The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 24, July 1920 - April, 1921 Page: 41

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar

hostility of the Indians throughout the year, led to the creation of
committees of safety and correspondence, which led to the calling
of the Permanent Council in October. The Columbia committee
wrote to J. B. Miller, the political chief of the Brazos Department
suggesting that each municipality be required to furnish twenty-
five men for use in an Indian campaign, to, which Miller replied
that he was already taking steps to punish the Indians.6 The
committee of San Felipe issued a circular on September 13, in
which it was stated that the committee considered it important
that the just and legal rights of the civilized Indians should be
protected, "but not having any certain information on the subject,
they can only recommend it to your consideration."'
The spirit exhibited in the letter of the San Felipe committee
of safety became the spirit of the Permanent Council, and was
adopted by each of the revolutionary bodies that governed Texas
until March, 1836. The Permanent Council on October 18
adopted the report of a committee for appointing three commis-
sioners to the civilized Indians. The commissioners appointed
were Peter J. Menard, Jacob Garrett, and Joseph L. Hood. Sev-
eral of the Indian chiefs had been invited to convene with the
whites in their Consultation for the purpose of having their claims
to lands properly adjusted by that body, but they failed to attend,
and the three commissioners were therefore instructed to proceed
to their villages and ascertain the cause of their grievances, and
to assure them that their case would receive prompt attention as
soon as the Consultation should reconvene. "This committee are
of the opinion," said the report,
that there have been unwarrantable encroachments made upon the
lands occupied by the said Indians; therefore be it resolved by the
permanent council of Texas now in session, that Peter J. Menard,
Jacob Garrett, and Joseph L. Hood, be appointed commissioners
for the purpose of holding consultations with the different tribes
of Indians, and giving them such assurances as may be necessary
for the advancement of their rights and privileges as citizens of
Texas, and for the purpose of transacting such other business as
may be necessary to promote the cause of the people of Texas.
"'Texas Revolutionary Documents," in Southern Historical Association
Publications, VII, 89, 90.
'Ibid., VIII, 20.