The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 24, July 1920 - April, 1921 Page: 132
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Chamber of Deputies. The committee reported against granting
special powers, but recommended proceeding with the expedition
under the ordinary powers of the government. Instead of report-
ing ways and means promptly, they recommended measures assess-
mng taxes which could not be collected for three or four months.43
The Deputies refused to accept the report of the committee, and
sent it back to them for revision.44 On January 1, 1840, the
President, in his annual message to Congress, expressed surprise
at the recognition of Texan independence by France, and urged
upon the Congress the necessity of passing the laws asked for the
prosecution of the war. After praising the soldiers who were oper-
ating against the Federalists in the north, he said:
The Executive will not fail to use every effort in their power to
secure our frontier by the recovery of the territory of Texas,
usurped by the ungrateful foreigners, to whom we gave a generous
hospitality in that part of the Republic.
On the 18th June of last year, the Government presented to
their Council the Bill which, with some modifications, they after-
wards laid before the Chambers on the 26th November, demanding
powers for making the necessary expenditure, and for carrying
ilto effect the political and military measures requisite for reunit-
ing the Department of Texas to the National Union, which Bill
is now before the Chamber of Deputies, as well as another, having
for its object to declare traitors to their country such persons who,
by act or writing favour the views of any foreign Power, or of the
usurpers of Texas, for the purpose of dismembering or making
themselves masters of the Mexican territory. The Executive Gov-
ernment have the honor to recommend both these bills once more
to your notice, hoping that you will take them into consideration,
with the diligence and promptitude which the importance of their
object requires of your patriotism.45
Apparently this was an unfavorable situation for negotiation,
and for the next month Treat did not reveal himself or the objects
of his mission to the authorities. Still he did not believe that
any serious efforts would be made to subjugate Texas. He thought
that by asking for political and military powers, they desired to
secure authority to raise an army and at the same time negotiate
with the Texans. During the next month, however, he was busily
engaged in working secretly against the granting of the extraor-
43Treat to Lamar, December 20, 1839, in Ibid., II, 513.
"Treat to Lamar, December 31, 1839. in Ibid., II, 523.
"'British and Foreign State Papers, XXIX, 1084 (Translation).132
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 24, July 1920 - April, 1921, periodical, 1921; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101078/m1/138/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.