Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/353

 to the heart like the sunshine is to our eyes. We will feel joy and gladness. Sorrow will no longer fill our hearts. The noise of an enemy will not be near us; and there will be none to make us afraid. The voices of our women and children will be gladness. They will be heard, cheerful as the song of birds, which sing in the green woods of summer.

The sleep of your people will not be disturbed. The hunter will not be alarmed in his camp. When our people meet their red brothers they will grasp them by the hand as friends.and they will no more remember their sorrows.

I will send good agents and jacks, or we will buy your sheep and goats, if you should bring any to our trading-houses.

I have sent for fine lances, to make presents to the chiefs who are most friendly, and I will send them by the agents in October, or I will send for the chiefs and with my own hand I will present them. I hope one chief of each (at least) will come to see me so soon as the treaty is over. My councilors will show the way to my house.

Come, and no harm shall fall upon you, but you shall return to your people with presents and happy. You may rely upon my words—they are not false—nor will I let harm trouble you as it did at Bexar. These sorrows must be forgotten. The thoughts of them only make the heart sad. Sorrow can not bring back our friends. Let peace now be made, that we may lose no more, and trouble will not come upon us. Let the wild brothers who love the prairies go to you who will give you my talk, and when you may wish it, they will send your talks to me. My ears will be open to your words. My heart will be warm toward you and your people.

If my people act badly toward your people, I will punish them. Our laws have given to the head chief of Texas a right to do so. If your people do wrong to us, they must be punished. I will keep our people from stealing from you, and you must not let your people steal from ours.

Bad men who are our enemies must be looked upon by you as enemies. You will be our neighbors and friends, and those who would injure us would do you wrong likewise. Let no Indians trouble our frontier and we will make you presents as brothers. When we know that you are our friends, we will sell you arms, powder, and lead to kill game. We will buy your skins, your mules, horses, and hunt buffalo, and those who have houses build them, and plant corn in their own fields. While they remain friends I will keep trouble and sorrow far from them. Their women and children shall not weep for the loss of warriors or friends in battle.

The Great Spirit will be kind to all people who love peace. Let all the Red Brothers listen to their chiefs when they counsel to speak peace!

Your brother, To the Chief of the Border Tribes.

, March 5, 1843.


 * —Your talk came to me. I read it and was happy! I remembered other days. Our words came back to my thoughts. We spoke