Jackson and the Texas Revolution 799 Late in 1836, when President Jackson was getting ready to leave the White House to its new tenant, he returned many letters which Mayo had written him, and among them that of December 2, 1830. With it, according to ;Iayo's story, was inadvertently en- closed a copy of a letter which Jackson wrote on the subject to William Fulton, secretary of the territory of Arkansas.^ To Alayo it carried proof that the President had believed his story but yet had taken no adequate steps to prevent^ the expedition — which was equivalent to conniving at it. He thought that more extensive, not to say public, efiforts should have been made to investigate it; but what struck him " with petrifying amazement '" was the incon- sistency revealed between the suspicions expressed in this letter and the beliefs asserted in the message three days before it was written. - This letter, which ;Iayo regarded as so damning, is printed by him in fac-simile. It is as follows : Strictly Confidential. '.SHixGTON, Dec^ loth. 1830 D<- S'- It has been stated to me that an extensive expedition against Texas is organizing in the United States, with a view to the establishment of an independent government in that province and that Genl Houston is to be at the head of it. From all the circumstances communicated to me upon this subject, and which have fallen under my observation, I am induced to believe, and hope, (notwithstanding the circumstantial manner in which it is related to me) that the information I have re- ceived is erroneous, and it is unnecessary that I add my sincere wish that it may be so. No movements have been made, nor have any facts been established which would require, or would justify the adoption of official proceedings against individuals implicated, yet so strong is the detestation of the criminal step alluded to, and such my apprehension of the extent to which the peace and honor of the country might be com- promitted by it, as to make me anxious to do everything short of it which may serve to illicit the truth, and to furnish me with the neces- sary facts (if the[y] exist) to lay the foundation of further measures. It is said that inlistments have been made for the enterprise in various parts of the Union — That the confederates are to repair as travellers to different points of the Mississippi, where they have already chartered 1838 that Mayo could only have obtained it ir, July 19, 1838: August 9, 183S. Jackson , 1838. Van Buren MSS.) His reasons for so believing are given in his letter to Blair of August 9, and essentially the same reasons were later repeated in an affidavit. See Mayo, The AfUdavit of Andrew Jackson, etc. (third edition. Washington, 1840), pp. 5-6. -Mayo. Political Sketches of Eight Years in Washington (Baltimore, 1839), J 1 7-129. Preliminary portions of this book were published in 1837, and doubtless Adams and some of Jackson's friends had seen them at the time when the contro- versy arose early in 1838. • General Jack: son declai red i purloining it. (Jackson to ]
- S. Jackso
n to Blair, Au igust
