The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 26, July 1922 - April, 1923 Page: 203
324 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Indian Policy of the Republic of Texas
IV. MEASURES FOR FRONTIER DEFENSE
The administrations of Houston and Jones are marked by a
conspicuous absence of Indian wars. Congress did not pass a
single act which provided for offensive action against the Indians.
There was an attempt by the President to do away with the old
idea of retaliation and revenge, and to institute in its place the
more humane principle of adjustment of difficulties by counsel.
When depredations were committed by the Indians, an attempt
was made to fix the blame where it really belonged, instead of
rushing madly after whatever Indians could be found. Of course
all trouble with the Indians did not cease at once under the new
peace policy, and it was still necessary to provide for the pro-
tection of the frontiers.
In 1842 the sum of twenty thousand dollars was appropriated
for frontier defense.43 A joint resolution went into effect July
23, 1842, authorizing the President to accept the services of one
company of volunteers to range on the Trinity and Navasota
Rivers, and two companies to range on the southwestern fron-
tier.44 Most of the acts relating to the protection of the southern
and southwestern frontier were passed for the express purpose of
preventing a surprise attack from Mexico.45 An exception to this
was an act approved January 23, 1844, authorizing John C. Hays
to raise a company of mounted gunmen to act as rangers on the
western and southwestern frontier "as the public interest may
require."46
The main object of keeping a force on the frontier was to pre-
vent the Indians from entering the settlements. It had been
arranged in the treaties of 1843 and 1844, that the chiefs would
not permit the Indians to cross the line for any purpose what-
soever, wthout a passport from an agent. When Indians entered
the settlements without permission, they were sent back to their
homes as soon as possible to avert trouble. In May, 1845, a
party of Delawares crossed the line, and Mr. E. Mabry asked for
a special permission to have them remain, but Western informed
48Gammel, Laws of Texas, II, 770-771.
"Ibid., II, 816.
"Gammel, Laws of Texas, II, 846; 746; 961.
4-Ibid., II, 943.203
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 26, July 1922 - April, 1923, periodical, 1923; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101084/m1/209/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.