Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/332

 In augmenting and securing permanently these blessings to the country I confidently rely upon your intelligent and patriotic co-operation. I rejoice that you have it in your power to aid the Executive in pursuing such a policy and perfecting such measures as may redound to our present and future prosperity.

At the commencement of the present administration, as all will recollect, the country was in a troubled and embarrassed condition. Our relations with Mexico were of the most annoying, hostile, and unpleasant character. No prospect of an amicable adjustment of existing difficulties appeared. Hundreds of our citizens were prisoners, and in chains; our navy was subsidized to a revolutionary portion of that country, and the enemy meditating and making incursions within our limits, and executing every annoyance upon our border inhabitants. As a nation, we were without a currency, without credit at home or abroad, and without mails to disseminate intelligence. Our resources could not be rendered available, and by this chain of untoward circumstances our citizens were despondent as to the future; and those governments with which friendly relations had been established regarded our condition with apathy. We seemed to stand surrounded with difficulties, and without power or expedients to redeem us from the thralldom.

"In addition to all this, the various Indian tribes upon our frontier, extending I from the Red River to the Rio Grande, were hostile. Their frequent inroads upon our adventurous and enterprising settlers had been attended with many melancholy scenes of blood. The husband and the father being dead in the field which his industry had opened, and his wife and children carried into a cruel captivity, were almost daily occurrences in our border neighborhoods. There was not a cent in the coffers of the Government, whereby it might afford relief to our people thus exposed and suffering.

These circumstances naturally deterred emigration, and spread abroad distrust in the minds of the public as to the willingness of the Government to afford protection which the condition of the frontiers so imperiously demanded. This want of confidence deprived us of many a strong arm for the sword or the plough, and prevented the introduction of capital so necessary to the speedy development and increase of our national wealth.

Our situation is now different. For more than a year past we have experienced no annoyance from our Mexican adversary. The great powers which have recognized our independence have evinced by their endeavors to bring about a friendly and permanent adjustment of our difficulties with Mexico the most lively and efficient solicitude.

In accordance with the desire of this Government, made known to the Governments of the United States, France, and Greht Britain, that they should so far inter[)ose as to prevent the mode of aggression practiced against us by Mexico as being repugnant to the genius of the age; they have given us the kindest assurances that they would employ their good offices in a manner consistent with the friendly relations in which they stood to the contending parties; and, if possible, by changing the mode of warfare waged by Mexico, divest it of many characteristics incompatible with the practice of civilized belligerents.

The uniformly active and friendly offices which Her Britannic Majesty's Government has, at the earnest request of this, interposed between Texas and Mexico can not fail to be regarded as highly gratifying evidence of its generous and friendly disposition, and of a sincere and disinterested desire to produce