of having a convention of all Texas, through her repre- sentatives, for the purpose of restoring peace and confidence." The issue of this paper for August 8 says that the meeting of the 30th dis- solved without doing anything, and that another meeting was to be held on August 15 for the purpose of calling the convention. Mosely Baker and Johnson attended the meeting of the 30th. The majority of those present were of the peace party, headed by the most influential men in the jurisdiction. Fearing the unfavorable action of this meeting, John- son, an intimate and personal friend of Josiah H. Bell, held a long con- versation with him, urging harmony of action, and suggested that no definite action should be taken, and that the meeting should adjourn to meet on a day named in August. To this Bell consented, and said he would consult his friends. We were advised by him that his friends, the heads of his party, had consented ; whereupon Wm. H. Wharton of the war party, was selected to address the meeting. Then adjournment was taken to a day in August. Thus an important point was gained.
Baker and Johnson were selected by their friends to visit East Texas and solicit the people to unite with the party in Austin's colony and endorse the proceedings held at San Felipe in June. With this arrange- ment and understanding, Baker and Johnson, a few days after, set for- ward for Nacogdoches. On their arrival they met, at the house of J. K. and A. C. Allen, General Sam Houston and Thomas J. Rusk, the latter having but recently arrived in Texas. This was the first time that Johnson had seen Houston and Rusk. All were alike anxious to hear the news of the two sections of Texas. Baker and Johnson gave them an account of what had been and was being done by the people in that section. General Houston replied that they were, with but few excep- tions, submissionists ; that he had left San Augustine but a few days be- fore where a public meeting had been held to consider the state of the country. That he had attempted to address the meeting and that he had been literally hissed down! That the people of Nacogdoches, and the jurisdiction generally, entertained a like feeling, and were submis- sionists. Baker and Johnson informed him and Rusk of their object in visiting East Texas. They were both of opinion that the time was inauspicious ; that the people must be made to understand the true situa- tion of public affairs, and to choose between submission or resistance to the usurpations of Santa Anna and the general congress. Discouraging as this news was, Johnson did not despair of rousing the people to a proper sense of the dangers by which they were threatened and to their duty. He had influential acquaintances and friends in Nacogdoches and San Augustine. On parting with these gentlemen, General Houston
128
HISTORY OF TEXAS
said to Baker and Johnson that he was with them in feeling, and would do what he could to assist them to the utmost of his ability.
The next morning, at an early hour. Johnson called upon his old friend, Major John S. Roberts, who at the time was engaged in the mercantile business with Henry Rueg, political chief of the department of Nacogdoches. After a warm greeting, Johnson informed him of the object of his, and his friend Baker's visit to that section, and gave a full account of what had been done in Austin's colony. He said the people of that section, owing to the contradictory reports, were in doubt as to what they should do, and determined to remain quiet until better informed of the true state of public affairs ; but for one, he said he was with the war party of Austin's colony ; and that he believed that when the people of the East were made acquainted with the action in that colony, which was considered the head and center of Texas, there would be no difficulty in uniting the people of that section. Johnson then enquired of him what view the political chief took of the situation. He answered that the chief was all right, that he was a firm supporter of the constitution of 1824, and opposed to the change being attempted by Santa Anna and his congress. Johnson then requested him to say to the chief that he desired an interview at the earliest time that would suit his convenience. Soon after breakfast Major Roberts called upon Johnson and informed him that the chief was ready to receive him ; whereupon they proceeded together to the office of the chief, to whom Johnson was introduced. Johnson explained what had occurred in the West, discussed the course and policy of Santa Anna, and concluded by suggesting the call of a public meeting of the municipality of Nacog- doches, which he approved. It was then agreed that a move should be made to call a meeting on the following day. Baker and Johnson then called upon Colonel Frost Thorn, Major John Forbes, and other in- fluential men of the place who heartily approved of the call and went actively to work.
In the evening of the day fixed for the meeting a large number of the citizens assembled at the "Old Stone House" and organized. By request. General Houston addressed the meeting, in an able and eloquent speech, recounting the wrongs Texas had suffered and was suffering at the hands of the federal government, during the delivery of which he was frequently cheered. At the conclusion of his speech, a preamble and resolutions, which had been previously prepared, were read, and on motion were unanimously adopted-Rusk not voting. A committee was appointed to visit San Augustine and present to the people of that municipality a copy of this preamble and resolutions and invite them to unite with their fellow-citizens of Nacogdoches and Austin.
A copy of these resolutions preserved in the Austin Papers of the University of Texas show that this meeting was held at Teal's Tavern on August 15, with James Bradshaw in the chair and William G. Logan acting as secretary. The resolutions, which were presented by Solomon R. Peck, were preceded by a preamble, stating the compact theory of government. Governments were declared to be "designed for the rational control of human actions and for the preservation of human rights ; when these objects are disregarded or abused the ends of association are dis-
129
HISTORY OF TEXAS
appointed, and the compact is virtually dissolved." A state of nature resulted from this dissolution and men might then form a new associa- tion to secure the "unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the enjoyment of property." The federal constitution constituted such a compact, to which the colonists became a party when they came to Texas. It had now been destroyed by numerous abuses, which they enumerated, and the Texans must take measures to preserve it from anarchy. James Bradshaw, General Houston, Colonel Thomas J. Rusk, and Colonel Rich- ard Sparks were appointed to treat with the various tribes of Indians in Texas, "according to the promises made to them by the Mexican government, and whatever else they may deem proper to do the Indians justice and preserve peace with them." Persons who should flee from the country in the event of invasion were declared unworthy "to enjoy the rights of citizenship or hold any property in the country." Though they viewed war "in no other light than that of a most fearful scourge," and though it would be their steady aim to preserve peace while war could be avoided, the people of East Texas were opposed to despotism and monarchy and would sustain their brethren of the exposed parts of Texas should they be invaded by an armed force. They thought that a general convention of all Texas should be assembled without delay, and on motion of General Houston the ayuntamiento of San Felipe was requested to call it.
The committee proceeded to San Augustine and made known their object. After a public meeting was called, to which, on organizing, the action of the meeting at Nacogdoches was read and approved, a pre- amble and resolutions of approval were unanimously adopted, and the people pledged to the support of their fellow citizens of East and West Texas. Thus was the mission of Baker and Johnson successful, and all that their friends could wish.
The tone of most of the public meetings just described is very similar. They declared loyalty to the constitution and laws, called for the organ- ization of the militia, suggested a convention, and urged steps to con- vince the authorities of their fidelity to the country. The suspicion may occur to the reader that, since the constitution was already practically set aside by Santa Anna, professions of loyalty to it were little short . of declarations of independence, but a careful study of the available evidence leads to the conclusion that the majority of the colonists were anxious to avoid trouble, and would have welcomed a continuance of peaceable relations with Mexico on terms that secured them from the abuses of a military occupation. While the organization of the militia and the collection of munitions undoubtedly looked toward organization for defense from Mexico, they were needed for protection from the Indians, and defensive preparations were by no means inconsistent with sincere desire for peace. The convention was highly desirable in any event to enable the Texans to settle upon a definite policy. The meet- ings at Harrisburg, Navidad, and Nacogdoches show little of this spirit of hesitation, but it is clear from Johnson's narrative that much the larger element in the population of East Texas was really indifferent. The San Jacinto resolutions, on the other hand, framed by David G. VOL. 1-9
130
HISTORY OF TEXAS
Burnet, plainly urged acceptance of any government that guaranteed the country from oppression.
In the meantime the war party had begun the expedition against Anahuac and had induced Dr. I. B. Miller, the political chief, to issue his proclamation calling for volunteers to capture San Antonio and to march to the rescue of the governor. The peace party rallied quickly, however, and most of the public meetings of June, July and early August were dominated by it. The Columbia meeting of June 23 declined to take action until a more general expression of the public will could be obtained, and the meeting of June 28, which became the model for most of the other meetings down to the middle of August, condemned aggres- sive movements and urged the political chief to exert his strongest in- fluence to tranquilize the people and to convince the Mexican authorities that the Texans were loyal.
A special committee placed the resolutions of this meeting before Miller on July 3, and he declared himself in cordial agreement with all of them, except the recommendation to open correspondence with Ugartechea and Cos. The fact is that Miller had already written a letter to Cos the day before, explaining the interception of the courier at San Felipe on June 21 and the resultant attack on Anahuac. The people had been excited, he said, "by an apprehension that the general government, being misinformed as to the loyalty of the people of Texas," was "dis- posed to pursue a course of rigor towards us which would be extremely unfortunate." To show, however, the loyal feeling of a large majority of the people of the department he enclosed a copy of the proceedings of the Columbia meeting of June 28. In closing, he assured Cos that he would exert all his powers to preserve the public order and tranquility. For some reason Miller did not forward this letter after it was written. and it was not until July 20 that it was translated by Edward Gritten and despatched to Cos.
The committee's request that Miller try to quiet the fears of the people was more immediately complied with, and on July 10 he pub- lish a proclamation to the inhabitants of the Department of Brazos, in which he says :
"I deem it my duty as the highest constitutional officer of the department to call upon you in the name of the constitution and laws of the land which we have sworn to support, to remain quiet and tranquil. In the present condition of our country, it is alike im- portant to the common safety of all that no other orders should be obeyed but those issuing from the proper officers and that no movement should be made but a common one, in a common cause. I have therefore thought proper to issue this proclamation, com- manding and exhorting all the good citizens of this department to remain strictly obedient to the constitution and laws of the land and to engage in no popular excitement not expressly authorized by this Chieftaincy."
Some days later-the document is undated, but it was probably issued toward the end of July-Miller wrote for the public a full explana- tion of the causes that had led to his hasty proclamation of June 21 (quoted in preceding chapter). He was evidently convinced that he
131
HISTORY OF TEXAS
had been alarmed by "unfounded rumors" and his explanation can hardly have failed to have a tranquillizing effect upon the people.
"During the late excitement at an early period I received orders as the politial chief from the governor of the state, to proceed with men and arms to his rescue. At that time also it was reported that besides the arrest of the governor and others, an army of some thou- sand men were then marching to Texas for its subjugation. This request from the governor of the state, and very unpleasant reports of the day, had the same effects on myself that they had on the people generally. We were all overwhelmed with surprise, and for a moment lent an ear to unfounded rumors. In this state of things and in obedience of the legal head of the state, and in obedience to the earnest protestations of a number of influential citizens around me, I proceeded to call on the people to come forward at the request of the governor. It was not designed by me to proceed to any hostile measures ; my inclination was to obey orders, or if reports proved true, defend ourselves. * *
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.