The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917 Page: 143
426 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Don Carlos Barrett
rather strikingly his activity and influence in its deliberations.
He had the confidence of Austin, and letters in the possession of
Mr. Tillinghast show that as late as January 2, 1836, he was on
cordial-indeed, somewhat intimate,-terms with General Houston.
Of Barrett's private life and interest in Texas, at this time, we
know next to nothing. That he had some enemies is clear. E. M.
Pease, writing from Mina on September 15, 1835, referred to
things that had been said and done there against Barrett by cer-
tain "envious and malicious rascals." "Your return amongst us
will set matters right and nothing else will." On December 11,
the General Council elected him judge advocate general of the
army,15 and this precipitated on the 17th a vicious attack upon
him by Governor Smith, who vetoed his appointment. Among
other things he charged that Barrett had forged an attorney's
license in North Carolina, that he had taken fees on both sides of
a case, that he had passed counterfeit money knowingly, and that
he had embezzled the money provided for his and Gritten's mission
to Cos the preceding July. He declared his willingness to prove
these charges,'" but the Council said that it had no jurisdiction to
investigate the four just enumerated, while two that did fall within
its province it repelled as untrue.'7 At the same time it denied
the governor's right to veto the appointment. We have no direct
evidence to rebut Governor Smith's charges, but concerning the
first it may be remembered that Barrett was certainly a regularly
licensed attorney in Pennsylvania, and concerning the others, that
he still enjoyed the confidence of Austin, Houston, and his asso-
ciates in the Council. The governor had no patience with the
Council's policy of trying to win the support of the Mexican Lib-
eral party, and probably resented Barrett's influence in maintain-
ing that policy.
On January 11, 1836, Governor Smith, in a message filled with
denunciation, declared the Council dissolved; and the Council re-
plied by deposing the governor. Probably both acted without
"Journal of the General Council, etc., 146.
"'The charges, says Yoakum (History of Texas, 11I, 45), were read in
secret session on December 20. They do not appear in the Journal.
Yoakum had access to Smith's original message, which is not now avail-
able. Brown, History of Texas, I, 449-450, quotes part of the message,
but omits the charges against Barrett.
1Journal of the General Council, 199, 205.143
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917, periodical, 1917; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101070/m1/149/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.