Lexington Augt —1836
Dr Sir,
The call of Genl Gains on the Govr of Kentucky for 10 companies of
mounted men has been met by the counties near Frankfort the first week
leaving out the rest of the state. The Co. from Lexington when complete
sent off to the Govr at midnight and was the last being the 10th company
offered and the [illegible] night others were in making up to this time 12
companies more than required Genl Chambers is here and entertains
hopes that several of these companies will go to Texas; the military feeling
of the state would be most favorable for Texas if your affairs were as they
were last winter, but appearances are so alarming that public feeling
abroad and out of your country is fast approaching a most dangerous point
of giving up all hope and the same state of feeling must arise in Texas
itself— The removal of Houston is one among the heaviest blows— The
objections to Houston can not equal the confidence the world has in him,
and the very circumstance of dismissing him proves a want of fitness in
the authorities of the Country which must do the greatest injury— The
attempt to send off Santa Anna by the cabinet and the desire to kill him
by an other portion of your Citizens forms an other cause of division
among you and both equally defective as regards policy— The latter has
the addition in public feeling of a violation of all law and principle to
reach an outlaw who was placed on the footing of all other prisoners of
war the moment his orders to his troops to retreat was accepted by the
Authorities of Texas— Whether his orders were obeyed or not or whether
so far as they were observed was an advantage to Texas or not matters not
a straw because Santa Anna can not be blamed and the acceptance of his
proposals was a commencement of negotiations which took his case from
the position he stood in when taken, The world is too ready to consider
Texas like all new countries rash and cruel in its measures. The death of
St. Anna would ruin your country. Efforts are making in this country by
the friends of the unfortunate who fell with fanning, but public feeling is
against them. Fanning remains pitied like Travis, but this can not last
the latter will gain by time but the fame of Poor Fannin must be lost by
the excessive folly of the manner he conducted when dangers came— he
was brave no doubt—but the way he lost 600 of the best force of the
Country and his own useless life will when properly considered leave his name
a Blank this case should be a warning to your Country the caution of
Houston makes him worth all the untried men in your armies—many men
may Possess equal or even superior talents and still be unfit to command,
the daring spirits of [those] who fight for you if indulged at all times
no hope remains, but by a proper restraint you have nothing to fear— I
do not believe you will ever have a hostile Mexican on your soil— the
present attempt may explode in discord at home before the maturity of
the armiment— Still you want all the help you can get to force the treaty
already begun by invassion on your part if found necessary— if you can
Harmonise and avoid offending against Public feeling you are safe— you
owe much to the high handed black deed of Santa Anna in creating a
feeling in your favour and I hope will do nothing to produce a reaction— you
stood on high grounds 3 months ago and it requires all the wisdom of your
best men to preserve the station. Genl Chambers thinks Genl Houston is not
displaced but only provisions made untill his wounds are healed— I hope
this is the case— Mrs. Hollys late addition to the History of Texas is
highly approved and I should say will find a brisk sale— There is so little
of what we hear entitled to credit from your country that I should suggest
the plan of some faithful person writing Regularly to the papers in N.
Orleans all of whom appear to be friendly and supply the most of the news
we receive
The wars under Bolivar were like yours greatly misrepresented and
sufferd for the want of a regular agent at proper points—
Jos Ficklin
[Addressed:] Genl Stephen F. Austin Texas
The Texan agent in N Orleans will please put this letter
under cover