rate information, commissioners were sent to the Rio Grande, after which, Major Forbes Britton was dispatched to Washington to secure protection on that border. These measures resulted in an order from the War Department to Col. Robert E. Lee, then in command in Texas, to cross the river, if necessary, and break up Cortina's band. With equal promptness Gov. Houston used his best efforts to protect the frontier. A few days after his inauguration he ordered Captains W. C. Dalrymple, Edward Burleson, and John C. Connor to raise companies of sixty men for frontier protection. In February Lieutenants White, Salmon, and Walker were directed to raise companies of twenty-five men each.
The frontier continued to be harassed. The Governor, on the 9th of March, empowered each Chief-Justice of the frontier counties, to call out a company of fifteen men at any time necessary. Captain Peter Tomlinson was authorized to raise a company of forty-eight men, to scour the country between the Frio and the Rio Grande. To compel the Indians to return to their own country. Col. M. T. Johnson organized an expedition. A party of savages, who had been committing serious depredations in Palo Pinto and Jack Counties, were pursued, later in the year, by Captain L, S. Ross, and severely punished.
A controversy appeared in the news journals of May, 1860, between Governor Houston and the Comptroller of the State, Hon. Clement R. Johns. The points in debate do not seem to have been any charges of peculation, fraud, or corruption, but wholly involve the question of executing a law, and supervising and attending to its execution.
But the exciting scenes of the Presidential election of 1860 absorbed public attention.[1] Governor Houston addressed letters to
- ↑ Private letter to Gen. George Washington Crawford, of Washington, Texas.
"
Austin, 8th September, 1860.
"My Dear General:—Your favor has this moment been received, and I as frankly reply as you wrote to me. Personally, I like Breckinridge more than either of the candidates in the field, and 'tis because he is an amiable gentleman, as well as a man of fine intelligence, and I think him quite as honest as either of the other candidates. My wish and object is to beat Lincoln with any man in the field. The question is, how is this to be done? If Breckinridge alone were in the field opposed to Lincoln, could he do it? I think not. Now! why not? Because, if he were to get all the Southern States, as he would do, could that elect him? No! Could he certainly get any free State? I think not, brought forward as he was by YanceyRhett-Keitt and the disunion influence, and supported by these men and others equally odious to the national feeling. His friends, too, of the N. Y. Herald, Col. Orr, and others, concede that he stands no chance of election. If a Union ticket is supported North and South, it can be elected, I think, and let the electors only be pledged to cast their votes for the strongest man against Lincoln, and in this
