6

should [sic] destroy the country. They are men who wish to live upon the

means of the Government, without labor, and feast and riot upon

the substance of the people, without merit. Such men are like

vermin in the dead carcase [sic]—they can live only in corruption.

Now, my dear friend, for the sake of human liberty,

for the sake of the future tranquility of the United States and for

the prosperity of Texas, whose interests, prosperity and happiness are

near to my heart and cherished by me above every political

consideration, I conjure you to use your influence in having

presented to this Government the alternative suggested by the

amendment to Mr Brown’s bill, so that commissioners can

act in conjunction upon the points which it may be proper

to arrange between the two countries, before it is too late and

while there is a remedy. The newspaper press, with, I believe,

the organ of the Government, of the United States, expect the

alternative amendment to be presented to Texas, that she

may exercise some choice as to the conditions of her entry

into the Union.

I cannot say what would be proper for the com-

missioners to agree upon. But I would suggest: That Texas,

if admitted into the Union, should enjoy full equality and

community with the other States of the Confederacy.

That the United States should receive and pay Texas

a liberal price for her public property, which has been ac-

quired for national purposes, and that the amount should

be paid to the State of Texas, so soon as it should be organized

and admitted as a State.

That Texas should retain her public lands; and if

the United States should hereafter vary her boundary or limits,

as at present defined, by contracting or reducing them, that

in that case they should indemnify the citizens of Texas by

payment for any lands which they may hold by locations

under the laws of Texas, in the territory abandoned by the

United States, at the minimum price of the Government

lands at this time in the United States.

That the Government of the United States may

at any time purchase the vacant lands of Texas, at a

price to be stipulated by the commissioners; and in the