“Who wrote that?” he asked, of Leo. “Sounds a little like Sam Houston, and then ag’in it doesn’t seem to be quite high and mighty enough. Sam’s fond of big words.”
“Don’t know who did write it,” answered Leo. “They say there were four or five propositions. Austin sent one in, favoring the Mexican constitution of ’24 and separation from Coahuila. It was the mildest. Daniel Parker, of Nacogdoches, and D. C. Barrett, of Mina, had a couple of others. Three-legged Willie had another ready. That was the hottest, and they say the most of the one adopted is his, toned down some.”
“Were there any good speeches?”
“Well, I should rather reckon there were. I heard ’em through a window. Most of us outsiders had to listen through the door and windows. Dr. Branch Archer made a bully speech, as president. He said we weren’t fighting for ourselves alone; we were ‘laying the corner-stone of liberty in the great Mexican republic.’ Mr. Royall read a letter from Austin, telling what he thought the consultation ought to do—and they pretty nearly did it. Martin Palmer argufied for independence and J. D. Clements, of Gonzales, argufied for the constitution. Then J. A. Wharton argufied for independence; and General Houston made the bulliest speech of all, asking us all to go slow and work together. He and J. A. Wharton almost had a fuss over whether we should declare for independence or the constitution, but Houston won out, when the question was put, more than two to one for the constitution.”
“They had as much trouble as the first Continental Congress did, ’long back there in 1774, when we all were separating from Great Britain,” quoth Dick. “Fact is, the colonies were in about the same fix Texas is. What else did they do?”
“Well, they drew up a sort of a constitution to govern Texas until things are settled. They elected Henry Smith, of Columbia, governor; he got thirty-one votes and Austin got twenty-two. J. W. Robinson, of Nacogdoches, is lieutenant governor. Mr. Archer and W. H. Wharton and Austin were appointed commissioners to the United States to get a loan of a million. The capital is moved to Brazoria. And Sam Houston was made commander-in-chief of the armies of Texas, with rank of major-general, and told to raise a regular army of ’leven hundred and twenty men, like the regular army of the United States. Then some thought of making Austin commander-in-chief, but it looked like he could do better work in the United States. Anyhow, only one vote was cast against Houston, so I reckon he’s all right.”
“Right!” exclaimed Dick, amidst a general hum of approval. “He’s a soldier; he’s been trained in soldiering. And he’s as big inside as he is outside. Austin’s got the pluck, but he hasn’t got the strength. He’s the man for visiting the United States; but Houston’s the man this kind of an army needs in the field. What was said about the volunteers?”
“Well, there was a committee report on us volunteers. It said no laws had been passed to support us, but we ought to be treated so we’d stay out till enough regulars had been raised to take our places.”
“Is Houston coming on, did you hear?”
“No; don’t reckon he is. He’s got to hustle ’round and raise that new army. But we don’t need him, or the regulars either, do we? Jiminy, you ought to see those New Orleans Grays, from the United States. Two companies of fifty men each, all uniformed in gray and armed with muskets given ’em by Texas. When one company passed through Nacogdoches a lot of Chief Bowles’s Cherokees were there. The Injuns’ eyes stuck out and old Bowles wanted to know if these were ‘Jackson men’ and if any more were coming. ‘Sure they are!’ said Mr. Sterne, who was the Texas man that enlisted ’em in New Orleans. ‘How many more?’ asked old Bowles. ‘Count the hairs on your head,’ said Sterne. Every Injun lit out of town as fast as he could go, and I reckon we won’t have any trouble with those Cherokees!”