anti-republican restrictions. But, since his arrival in New Orleans, he had received information that induced him to think the time had come for Texas to assert her natural rights. He had not heard of any movement by the Mexican Federal party in favour of Texas and the Constitution of 1824. On the contrary, according to the latest news from Vera Cruz and Tampico, that party had united with Santa Anna to put down the Texans. Santa Anna was, by the last accounts, at San Luis Potosi, marching with a large force against Texas. One course, therefore, alone was left them-an absolute Declaration of Independence. Had it not been for the firm belief of the lenders that such a Declaration would be made by the Convention, when it should meet in March, they could not have obtained their loan. Whatever difference of opinion there might have been as to the time for this move, he hoped there would be none now. And "should a Declaration of Independence be made, there ought to be no limits prescribed, on the South, West, or NorthWest: the field should be left open for extending beyond the Rio Grande, and to Chihuahua and New Mexico."

CHAPTER XII.

Texan prospects at the opening of the year 1836-Removal of the Provisional Governor-Message of his Successor-Projected attack on Matamoros-Mexican Expedition against TexasMilitary Outrages-March of Santa Anna to Bexar-Attack on the Alamo-Capture of the Fort and Slaughter of the Garrison --Colonel Crockett-Convention at Washington-Declaration of Independence - President Burnet's Address-Fate of King and his Party-Battle of the Coleto-Surrender of Fannin Massacre of Texan Prisoners-Advance of Santa Anna-Battle of San Jacinto-Evacuation of Texas by the Invading Army.

THE year 1836 opened with inauspicious prospects for Texas. At a time when unanimity seemed essential to the existence of the Colonists, dissension broke out in the government. In a message transmitted to the General Council at San Felipe on the 10th of January, Governor Smith assumed the right to exercise certain powers with regard to the Council, which that body considered a dangerous invasion of its privileges. On the same day, the Council, by resolutions unanimously adopted, declared the office of Governor vacant, and called upon the Lieutenant-Governor, James W. Robinson, to discharge the duties of the same, according to the provisions of the second article of the Organic Law, creating a Provisional Government.

In his message to the Council on the 14th of January, the acting Governor, after expressing his conviction that the General Council ought to remain in Session until the meeting of the Convention on

the 1st of March, invited attention to matters of immediate public interest. The regular army, he observed, had not yet been recruited and filled up, and the enemy was preparing a more formidable force than they had yet encountered for an invasion early in the spring. The organization of an efficient army, and means for its support, would continue to form the object of their care, and considerations of economy demanded the reduction of a superfluous number of officers in the regiment of artillery. The closing of the land offices by the General Consultation had been attended with embarrassments to the bond fide settler; he therefore suggested the expediency of providing by law for the disposition of public lands to actual settlers then in Texas, or who might emigrate thither and settle on their locations, in accordance with the provisions of the Organic Law and laws of colonization; and that those citizens whose titles were not fully perfected should be authorised to receive them, under proper rules and regulations. It was also desirable that measures should be adopted for accelerating the organization of the judiciary, providing for the defence of the coast, and for rendering maritime intercourse more secure by surveys of the several ports. The rate of import duty being, in his opinion, too high, as the country was then situated, he recommended that ten and fifteen per cent. be levied and collected, instead of the existing charges of fifteen and twenty-five per cent.—it being their interest to attract capital and emigrants by affording to both all the facilities in their power. As two vessels had been purchased for the public service, and two more

expected through their agents abroad, a corps of marines should be created and got ready for service without delay. The district in or near Red River required the establishment of municipalities, with suitable officers for the administration of justice, and the formation of a mail route to Nacogdoches. Relief was due to those who had suffered in person or property by the siege of Bexar, and to the widows and orphans of the heroic men who had fallen in defence of the rights and liberties of the people. As important and necessary steps, he submitted to the consideration of the Council the necessity of proceeding by law for the protection of the vested rights and privileges of the citizens who were settled, or who had claims to lands, within or near the settlement of the Cherokee and other Indian tribes, and the appointment of a Commissioner to act in the place of General Houston, whose military duties had withdrawn him from co-operating with his colleagues. The happiness, the liberty, nay, the very existence of the Anglo-American population in Texas being dependent on the vigorous prosecution of the war against the Mexican Centralists and Santa Anna, he urged "the immediate reduction of the town of Matamoros and its dependencies, together with all places on or near the Rio Grande," which would greatly accelerate their future operations, and enable them to carry the war into the enemy's country, or conclude an honourable and advantageous peace.

The reduction of Matamoros had been recommended to the Governor and Council (without due consideration of the difficulties to be surmounted)

by P. Dimitt, Commandant of Goliad, in a letter dated from that place on the 2nd of December, 1835. Besides the transference of hostilities to the Mexican frontier, it was proposed to secure, by the capture of Matamoros, the large revenues of the port, estimated at 100,000 dollars monthly. This town, with a population of from six to eight thousand, including a considerable number of English and American traders, was the seat of a thriving commerce with the interior of Mexico-forwarding merchandise, by means of mules, even beyond Santa Fé, and receiving in return, by the same mode of conveyance, gold and silver, coined and in bars, furs, provisions, and other valuable and useful commodities. Flushed with the successes of the late campaign, entertaining a profound contempt for the Mexicans, and tempted by the richness of the prize, the Texans rashly embarked in an undertaking for which their means were altogether inadequate, and which they could not attempt without injuriously diminishing their defensive resources. Colonel Fannin, the government agent, announced an expedition to the West, and ordered the volunteers from Bexar, Goliad, Velasco, and elsewhere, to redezvous at San Patricio, between the 24th and 27th of January, and report to the officer in command. Colonel Francis W. Johnson, who commanded at Bexar, on the retirement of General Burleson, was authorised by the government to lead the volunteers in the projected enterprise.

On the 1st of January, 200 of the volunteers stationed at Bexar had marched for Goliad, on their way to the rendezvous at San Patricio, under