Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 16, Ed. 1, Saturday, December 7, 1850 Page: 2 of 8
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county ; which was on motion of Mr. Burleson referred to'a
select committee.
Messrs. Btirlcson Taylor and Ward were appointed said com-
mittee. Mr. Portis chairman of Uie committee on Education to whom
wosroforrcd the petition of sundry citizens of Comal county
together with a bill to establish public schools in the county of
Comal j reported the same back to tho Senate with the following
omondmonts and recommended their adoption and the passnge
orthcbill:
Arttondby striking out section 10 and inserting
"Sec. 10. Bo it further enacted That it shall be the dutf
of the Chief Justice of Comal county to submit this act to a vote
of (he people of Comal county on tho first day of February
1651 by notices posted up at each election precinct in said
county at least ten days beforo the election and if at said elec-
tion a majority of the qualified electors of said county shall vote
for tho ratification of en id bill then tho same shall be in force
arid take effect from and after tho first'day of March 1851.
Sec. 11. Be it further charted That nil laws and parts of
lows contravening tno provisions ol tins act be and the same
are hereby repealed. " "
Mr. Kinney chairman of the committee on Indian Affairs to
whom was referred a bill to prevent the sale of spiritousdr
vinou9 liquors to Indians within the State of Texas ; reported
tho same back to the Senate and recommended its passage.
On motion of Mr. Cooke the rule requiring reports to lie on
the table one day was suspended and (he above bill taken up
and read.
On motion of Mr. Latimer tho second section was stricken
out by tho following vote:
Yeas: Messrs. Brashear Campbell Gage Grimes Hart Lati-
mer Mclloe MofTett Portis Taylor Truit Van Derlip Ward
and Wallaco-14i
Nays : Messrs. Burleson Cooke Kinney Parker and Robert-
son 5.
. Tho bill was thon ordered to be engrossed by tho following
vote :
yong: Messrs. Brashear Burleson Cooke Campbell Gage
Grimes Kinney McRao Parker Portis Robertson Taylor
Truit Yun Derlip and Wallace 15.
Kays; Messrs. Hartf Latimer MofTett and Ward 4.
THE STATE GAZETTE.
TEXAS STATE GAZETTE.
DECEMBER 7
CITY OF AUSTIN SATURDAY DECEMBER 7 1850
M
JCf" Rev. Wm. M. Baker will preach a sermon preparatory to the
communion at tho Femalo Academy building on Friday evening at
candle light December 13tli 1850.
C7 The thermontetcr stood this mornimg at 14 deg.
Ojp- Owing to the extreme cold weather wo have been unable to
put in typo several articles prepared for this number of our paper.
Their place however is supplied with legislative proceedings of general
interest.
Q53" Wo have not known in Texas for many years a severer spell
of cold weather than has prevailed since Wednesday.' On Monday
night a norther sprung up which has continued without intermission
up to the present time. Ice has formed an inch thick and snow cov-
ered the ground on yesterday.
Q5f The Civilian of tho 26th ult. mentions that tho Colorado the
new steamboat intended for tho river after which she ia named arrived
at Galveston on the 24th ult. on her way to the beautiful stream on
which she is to be employed.
JT" A pdstofiicc has been established at Fayetteville Fayette coun-
ty and S. S. Hunger appointed postmaster.
Bridge postoflico iu Kaufman county has been discontinued ; and
the'name of Fireman's Hill postoffice in Polk county has been chang-
ed to( Cold Spring.
C7 Capt. J. O. Wheeler arrived at "Victoria on the 29th ult. with
his 'splendid little steamer tho William Penn intended to run between
Victoria and tho Pass. She is 140 feet in length 20 feet beam and
draws light from 17 to 20 inches double cngino and of great power.
Her accommodations for passengers are excellent.
TJ" The advertisement- of Thomas H. Jones one of our lately
established merchants appears in another column. He has a large and
general assortment of goods adapted to all the wants of tluVnmrket.
Hereafter it will probably never be necessary to send to our coast
towiis for any article needed by our citizens. Austin was never half
as well supplied with goods of every description as at present. Ref-
erence to our paper will show that wo hayohada considerable increase
in tho number of our merchants all of whom have set out with a de-
termination to offer inducements to purchasers liy wholesale or retail.
Competition " the life of trade" has been stirred- up and bargains can
b3 hall in Austin we are prepared to say upon as favorable terms as
anywhere else in the State.
flfcr The loss of the steamer Ogdon lately in the trade between the
lower Brazos and Galveston is soon to bo supplied. Capt. Webb lias
gono'liorth to make tho necessary arrangements. .
037- Col. Richard M. Johnson formerly Vice President o tho Uni-
ted States died at Louisvillo on tho 19th ult.
Q Tho whigs of Delaware have nominated Gen. Scott for the
Presidency.
' '
pCj? The streets of Houslou have been completely crowded with
vago'ris?for the last three or four weeks. It is estimated thrtt over
snven thousand bales of cotton have been received hore this season.
And goods to tho amount of over a million of dollars have been
sent into the interior. Telegraph
fXjr The specimens! of sugar of this year's manufacture that
wo have seen are remarkably fine. The crop will not bo so largo
as that of last year owing to the drought but the sugar is of such
all excellent quality that the planters will obtain probably as largo
n profit from their crops a they obtained last year. Telegraph.
KS A number of emigrates principally from Missouri and
AdfoitriacKt of tho Legislature.
The third session of the third biennial Legislature of Texas adjourn-
ed sine die at noon on Tuesday last the- thinl instant.
The most important acts passed at this session are those for tho ac-
ceptance of the ten million proposition contained hi what is known as
Pearco's Bill the division of the Supreme Court into three branches
and the investment of the School Fund now in the Treasury in five
per cent. State stock.
The Legislature made no provision for the immediate payment of
the public debt. Thcironly action having any reference to the subject
was confined to the bare acceptance of tho United States proposition.
The law requiring holders of liabilities to present them to the Auditor
and Comptroller for adjustment previous to tho first Monday in Sep-
tember 1851 remains in force and we have no doubt will be adhered
to by future legislatures as the limit of their indulgence. By this law
a notice of three years and a half will havo been given to the public
creditors to file their claims and those who do not present them will
be considered as having relinquished them. There must be some final
point to which all concerned may arrive ; and that point has been fixed
by the existing law.
We regard it however as perhaps unfortunate that no provision was
made for receiving from the United States the bonds to which the State
has become entitled by her sale of territory. Unless there be some
competent authority to demand and receive them it is obvious the
bondswill not be issued. It is possible that the Governor may feel
himself authorised and required under the general power vested in him
to see tho laws faithfully executed to make the necessary arrangement
for the issuance and icceipt of the bonds and their safe deposit. Other-
wise it is qujte certain that the State will not realise a cent of the in-
terest for welve.or eighteen months to come. We trust therefore
that the Governor will take such steps as these circumstances seem to
enjoin upon him and promptly appoint some safe and competent agent
to proceed to Washington and ascertain and do what can be done for
the interest of the State. We think this course would be fully justi-
fied even though the General Government should not recognise the
authority of the Executive to receive tho bonds; for through the re-
port of such an agent the views and intentions of the Government
could be made known to the people of the State-and might serve to
direct public opinion as to the proper measures to be adopted by the
next Legislature in regard to this most interesting and important mat-
Ker. Through the action of the Governor as suggested we can find
out our true position and know what to rely upon without such ac-
tion we must remain in the dark and be no better prepared a year
hence than we are now to decide upon the most judicious course to
be pursued.
We are glad to know that the long exciting question of a division
of the Supremo Court has been at length settled for a time at least ;
and it is to be hoped that it will not soon again enter as a disturbing
element into the general legislation of the State. It is to be regretted
however that the law was left in such condition as to deprive us of a
scssion.of the court at Austin this winter. This will operate as a se-
rious grievance to many of our citizens in this part of the State to
whom it is of the utmost importance to have a final adjudication of the
litigated claims to lands on which they have v settled. This delay ot
twelve months in holding court at this city will retard for that length
of time probably improvements over a large extent of valuable lands
now embarrassed by adverse claims and only awaiting a decision to be
rapidly settled up and put in cultivation.
The investment of the school fund which has accumulated in the
Treasury now amounting to $36000 in five per cent stock we think
was an eminently judicious measure and cannot fail to secure the ap-
probation of the people generally those at least who feel an interest
in extending the benefits of education to the rising youth of Texas at
as early a day as possible. The hoarding it as a dead fund in the
Treasury would not confer any advantage upon the people of the
State or their children ; but on the contrary would result in direct in-
jury as it would abstract from circulation a considerable amount of
money necessary to the purposes of trade in the community. Under
the act passed it. has been put in circulation and made a productive
fund yielding for school purposes five per cent per annum. Undoubt-
edly the same disposition should bo made of all future accumulations
of tho fund until it shall amount to a sum sufficient for distribution
among tho several counties and neighborhoods in the State in support
of the cause of education. We trust that that time is not remote.
The fund on hand united with a due proportion of that to be received
from the United States will place it in the power of' the State to
spread throughout her limits the blessings of universal instruction.
And this we believe will be done.
Wo believe both bodies were animated with a sincere desire to sub-
serve the best interests of their constituents ; and the omissions to
which we havo referred were occasioned no doubt more by a fear of do-
ing injury by hasty action than by any intentional neglect of duty. It
appears to have been tho prevailing opinion among the members thai
all measures for tho payment of the public debt should be postponed
for the consideration of tho people and tho action of their representa-
tives to be chosen next August. To this perhaps there could be no
valid objection. But at the same time wo are satisfied it would have
been good policy to have adopted the uecessary means to secure the in-
terest on the tcu million bonds for the ensuing year so as to be availa-
ble at the next meeting of the Legislature.
Thopast year has been prolific of events of the deepest moment to
tho people of Texas. Within that period we have had three sessions
of tho Legislature ; an attempt to extend our jurisdiction ovpr the
Santa Fe territory its resistance by the General Government and final-
ly the purchase of 66000000 of acres of onr domain by the United
States for the sum of $10000000. Tho incidents connected with
these several transactions are now matter of history and the effect they
will havo upon our destiny can only bo revealed by the future. Per-
haps tho issue has been directed by a kind Providence for tho attain-
ment of good ends. If so the trying ordeal through which we have
passed will not be a source of regret to those who have the welfare of
tho State at heart '
7 Ex-Got. Wood's Report.
Austin Nov. 25 1850.
Sir: Under tho authority vested in me by appointment ftom your
Excellency as agent of the State of Texas under the provisions of a
joint resolution passed at the last biennial session of the Legislature
to proceed to tho capital cf the United States for the purpose of ma-
king application to the proper departments of the government or Con-
gress for arrearages or pay due certain troops referred to in said joint res-
olution I promptly proceeded to Washington which place I reached
early in March last and entered upon the discharge of the important
duty which youi Excellency had been pleased to assign me.
Findinir the administration then in power disinclined as I believed
to forward my object I determined at once to apply directly to Con-
gress. This I did and procured the introduction of a bill providing for
the appropriation of an amount of money sufficient to cover the claims
in question which was referred to the appropriate committee in each
House and afterwards unanimously reported in favor of by both. But
owing to the intense excitement which prevailed in Congress during its
entire session in reference to the settlement of tho "Texas boundary
question as well as many others so vast in their character as to threat-
en the very existence of the Union itself it was wholly impossible to .
engage the attention of Congress in th investigation of less important
business ..
Under all the circumstances and the session fast drawing to a close
upon consultation with our delegation in Congress I determined to
abandon the first position and to have it offered as an amendment to
the Indian appropriation bill which was done ; and by the unceasing
efforts of our very able delegation I succeeded in getting an appropri-
ation of seventy-two thousand dollars; which sum will probably cover
the amount due each company referred to though I am inclined to the
opinion that it will fall a little short.
I was unable to obtain the discharge rolls of Captains Blackwell's
and Johnson's companies in time to file them in the proper department
at Washington in consequence of the death of Maj. Bryant who had
been designated to discharge these companies and who was killed by
the Indians. On this account an exact estimate could not Ihj made.
Besides the amount estimated and which was assumed by our Legisla-
ture fell so far short of tho amount really due to the troops in question
I found it exceedingly difficult to explain it away.
The sum of seventy-two thousand dollars was however appropriated :
but it was done so hurriedly and at the close of the day set for the ad-
journment and against such decided and firm opposition as well as
high excitement and confusion as to render it impossible to get the ap-
propriation in any other shape than that in which it was done which
as your Excellency will perceive is made in general terms without de-
signating the amount to be paid to the agent of the State or defining
what the pay of each officer and soldier should be.
On making application for this money the Department refused to
pay any portion of the sum to the agent under the belief that they
were bound to follow the language of the law making the appropria-
tion. I also found on examination and was informed by the Depart-m-nt
that there was no law now in force regulating the pay of volun-
teer troops except that which regulated their pay in the late Florida
war which allowed but seventeen dollars per month to each while
the law of 1846 which regulated the pay of our volunteers gave 22
or 23. This of itself would have been a sufficient cause for my not
receivings the funds in question ; believing as I did that there would be
but little difficulty in procuring the passage by the next .ensuing
term of Congress of a resolution directing the troops in question to be
paid under the law regulating the pay of volunteers in the late war
against Mexieo and also making an additional appropriation should
the present be insufficient to cover the entire claim.
I regret exceedingly the necessity of my return to the capital for
the purpose of consummating the contemplated objects as I must not on-
ly necessarily incur the heavy expense incident to the trip but subject
myself to heavy losses in neglecting my domestic affairs. I should
have kept your Excellency informed of my progress from time to time
in reference to the subject here referred to and only failed to do so be-
cause I entertained not the slightest hope of success up to the very
hour of the adjournment.
Trusting that the foregoing statement of my transactions in connec-
tion with the agency confided to me may be satisfactory I subscribe
myself with great respect your Excellency's ob't servant
GEO. T. WOOD.
His Excellency P. H. Bell.
Arkansas havo passed through oijr ipwn within the last few days.
As many as eighteen wagons crossed the river ill one day. 'Tlhejr
dwfinnjnisnjje
Indian attack on an El Paso Train.
We have been favored with the following extract of a letter dated Palo
Blancos November 20 1850 21G miles from San Antonio addressed to a gen-
lliman in this city.
" Whilst the command under Major Sprague and all the trains were at Live
Oak Creek several detatched parlies in the face of all the advieo given.llicm by
these more experienced resolved to -mote on. As thev advanced thev siih.lf-
vided intoslUlwnallerbquadfand finally near Cherry Springs a party of nine-
teen separated eight pushing on and the elevan remained with the wagons. Tha
temptation thus ottered to the Indians was taken advantage of the very same day.
On the ldh inst a party of about 100 Camanches and Lipans charged urion the
train and killed four and wounded three of the eleven persons it was composed of. -
So suddenly did they spring upon them that but one shot was fired by the
Ameiicans. The principal motive they had in view seemed to be to get posses-
sion of the cattle as they did not molest the survivors after the oxen were obtain-
ed although the Indians were aware that several were stijl living but as they "
were sheltered in a wagon bed no determined assault was made upon them.
From what I learn the Chief in command was Yellow Wolf; he rode up within
a short distance of the wagons and tauntingly dared them to come out and fight.
Several sp(oke in English and it is said :hat two of the wagons were taken charge
of and driven off the road by a couple of lndinns who used the whip and words
as though they had been old teamsters.
Finding the whites ton experienced to have their lire drawn by their varied
maneuvers and too cautious to expose their persons the Chief changed his lac-
uta uuu iuiu mi; in 10 uuiueum ami ne wnuiu treat mem asfrlends. They wise-
ly concluded to place no reliance upon such assertions.
The Indians then went off a few hundred yards and encamped for that day.
The next moraine: thev made some demonstrniinni.nrTPn..winB m. i.i i:.
I finally marched off without doing any further damage. '
i ne wagons were sirippea ct every thing.
At the time it occurred we were 70 miles in tho rear at the head of Devil's
river and as soon as the news reached us Major Sprague sent a detatchmenl to
their support but when it nrrived the Indians were gone. . "
Upon arrivinp at the place part of the troops were sent upon the trail to dis- -cover
the direction they had taken and which leads to the conclusion that thev
are most probably still lurking about Devil's river. Game is very abundant in '
this range and I believe these Indians will be about it all this winter and point
it out as a very lair field for 2 or 3 months campaign. Thus another lesson Lad-
smnl aU?s"ny ' preceded " abonl 'celling in the Indian country in
We met the United States Boundary Survey party at the crossing of the Pecos '
-their ox train at Howard's Springs. All well.
The names of the killed were i
Nicholas Andrews German formerly lived nbout San Anionic -
F.?efLoi?n' Mshmoo " Blacksmith in ' .
William Brown Texan
Clins. Poljnski Polander '? -
Of the wounded were
Solomon Kinc. S. Carolina. Imll in ili i -t. ' ' .
John Carter Texas flesh ball wound: doing well.' ' '
umurr uiumns. xexns. nc$h hii tirnnn.i - j..i.. ...-
r i .. .' ' . wiujii ni in; uuiim well.
v
(Ep- By the Liverpool stenrner which .arrived. at Nw York on tho
22d ult. tiQcottouSrket ' 1 reported heayyfwUhi(a. decline! from 'thq
previous advices of one eighth penny. .'fcj 'ritfnViu i -
rum
U3- Several persons who have come to our State by different
routes have told us that iho number ol persons who arc on their
way to lexns is very large and that a great manv in different
bi.ntes speak ol coming ns soon as circumstances will permit.
e i 1Q.doubl bo much larger immigration to Texas tho
present lnli wmier and spring than has ever been known herb-
totora ume on we have room for you and all your friends'.-
-La Grange Monument. '
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Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 16, Ed. 1, Saturday, December 7, 1850, newspaper, December 7, 1850; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth80959/m1/2/?rotate=90: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.