the nationality of Texas and the whole civilized world, to permit in silence a violation, in our own persons, of those wholesome laws which have been adopted for ages throughout all Christendom. And we most respectfully protest that being your prisoners of war, and incarcerated with all the indignity of state criminals, can in the least possible degree derogate from the character in which we capitulated, which we occupy in our country, and which the exalted governments of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and [182] the United States recognise. At the same time, we do not pretend to assert that the violation of those laws are by order of your excellency; yet it is due that you should be correctly informed thereof, and we have the utmost confidence that such is not the desire of the illustrious men at the head of your government.

Upon our arrival in your city, after a fatiguing ride of ten leagues beneath a hot sun, we were locked up in this prison, with the bare walls for furniture. We were about to refresh ourselves with a glass of "vino mascal," and even that was denied us. Some short time after we were favoured with the light of heaven, and permitted the use of spirits, for which was substituted quadruple guards within these high walls and without, so that we cannot, without intrusion, go one step to perform even the common offices of nature. Without a chair or bed to sit or lie upon, our apartment is made a guardroom, which bayoneted sentinels pace during the whole night, uttering every few minutes the most unearthly exclamations, as if the luxury of the brick pavement was too good a bed for us: these, with the "magnanimous" allowance of fifty cents per day for our support, is the situation in which we are at present.

We protest that this treatment is wholly inconsistent with the magnanimity of any civilized nation under the sun, and we cannot believe it has the sanction of one occupying the exalted station of [183] your excellency. Were such our belief, what a commentary would it be upon your high official station, that indignity, insult, and injury are heaped upon us because we had bravely done our duty to our country!

We farther protest that it is not in the history of the English people, nor their descendants, the people of the United States, of whom we proudly acknowledge ourselves, that the honour of a general officer has been violated by breach of parole; and if your excellency rightly understands this national character, you will acknowledge this honour is more binding than the criminal's chains. We therefore most respectfully look to your excellency for an extension of those rights which not only our articles of capitulation, but the laws of civilized warfare, guaranty to us. In conclusion, we beg leave to inform your excellency, that when we left Matamoras it was under a positive promise from General Ampudia, to whom we