and General Somerville promised to retire and leave General Burleson in command. This he did, and, having returned one day's journey homeward, learning that some letters had gone on to him from President Houston, he returned to San Antonio, when General Burleson, determined not to be the means of thwarting the legal orders of the government, retired, and left the command to Somerville; most of the citizen soldiers also retired, and left General Somerville in the quiet enjoyment of the hospitalities of Bexar.

The citizens of the western counties determined to go home and prepare themselves better for a campaign the following June, calling upon their old and favourite leader Burleson to head them, which he promised with the approbation of the President, and despatched the author hereof to the President for permission so to do, which they promised should not cost the government one dollar. The President withheld his permission; and this campaign terminated with the President ordering Captain Hays3 to raise a ranging company for the protection of the Western frontier. Captain Hays, with but his small means, had so little success in so doing, that General Woll, in September following, absolutely entered and took possession of San Antonio without his knowledge. During this time, while all [27] was excitement in favour of the war, President Houston joined in the cry with as much seeming patriotism as the foremost. His Brutum Fulmen to Santa Anna, his war proclamation, his address to the people of Texas, dated Houston, April 14th, 1842, published in the Telegraph of the 20th of June, his numerous and less destructive thunderbolts by way of grog-shop harangues, followed each other in such rapid succession, that many believed him serious in his professions. His partisans said that "he had his own plan of conducting the campaign; let him alone, and he would do it right;" that "if the old chief himself could head the army in person, then every defect in its organization would be remedied, and Mexico demolished!"

Under this state of things the President convoked the Congress at the city of Houston, to obtain, as it was alleged, more ample means to prosecute the war. The Congress convened, bringing with them the general feelings of their constituents, that "the war must be ended by manly and energetic measures." His adherents were for uniting in his person, in violation of the constitution and genius of our government, the sword and the purse. The opposition, although they had no confidence in him as a military leader, and believed that such grant of power was wholly in contravention of every principle of the government, voted him this extraordinary authority. They believed that the great public necessity of peace was paramount to all other considerations; [28] that a campaign upon the enemy's country would produce such peace, and that, no matter under whom it might be commenced, there was enough bravery and military intelligence among our people to prosecute it to certain victory. President Houston greatly overreached himself. He doubtless believed that the Congress