DISCOVERY OF THE COUNTRY TO THE PRESENT TIME; SMITH, ELDER, AND CO., CORNHILL. 1842. PREFACE. In the month of November, 1839, being in delicate health, and led away by the exaggerated accounts then, as well as now, promulgated respecting Texas and the Texans, I embarked for that land of promise, and arrived on the 30th of January, 1840. I remained there until the end of July, having spent much of my time in visiting different parts of the country, exploring its soil, and studying the character of its government and inhabitants, as well as in examining the condition of the aboriginal tribes, and of the negroes held in bondage by the North-American Settlers. During part of the time I was Editor of the Richmond Telescope, and on the 7th of April I became a member of the Texan bar. Besides these opportunities of personal observation, I collected what information I could gather from public men and official records, taking notes of the whole at the time and on the spot. The present work is founded on these notes, after a careful comparison with the previously published works of others, upon the same topics, from some of which, and from public papers, I have extracted freely wherever I found matter confirming my own observations, and illustrating my subject. I have not written it from any promise to write a book made over a champagne supper, while my brain was reeling under the pleasing draught, and my heart softened by the cajoleries of young Texan lawyers; nor to favour any project or party, either in Texas or this country. My object is to present to the public an unvarnished account of what Texas and the Texans really are; of the true origin and history of their rebellion against Mexico, their lawful sovereign; of their inhuman treatment of the Negro and Indian races; of their aggressive policy systematically pursued towards Mexico; to warn the British government against the ratification of a treaty with a people whose existence as an independent nation is owing, first, to their own base treason, and secondly, to a political juggle of Andrew Jackson, the late President of the United States; and to prevent more of my own countrymen from sharing in the ruin and wretchedness of too many others who have already emigrated to Texas, and at this moment are either pining there, in want and sickness, or have begged their way out of it, to New Orleans, and other parts of the United States. It is much to be regretted that a work intended to answer these ends has not fallen into abler hands. I am quite aware that both in the arrangement and in its style the reader will find much whereon to exercise his generous indulgence; and I despair not of obtaining it, when I state that, during the progress of the work in the press, a distressing illness in my family, and other pressing incidents, distracted my attention from watching over and correcting the proofs with that care which was required. This is the only apology I can offer for the numerous errata embodying some important notes, which I have had to add in correction of the text. I hope that Reviewers will attach the proper weight to these circumstances, and that they will not allow my faults, as a writer, to prejudice them against my facts respecting Texas and the Texans, upon which I take my stand against all opponents. Where I am at variance with Mr. Kennedy and other panegyrists of Texas, all I request is calm and dispassionate inquiry, and a little patience, till reports are received from those who have recently emigrated to that country under his encouragement, (I refer to that offered by his published work and letters,) and the operation of the Texan Land Association, of Exeter Street, Strand. In the part of my work that professes to give the history of Mexico, I am less confident; never having been in Mexico, and not knowing the language, I have therefore been without the same advantage of writing from personal observation and knowledge. But I flatter myself the English reader will find sufficient of that history to render intelligible that of Texas, and the Mexican will not look to my work for any thing beyond that. Writing as I do |