Petition for the Relief of Thomas Stephens and Mack Smith

Petition | Act | Back to "African-Americans at San Jacinto"

To the Legislature of the State of Texas.
The undersigned would most respectfully represent
to the Legislature that, under the late law of the State grant
=ing pensions to the veterans who served in the Revoution
which separated Texas from Mexico, no provision is made
for a certain class of our citizens and being desirous that even
handed justice should be extended to all alike, we beg leave
to call especial attention to the case of Thomas Stephens
and Mack Smith, -freedmen-of the county and city of
Galveston, who served and did good service in said revol=
ution, but whose names do not appear on the muster roll,
for the reasons that they were then slaves.
The first, served in the Volunteer Army against San Anton=
io de Bexar, and the second, in the army at the battle
of San Jacinto. For the reasons, and the uniform good
conduct and character of these men, whom we have
known long and well, induces us to make this appeal
to the sense of justice and gratitude of the Legislature; and,
pray that a special act be passed for the relief of
the meritorious and deserving citizens.

F.W. Johnson
W'm T. Austin
E.M. Pease