Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/806

 796 E. C. Barker in arranging a boundar_v, to inform him, so that " we may proceed to make one ourselves, making the necessary notification through you that we will run the line and take possession of Nachedoges " [Nacogdoches]. On February 6, 1834, Butler wrote with an injured air that the President had said " that it zcas a matter of no consequence to the gov't hozv the money zvas disbursed", and he certainly did think himself justified in believing that he was authorized to act at dis- cretion. He was convinced that the negotiation could onlv be com- pleted by bribery, " or by presents if the term is more appropriate ". A month later he wrote (March 7) that there was no hope of gain- ing Texas without taking forcible possession of that part which already belonged to the United States. " If you will withdraw me from this place and make the movement to possess that part of Texas which is ours, placing me at the head of the country to be occupied, I will pledge my head that we have all we desire in less than six months without a blow and for the price we are willing to pay for it." It was for Jackson's glory, he added, that he wished to see this done. On this letter the president wrote the following endorsement : " A. Butler What a scamp. Carefully read. The Secretary of State will reiterate his instructions to ask an extension of the treaty for running boundary line, and then recal him, or if he has reed his former instructions and the Mexican Gov't has re- fused, to recal him at once." Butler continued to hold out hope, however, and did not re- turn to the United States until the middle of 1835, and then he came on leave. On June 6, 1834, he wrote that if he could have just one hour's conversation with the President he was sure that he could return to Mexico " with the prospect of being much more useful ". On November 21 he wrote that Santa Anna had asked him to suggest some way for his government to obtain money, and he had done so. Santa Anna then said that he would send Alaman to talk it over. From this Butler inferred that Alaman would soon hold the portfolio of foreign affairs, and from that gentleman, he said, " we may expect to gain all we have a right to ask ". The subject was already " understood " between them. On December 24 he wrote that Senor de Estrada was minister of foreign relations, Gutierrez minister of State, and Alaman was in Congress. With this combination he thought our prospects ver}- bright. In June, 1835, Butler was in Washington for a personal inter- view with the President. The time had at last arrived, he said.