The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 42, July 1938 - April, 1939 Page: 45
446 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Analysis of Work of General Council, 1835-1836
Smith continued to pose as the executive, and February 2, sent to
the Council a demand for certain papers. The Council was warned
that if the papers were not forthcoming, all its members would
be arrested and carried to Bexar for trial by a military court.41
The Council had no quorum, but the members present heard the
message read, and adjourned as usual.
Some days later the advisory committee of the Council issued
a statement to the public concerning the threat to have them tried
by a court martial. The address contains an implication that
Smith and Houston were agreed on the policy being followed, as
is shown by the statement: "What auxiliaries are combined with
him in this intention against the government, it is impossible to
say, nor does it matter; for the fierce indignation of a free people
will hurl to destruction all plotters of treason, whether headed by
governor, commanding general, or other individuals of the com-
munity."42 The quarrel between the Council's committee and
Smith continued, but neither seems to have done serious damage
to the other.
The quarrel was most unseemly, and it came at a most inoppor-
tune time for Texas. It would be distinctly unfair to place all
of the blame on either the Council or the governor, since each
was at fault, but Smith seems to have been the aggressor due to
his uncalled for attack on Barrett and to his foolish message of
January 10. The people of Texas were divided in their allegiance;
some favored the governor, some supported the Council, while a
great number took little interest in the affair.
It will be of interest to record the opinions of contemporaries
concerning the causes of this dispute. Some years after the
organization of the Republic, Smith wrote his reminiscences for
M. B. Lamar. He places the entire blame on the corruptness of
the Council and the activities of land speculators. According to
this paper, Smith was the only member of the government who
was both honest and practical. He was influenced by "the most
pure and patriotic motives," while in the Council "there were
but three members that I at that time, suspected for down right
corruption, but the others not being practical men, were easily
led astray." Then, most important of all, the business of the41Gammel, Laws of Texas, I, 804.
42Smither, Lamar Papers, VI, 320.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 42, July 1938 - April, 1939, periodical, 1939; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101107/m1/53/?rotate=90: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.