Life and select literary remains of Sam Houston of Texas/Part 2
PART II.
INDIAN TALKS.
TALK TO BORDER CHIEFS.
City of Houston, July 6, 1842
To the Chiefs of the Border Tribes:
MY FRIENDS: — The path between us has been red, and the blood of our people remains on the ground. Trouble has been upon us. Our people have sorrowed for their kindred who have been slain. The red men have come upon us, and have slain and taken some of our people. We found them and slew them, and have their women and children. They are with us and are kindly treated. Our people by you have been sold; and those with you are held in suffering. This is all bad, and trouble must be while we are at war.
I learn that the red friends want peace; and our hand is now white, and shall not be stained with blood. Let our red brothers say this, and we will smoke the pipe of peace. Chiefs should make peace. I send counselors to give my talk. Listen to them. They will tell you the truth. Wise chiefs will open their ears and hear — you shall have peace; and your people who are prisoners shall be given up to you on the Brazos, when the council shall meet there. You must bring all the prisoners which you have of ours.
You shall trade with our people at new trading-houses, and no harm shall be done to you or your people. If you are friendly and keep peace with us, your women and children shall not be harmed. You shall come to our council-house, and no one shall raise a hand against you. Let the tomahawk be buried, and let the pipe of peace be handed round council of friends. I will not forget this talk — nor my people.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
LETTER TO CHIEF OF THE APACHES.
City of Houston, September 1, 1842
My Brother: — We are far from each other; we have not shaken hands. I have heard from you. The message was peace and friendship. With your son Antonio I send my friends, Dr. Cottle and Dr. Tower, with my talk. They will make it to you.
If you can come to see me, I will make the path between us white, and it shall remain open. There is no blood between us. We have had no wars; your enemies are our enemies. They will not keep friendship with us; they will not tell the truth. When we shake hands we will become friends. Our friendship shall not cease. We will be friends when people around us are not at war. The tomahawk shall never be raised between us.
You and your friends shall trade with our people, and you shall buy from us such things as you need, and our price shall not be great. We will buy from you your furs, your horses, your silver and gold. Treat my friends as brothers, and we will treat you likewise when you come to see us. We shall then write down a treaty which shall not wear out, but shall remain with our children, that they may know their fathers had shaken hands and smoked together the pipe of peace.
I hope the Great Spirit may give light to your path, and the clouds of sorrow never rest upon your journey of life.
Thy brother, Sam Houston.
LETTER TO CASTRO AND FLACO.
City of Houston, September 1, 1842
To Castro and Flaco:
My Brothers:—I send to you Drs. Tower and Cottle, on their way to the Apache nation. Antonio, an Apache, is with them. They want you to send some of your people with them. I hope you will do so; and if they want horses, I wish you would let them have good ones for them to ride. I will make presents to the Lipans who may go with my agents to the Apache nation.
I am your brother, Sam Houston.
LETTER TO RED BEAR AND OTHER CHIEFS.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, October 18, 1842. |
To the Red Bear and Chiefs of the Council:
My Brothers:—The path between us is open; it has become white. We wish it to remain open, and that it shall no more be stained with blood. The last Council took brush out of oiar way. Clouds hang no longer over us, but the sun gives light to our footsteps. Darkness is taken away from us, and we can look at each other as friends. I send councilors with my talk. They will give it to you. Hear it, and remember my words. I have never opened my lips to tell a red brother a lie. My red brothers, who know me, will tell you that my counsel has always been for peace; that I have eaten bread and drank water with the red men. They listened to my words and were not troubled. A bad chief came in my place, and told them lies and did them much harm. His counsel was listened to, and the people did evil. His counsel is no more heard, and the people love peace with their red brothers. You, too, love peace; and you wish to kill the buffalo for your women and children. There are many in Texas, and we wish you to enjoy them. We are willing that your women and children should be free from harm.
Your Great Father, and ours of the United States, wishes the red men and the people of Texas to be brothers. He has written to me, and told me that you wanted peace, and would keep it. Because peace is good, we have listened to him. You, too, have heard his wishes, and you know the wishes of our red brothers on the Arkansas. Let us be like brothers, and bury the tomahawk forever.
Bad men make trouble: they can not be at peace; but when the water is clear they will disturb it and make it muddy. The Mexicans have lately come to San Antonio and brought war with them; they killed some of our people, and we killed and wounded many of them. We drove them out of the country; they fled in sorrow. If they come back again they shall no more leave our country, or it will be after they have been taken prisoners. Their coming has disturbed us; and for that reason I can not go to the Council to meet you, as I had intended. But my friends that I send to you will tell you all things, and make a treaty with you that I will look upon and rejoice at. You will counsel together. They will bring me all the words that you speak to them. The Great Spirit will hear the words that I speak to you, and«Hewill know the truth of the words that you send to me. When truth is spoken His countenance will rejoice; but before him who speaketh lies, the Great Spirit will place darkness, and will not give light to his going. Let all the red men make peace; let no man injure his brother; let us meet every year in council, that we may know the heart of each other. I wish some of the chiefs of my red brothers to come and see me at Washington. They shall come in peace, and none shall make them afraid.
The messenger from the Oueen of England and the messenger from the United States are both in Texas, and will be in Washington, if thy are not sick. They will be happy to see my brothers. If the Dig Mush is in council he has not forgotten my words; and he knows my counsel was always that of a brother; and that I never deceived my red brothers, the Cherokees. They had much trouble and sorrow brought upon them, but it was done by chiefs whose counsel was wicked, and I was far off and could not hinder the mischief that was brought upon his people. Our great council is to meet within one moon and I will send a talk to our agent at the trad ing-house, who will send it to my red brothers.
Let the war-whoop be no more heard in our prairies—let songs of joy be heard upon our hills. In our valleys let there be laughter and in our wigwams let the voices of our women and children be heard—let trouble be taken away far from us; and when our warriors meet together, let them smoke the pipe of peace and be happy.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
TALK TO BORDER CHIEFS.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, February 13, 1843. |
Brothers: —The great rains, like your sorrows, I hope have passed away, and the sun is again shining upon us. When we all make peace, it will be 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, Sam Houston.
To the Chief of the Border Tribes.
LETTER TO INDIAN CHIEF LINNEY.
Washington, March 5, 1843.
My Brother: —Your talk came to me. I read it and was happy! I remembered other days. Our words came back to my thoughts. We spoke to each other face to face. Our hearts were open to each other. Words of kindness entered into them and gave light to our countenances. When we talked together, our people were in our thoughts, and we remembered the women and children of our nations,—you have kept your words, nor have I forgotten mine. You wish to raise corn in our country, and to be our friends. I know that you and our Delaware brothers are good men and will not use crooked ways with your friends. I have written to our commissioners and told them to let the Shawnees, Delawares, and Kickapoos settle on the waters of the Brazos and raise corn. They will also keep all bad red men from our frontier, or, if any should come, they will treat them as enemies. You will stand by us and keep trouble from our people. If red men come to our settlements or hurt our people when they meet them, the blame may fall upon good red brothers, and cause injury to them and their people. So that our brothers must watch all those whose hearts are not straight and who walk in crooked paths and bushes.
If your people and my friendly brothers should raise corn and live on the Brazos and trade to our trading-houses and receive the talk of our agents, you must get the wild brothers to make peace and keep it. If they do not, you must look upon them as enemies, because they will bring harm upon your people, and this will cause great sorrow and crying with your women and children, and the loss of warriors sinks deep in the hearts of the chiefs and wise men of a nation.
Our traders will buy from you all that you may have to sell, and the horses and mules which you may bring to them will get you all the things which you may wish to buy for your warriors, your women, and children.
The red brothers all know that my words to them have never been forgotten by me. They have never been swallowed up by darkness, nor has the light of the sun consumed them. Truth can not perish, but the words of a liar are as nothing. I wish you to come and we will again shake hands and counsel together. Bring other chiefs with you. Talk to all the red men to make peace. War can not make them happy. It has lasted too long. Let it now be ended and cease forever. Tell all my red brothers to listen to my commissioners, and to walk by the words of my counsel. If they hear me and keep my words, their homes shall be happy—their fires shall burn brightly, and the pipe of peace shall be handed round the hearth of their wigwams. The tomahawk shall no more be raised in war. Nor shall the dog howl for his master who has been slain in battle. Joy shall take the place of sorrow; and the laughing of your children shall be heard in place of the cries of women.Your brother,Sam Houston.
TALK TO VARIOUS BORDER TRIBES.
Executive Department, |
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Washington,March 20, 1843. |
To The Head Chiefs of the Wichetaws, Ionies, Iow-a-ashes, Wacoes, Ta-wack-a-nies, Caddoes, and other Tribes:
Brothers: —I send this talk to you by Gov. Butler, the Agent of our Great Brother, the President of the United States. The words I speak to you are the words of a brother, who has never told his red brothers what was not true.
Between your people and ours there has been war. Trouble has been in the path between us, and it has been stained with blood. While there is war no people can be happy. When the warriors are absent from home their wives and children may be killed by their enemies. If the warriors return with scalps or have stolen horses, it will not bring back their women and children to them. Their wigwams will be desolate, and they will have to kindle new fires, and by them watch for their enemies.
If they make peace, they can rest with their people and be happy. The hunter can kill his buffaloes and the squaws can make corn, and there shall be none to trouble them. We are willing to make a line with you, beyond which our people will not hunt. You shall come to our trading-houses in peace; none shall raise a hand against you, nor make war upon your people. Our traders will have goods such as you may wish to buy, so soon as you have made peace. The goods shall be such as you need, and they will be sold to you cheap. We will have agents to act for you, and see that no one shall do wrong to you.
When you wish to sell our traders horses, mules, peltries, or any other articles, you shall have a good price for them, and you shall not be cheated. You need not doubt the words which I speak to you. If wrong has been done to the red brothers in Texas, it was not done by the chiefs who are now in power. They were bad deeds, and the people condemn them. They are now passed away. It will do us no good to wrong the red brothers. Peace will make the white as well as the red brothers happy. Let us meet in peace and talk together, as men who desire to walk in straight paths. Let the young men of your nations take counsel of their chiefs and wise men. Then they will bring happiness to your people instead of sorrow and trouble.
Our Great Brother, the President of the United States, desires that the chiefs of Texas and the chiefs of the red men should make peace, and bury the tomahawk forever. I will send a councilor to the Grand Council of the Cherokees; and (if you send chiefs there) he will make a treaty that will take out of our path the stain of blood and make it white, that we can walk in it and live as brothers, and he will appoint a great council in Texas. Our Great Brother will look upon us with pleasure, and the Great Spirit will give light to the path in which we walk, and our children will follow our counsel and walk in the path which we have made smooth.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
TO THE LIPANS, IN MEMORY OF FLACO, THEIR CHIEF.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, March 28, 1843. |
To the Memory of Gen. Flaco, Chief of Lipans:
My Brother:—My heart is sad! A dark cloud rests upon your nation. Grief has sounded in your camp. The voice of Flaco is silent. His words are not heard in council. The chief is no more. His life has fled to the Great Spirit. His eyes are closed. His heart no longer leaps at the sight of the buffalo. The voices of your camp are no longer heard to cry; " Flaco has returned from the chase!" Your chiefs look down on the earth and groan in trouble. Your warriors weep. The loud voices of grief are heard from your women and children. The song of birds is silent. The ears of your people hear no pleasant sound. Sorrow whispers in the winds. The noise of the tempest passes. It is not heard. Your hearts are heavy.
The name of Flaco brought joy to all hearts. Joy was on every face. Your people were happy. Flaco is no longer seen in the fight. His voice is no longer heard in battle. The enemy no longer make a path for his glory. His valor is no longer a guard for your people. The right of your nation is broken. Flaco was a friend to his white brothers. They will not forget him. They will remember the red warrior. His father will not be forgotten. We will be kind to the Lipans. Grass shall not grow in the path between us. Let your wise men give the counsel of peace. Let your young men walk in the white path. The gray-headed men of your nation will teach wisdom. I will hold my red brothers by the hand.
Thy brother, Sam Houston.
LETTER TO A-CAH-QUASH, CHIEF, ETC.
Washington, April 19, 1843.
A-cah-quash, Chief of Wacoes, etc.:
My Brother:— It has been represented tome to-day that upwards of two hundred horses have been taken from the Lipans and Toncahuas by some of the wild Indians, said to be a party of Wacoes. They are supposed to be the thirty out at the time my brother was here, and who did not know of the treaty.
As these horses were stolen after my brother had signed the treaty of peace, it is expected that he will see them returned to the Delaware trading-house, so that the Lipans and Toncahuas may get them. On account of the peace the agent prevented the warriors of the Lipans and Toncahuas from pursuing and retaking their horses, and referred the matter to me to say what should be done. I have told them that you would have them returned, for I had all confidence in your words. By returning the horses it will help to make peace with all the red brothers, and the Toncahuas will not wish to fight or ever again eat people; and the Lipans will be at peace forever with the Wacoes and their friends. The Lipans and Toncahuas say if they do not get their horses, that they will make war until they get pay for them. This my brother, the Waco chief, knows. I do not like my red brothers to have war. Let all my red brothers make peace, and keep it.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
TALK TO PAH-HAH-YOU-CO.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, May 4, 1843. |
To Pah-hah-you-co, Comanche Chief, etc.:
My brother: —Our fires have burned far from each other. Your talk has reached me by our Delaware friend, Jim Shaw. My ears were opened to your words—they were words of peace. I have laid them up in my heart. I send you my words by the same friend. With him I send two of my young chiefs. The first is a war-chief. They have eaten bread with me. They have sat by my side. They have learned to love the red brothers. I send them that they may tell you many things. They know the counsel of peace which I have always given. They will speak to you words of truth only.
Chiefs who wish to be friendly should talk to each other. They should know the thoughts of each other, and love peace. Peace will make the red and the white men happy. If we have war our men must perish in battle. They will not return to our feasts, nor will they again sit by the council-fire. Peace will save our warriors from death. They can then kill the buffalo, and their women and children have nothing to fear.
Your people can come to our trading-houses. Such things as your people need, our traders will have to sell to them. You will not have to go to a great distance, but in the midst of your hunting-grounds you can find goods; and the journeys which you make will be in a land where you have buffalo and water. The warmth of the south will give you grass in winter, and you will no longer have to travel to the snows of the north to get your goods. They will buy your horses and your mules, your silver and your gold, and all that you have to sell. When you make peace with us, and we know that you are our friends and there is no more war upon our borders, we will sell you powder and lead, tomahawks, spears, guns, and knives, so that you can kill buffalo enough for your women and children. Friends sell these things to each other, and we can not let you have them till there is peace; and when the path between us has become smooth and all trouble is removed out of it, we will know that you are our friends and not our enemies. When you make peace you can come to see me, and none will do you hurt. Comanche chiefs and other red brothers came to me and made peace, and they returned to their people without harm. Troubles again grew up between our people. Prisoners were taken from each other. Bad traders went amongst you and hurt many of your people. At a council in San Antonio your chiefs were slain. This brought great sorrow upon your nation. The man who counseled to do this bad thing is no longer a chief in Texas. His voice is not heard among the people.
We must forget these sorrows. Our people have bled, and your people have done us much harm. You must do so no more; you have our people prisoners, and your people are amongst us, prisoners likewise. When you and your chiefs come to the council at Bird's Fort on the Trinity, at the full moon in August, and make peace, you must bring all our prisoners, and we will give you your prisoners in return. We have not sold your prisoners, nor have we treated them unkindly. We have looked upon them as our children, and they have not been hungry amongst us. I send you two prisoners, that you may see them, and know that they have been well treated. You must bring all our prisoners to the council; and when peace has been made, and we have become friends forever, we will give you all your prisoners. When you look upon them you will see that the white people have been kind to their red prisoners; and when peace is made no more prisoners will be taken, but the path between us will remain open, and when we meet our red brothers, the Comanches, we will take them by the hand as friends—we will sit by the same fire, and the pipe of peace which I send you by Jim Shaw, shall be smoked. It has been smoked in the council of friends, and the smoke which rose from it showed that the red and white man sat together in peace—that they had made a smooth path between their fires, and had taken away the clouds of trouble from their nations.
Your brother,Sam Houston.
TALK TO VARIOUS BORDER TRIBES OF INDIANS.
To The Head Chiefs of the Wichetaws, Ionies, Iow-a-ashes, Wacoes, Ta-wack-a-nies, Caddoes, Comanches and other Tribes:
My Brothers:—I send this talk to you by the Chief Counselor of my warriors. The words I shall speak to you are the words of a brother, who has never told his red brother what was not true.
Those that I send to you have sat by my side and eaten bread with me. They have learned to love the red brothers. They know the counsels of peace which I have always given. They will tell you of many things which it will be good to hear. They will speak the words of truth only.
Chiefs who wish to be friendly should talk to each other. They should know each other's thoughts and have peace. Peace will make the red and white men happy.
If we have war, our men must perish in battle. They will not return to our feasts, nor sit by our council fires. Peace will save our warriors from death and our women and children from trouble. Then the buffalo can be killed and the wigwams filled with plenty. Hunger and distress will be far away.
When peace is made firm between us, trading-houses will be established and all things that your people need, our traders will have to sell to them. You will not have to go to a great distance, but in the midst of your hunting-grounds you can find land where you will find buffalo and water. The warm sun of the South will give you grass in winter, and no longer will you have to travel to the snows of the North to get your goods. You can sell your horses and your mules—your silver and your gold, and all you have to dispose of, to our traders. When peace is made firm between us, and we know that you are our friends, and there is no more war upon our borders, we will sell you powder and lead, tomahawks, spears, guns, and knives, so that you can kill your game without trouble. Friends only sell these things to each other; and we can not let you have them until we have made a firm and lasting peace. When the path between us is smooth and white, and all trouble removed from our footsteps, we shall then know that you are our friends and not our enemies. When the Great Spirit smiles, clouds and darkness are taken away from our path. When He frowns, war and death and trouble come upon us. Let us listen to the counsels of the old men. Let us live like brothers and be happy.
When the pipe of peace is smoked, you may come to see me, and none will do you harm. The white and the red men will meet as brothers. The Comanches once made peace with me at Houston.
We smoked together, and they returned safely to their people. But a bad chief came in my place, and bad traders went among them and carried trouble with them. At a council in San Antonio many Comanche chiefs were killed by bad men. I was then far away, and did not hear of it till it was over. I was filled with sorrow. My heart was sad. The man who counseled to do this bad thing is no longer a chief in Texas. His voice is no longer heard among the people, and he has no more power to harm the red men.
These things shall no more take place. We must forget our sorrows, and walk together like brothers in the path of peace.
Our people have suffered, and we have done each other much harm. War has been among us; and the white and the red warrior have been killed We have prisoners and your people have prisoners of ours. When we meet in council they shall be exchanged. The white and red prisoners shall all return to their homes, and we will take prisoners no more. When you see the red prisoners they will tell you that they have been well treated. They have not been hurt; and when our prisoners are brought to the council you will find yours there also.
I send m.y war counselor to invite the chiefs of our red brothers in Texas and on the borders, to meet in council at Bird's Fort on the Trinity, at the full moon in August. The chiefs of the white and red men will there sit around the same fire and smoke the pipe of peace. Many of our Delaware, Shawnee, Waco, Caddo, other friends and brothers will be there. They have made peace, and will speak for us.
Our great brother, the President of the United States, is anxious to see peace established between Texas and all the red people. The chiefs he sends to you will say so.
A talk like this has been sent to the Comanches by our Delaware brothers, and white chiefs, who will see them, and invite them to the council.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
Executive Department,
Washington, May 30, 1843.
LETTER TO A-CAH-QUASH.
Trinity River, September 13 1843.
TO: A-Cah-Quash, Waco Chief:
My Brother:— I send you my friend to shake you by the hand, and tell you that my heart is still warm toward you. Col. Eldredge has told me all your good actions, and they are many. Your actions are like the sun — they do not change. My heart is glad, and I hope your path will be sunshine.
I hope to see you, with Luis Sanchez, soon. Col. Eldredge will see that you come in peace and are happy.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
TALK TO PAH-HAH-YUCO.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, December 14, 1843. |
To Pah-hah-yuco, Chief of Comanches:
My Brother:—— Your talk has reached me through the young chiefs that I sent to see you and talk to you about peace. My ears were opened and my heart was very glad. Your words are laid up in my remembrance. I was happy to hear that the little prisoners I sent you arrived safely, and were restored to their family and friends. We have several more which we wish to send home.
My young chiefs were well treated and protected from harm. This was right: it was the conduct of a good friend. Our fires now burn far from each other; but I hope to shake you by the hand and thank you for all this. We are all brothers; the same blood flows in our veins. Let us all, then, be friends. Let us meet and shake hands in the prairies, at the council, and at the trading-houses. Chiefs should love peace, for war brings death and distress upon the people. The warrior is no more seen around the council-fire, and the women and children weep in sorrow. Peace will make all happy; and plenty will fill the tent of every family. The buffalo can be hunted without fear, and the hunter return to his home laden with the fruits of the chase. Peace will enable our traders to sell you whatever you want and buy whatever you have to sell. In the midst of your hunting-grounds you can find goods: and you will not have to go so far as heretofore for what you buy, or to dispose of what you have to sell. At a convenient distance you can find traders who will purchase your mules and your horses, your silver and your gold, your skins, and all things else you have to sell. When we know you are our friends, and a permanent treaty is made, we will sell your people powder, lead, tomahawks, guns, spears, and knives, so that they may hunt and kill game and live happily. Friends only sell these things to each other. When the path between us is made smooth, and all harm to each other moved far away, then we shall know each other to be friends and not enemies. When peace is made you may come to me. and no one shall harm you. Others of my red brothers have come to see me and shake me by the hand, and have returned safely.! The Comanche chiefs came and made a treaty with me at Houston and received presents, and returned to their people without harm. Bad men went amongst you, and brought upon the white and the red men great trouble. But they are no longer heard in our councils. They have no more any power to do harm. The people have put them aside. They were bad men. and killed the Comanche chiefs who came to San Antonio to make peace. They are now gone, and can not do your people any more injury. We must now forget past sorrows, and embrace each other as friends and brothers. I have always been the friend of the red man. The Delawares, Cherokees, and Shawnees will tell you this.
I saw the treaty which Pah-hah-yuco made with my young chief, to do no more harm till the council. This was very good, and my heart was glad. It showed that you would be a friend to the whites and our brother. The council at Bird's Fort and the great rains and high waters, have prevented my young chiefs from meeting you in council; and I send my chiefs, who will give you this, to tell you the reason, and to request you and all your chiefs to attend a council to be held on or near Tahwoccany Creek, about J the full moon in April next. My Great Brother, the President of the United States, has been invited to send some of his chiefs to the council, and see the people of Texas make peace with their red brothers. My Great Brother is anxious for peace, and will see that both the white and red men do right, and injure each other no more.
I hope my good friend Pah-hah-yuco and the chiefs of the several bands of the Comanches and Kiaways, will be present a' the council on Tahwoccany Creek at the time appointed. I hope, also, that they will send runners and invite' each other to the council, that all may be there to make peace, that there may be no more war and distress between the white and red man, and that the traders may furnish all the several bands with goods. The prisoners we have of your people will be at the council, and when our people among you are given up, they will all be restored to their kindred and friends, and be happy. The little prisoners I sent you are pledges of my sincerity. I never told a red brother a lie. Bring all our prisoners, and all yours shall be given up as soon as a peace is made. When you see them you will say that they have been well treated. They have not been hurt. The white people have been kind to the red prisoners. When peace is made no more prisoners shall be taken. The white and the red man will meet and shake hands, and sit around the same fire and smoke the pipe as friends and brothers. There will be none to make them afraid.
Come with your chiefs to the council; and those I send to speak to you will be your friends, and will speak nothing but truth and peace.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
LETTER TO A-CAH-QUASH.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, December 14, 1843. |
To A-cah-quash, Chief of Wacoes, etc.:
My Brother:—— I have heard of you in the prairies. I was rejoiced. My friends told me that you yet walked in the white path. Your words came to me by the lean captain [Gen. Geo. W. Terrell]. My heart is warm toward my friends. I will never forget that you were amongst the first to walk in the path between the red and the white man. To let you know that you are not forgotten, and that I hold the friendly chief of the red men near my heart, I send you presents. Our nation is yet young, but will make us rich, and then I will send many presents to our red brothers. At the council at Tahwoccany Creek in April next, I will send you a new pipe that I have had made at a great distance from here. It will be a pipe of peace. You will smoke it with our red friends at the council; and if I can not be there to meet you, you must come to see me, and we will smoke at my own fire-side. I will look for the great chiefs of the different bands. If they come to see me they shall not go away hungry.
I will expect you to go and stay with my friends till they go to the Comanches, and stay with them till the council.
I hope the Great Spirit will smile upon you and preserve you, and give many blessings to my red brothers.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
TALK TO KECHI CHIEF.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, December 21, 1843. |
To Sah-had-duck, Chief of the Kechies:
My Brother:—— My ears are always open to the voices of my red brothers. When they speak I hear them. You have brought a talk from the Comanches. I am ready to hear it. I will send by you a talk back to them. It shall be a talk of peace.
If you wish to come and see me and the chiefs of this nation in council, they are here. The white chief who takes you this talk will show you and your friends the way to my house, or he will send a friend that will bring you in a safe path. A-cah-quash and other chiefs have been here with us. They know that we are kind to our red brothers. When you come to see us you will find our hearts open. We do not shut our doors against our friends. Blood has been taken out of our path; and when you come to see me, you will find the path white. The feet of all good men go in a straight path.
When you shall have come to see me, I will send men with you who will see you safe back to your hunting-grounds, with talks of friendship to the Comanches and all our red brothers. If the red brothers should wish to come down with you to see me, you may tell them to bring their peltries and trade, if they wish to do so.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
TALK TO SAH-SAH-RO-KE, KECHI CHIEF.
Executive Department, |
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Washington, January 31, 1844. |
My Brother:—— You started to hunt the white path of peace—you found and walked in it amongst white people, until you came to my house. You found the talk which I sent you true. You saw the great council of your white brothers, and you know they intend to have peace. As the chief of all this nation, I wish to make peace with all the red brothers. I have spoken to you, and you know what my words are. The talk which you brought from the Comanches and other red people is good. My ears were open to hear it, and my heart rejoiced that there was to be no more blood in the path between us. You will now turn your face to the Comanches and Kiaways and to all the red people. You will take the words of the chief of Texas with you. Their ears will be open, and they will listen to what you have to say to them.
You will tell them what I have said about peace and the words which 1 have spoken about prisoners. If ours are brought, they shall have all theirs. In about two and a.half moons I wish the Comanches to meet us in council at Tahwoccany Creek. I will expect all the Comanche chiefs to be there that the tomahawks may be buried, and that no more blood may be shed, or mischief done till the grass ceases to grow and the water to run. Their prisoners will all be there to go home with their people, and ours must be there also. Before then I will try and send traders up to the Kechi villageAt the treaty-ground there will be corn, tobacco, and some lead to give to those who are friendly and make peace—for we will never give these things to those who are our enemies.
You can say to those tribes which make corn, that they may settle down in their villages, and that I will send them hoes and axes, and when we get the trading-houses built, that I will send them many other presents. This will not be done to buy peace, but to help our friends to make corn and other things for their women and children to eat.
I want you to take this talk in a hurry, that the Comanches, Kiaways, and other red brothers may come to the council at the time spoken of. After the treaty is made an agent will stay at the trading-house near the treaty-ground. The agent will send me your talk in writing, and if any mischief is done to your people, you will not get mad till you hear from me, and I will have the men punished that did wrong. If the young men of your nations do bad, or say that they will not walk in your counsel, you must punish them, or it will bring trouble upon your women and children. You have seen me and talked with me and heard my words. You know I will not lie—and therefore keep them in your heart.
Your brother, Sam Houston.
LETTER TO WACO CHIEF, ACAH-QUASH.
City of Houston, May 2, 1844.
To Acah-Quash:
My Brother:—— I was happy to hear from you. My heart swelled with pleasure. I remembered that we were friends, and that the path between us was white. I was sorry that the Comanches did not come down to the treaty, but I expect them when the leaves turn yellow. In four moons I will expect some chiefs; when green corn is to be eaten. If you can come down with the Commissioners, I will wish you to do so. and bring José Maria with you. Lately I have heard that bad men have been down from some of the tribes of our brothers. They stole horses, and two of them were killed. Some of the horses were taken by the whites, and the others they ran off with. These I want you to have given up, that there may be no trouble. The men killed were supposed to be Wacoes. It was wrong for them to come down into the settlements until a treaty was made with all our red brothers, and without a paper from the agent, Mr. Sloat. When my red brothers wish to come into the settlements to hunt or see me, they will call upon him or Major Western, if he is at the trading-house; and if it is proper, either of them will give a paper showing that it is a visit of friendship, and not to steal horses or to do any mischief. Then our people will be glad to see them.
When you come down to see me, we will send away all trouble, and if the whites have done wrong they shall be punished, as bad men should be. You will embrace your red brothers for me. When you come to see me, my heart will be open to receive you and José Maria.
Your brother, Sam Houston.