Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/551

Rh which make it evident that they were particularly designed to further the gigantic land conspiracy conducted there by Judge Watrous, and to furnish additional resources of power in the execution of their plans. We find this confederate of Judge Watrous securing the only bank charter in Texas. The mother bank was established at Galveston, Judge Watrous' home, and its president was Samuel M. Williams, whose name has been prominently brought forward in the late investigation into Judge Watrous' conduct in connection with the La Vega eleven-league grant; also with the grant in the Ufford and Dykes suit, and with the forged power of attorney introduced into both these suits.

Further: we find that, simultaneous with the institution of the Cavazos suit (which involved an immense amount of property—an embryo city, a port of entry, numerous villages, and valuable government improvements—and in which Judge Watrous' conduct was charged to have been fraudulent and corrupt), a branch bank is established at Brownsville, which is included in the Cavazos grant. Of this branch bank, Reynolds, one of the land company, and its active agent, is appointed manager or president. He appears to have entered into these banking operations with great spirit, judging from his letters in relation to the affairs of the land company, in which he speaks of importing "trunks full" of notes, and adverts to the lands on the Rio Grande, where his bank was located, as "an empire worth fighting for." I will read extracts from these letters, as they throw light on the general subject, which may be instructive. ", November 14, 1847. ":— The first plate is done, and the second is under full way. We had a very pleasant time when Klemm and McMillen were here. Mr. Williams, with whom you have become acquainted, was here, and we had a supper at Delmonico's. Johnson was with us, also Lake and Judge Watrous. Mr. Lake is hurrying like Jehu, and says we must be off, so that you, Mc., and I, shall leave New Orleans by the 10th. I am not half ready to leave, but suppose I shall be tumbled off with a trunk full. "Yours truly,

"To ." ", May 6, 1847 ":—I shall endeavor to leave here for Philadelphia on Monday next. I am extremely anxious to see you; and Mr. Phalen, the president of our association, has business in Baltimore—he will leave on Saturday—so that on his return through your city we may all have an interview together.

"I send you a map of our survey on the Rio Grande—an empire worth fighting for.

It may be easily understood what service these bubble banks might perform, or might be expected to perform, in furnishing resources of power to the land company, and particularly in a small community like that of Brownsville. No exertion of power, or resort of ingenuity, seems to have been left untried by the conspirators to compass their infamous ends.

A United States judge was secured as a confederate; attorneys were imported into the country to give vigor to the speculation; and banks were established to subserve the ends of the conspiracy. All the transactions of different members of the company seem to have been "part of one stupendous whole," banded in