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Show APPENDIX TO PART Ill. nc,·et· have made atlothcr appeal, until I made one through our go· \ ernmctlt to the nmhassadot· of his catholic majesty, had l not rc. C'ei\'ccl orders to that cfl"cct; it llOt being known at the time those i n!:it ructions were given, that the propriety of the seizure had been ·otHt' stcd bet ween your excellency and myself. But, as you have now had time fully to re -consider the business, it may not uppear in the san1c lig·ht that it did when I had the honor to addrt:ss you be· fore. Yo111· excellency may be induced to conceive that tha mea~ urr of seizing nt~· llOtcs, plans, meteorological and astronomical ob~ c n at ions, &r, fot· parts of the Mississippi, .MissoUt·i, Osage, Kans <ttHI At kansaw riv rs; watct·s aclmowledged by the Spanish government to he" ithin the known territot·ie!i of the United States, may not l>c .iu~tifiable. \Vhatever rnay be yout· opinion on those subjects 1 am aLan entire Joss to conceive, how, and upon whal principle you could involve in thal seizure, letters from indivi<luals to individuals, the Ctmtcnts of which could in 110 wise be intei'Csting· to the Spanish g-o v e rnmc n t. I have therefore once more to appeal to your excellency, with a ho pt: that the time you ha,·e had for dclibrration miily induce you to C(lnc·..:i'c it proper, and but an act of justice to dclivl!t' up the pa- 1'1..:. s seized at Chihuahua; and hope yout· cxcc11cncy will have tl1e ! ooduc~s to addt·e ss them to me in a pac ket, to the care of the com. manding officer of' this place. lf the continuntion of an amicable lmtlcrstanding between the two nation~ is an ol>ject of estimation in the mind of your excellency, the final demarcation of r mits must be considered us the first great ~ tc p to be taken to\vards its accomplishment; and to enable my government to fonn a <:Ol'l'ect idea on that s ubject, it was requisite tl1cy should be "lt;dL acquainted with the geographical situation of the heads of the Arkansaw und Red t·ivcrs, the forme1· part of which I hud ~lccomplis hed, and conld " ith all case have carried the remainin~ pan of' that object into execution, (after discoYering my mistake uf the Hio dd Not·te for the Hed ri,·cr) had I been permitted by the goYcrnor of N ew Mexico, in stead of which I was hmried through the COllllll'y tel Chihuahua, without having· time given for the ubsent pan or my party and bagg-age to join me, by which means I was obli ~;<:d to :.tppcat· in a garb and tH:.Inncr entire ly iucompatible with the rank 1 h ave the hotl<)l' to hole!, and in some deg-ree an indignity to the cout ttry \~hose wtnmi!-.sion 1 bear. And to add to my mortiilcatir, n, was theu deprived of the information I !tad outained at the risq11e of our lives and the suffering of uuknown miseries. The in · tonnution contaiuec.l in n1y notes were not only of a geographical na- APPENDIX TO PART III. 85 ture, but also such as would enable the executive of the United States to take some steps to ameliorate the barbarous state of various savage tribes whom I visited; and I may be permitted to add, would lwve added in some small degree to the acquirement of sci· cnce, which is for the general benefit of mankind. When I left Chihuahua, I was informed my sergeant and party were detained ncar the place, in order that they 8lJOuld not be per· mitted to join me. That by n separate examination they might be intimidutcd to make a declaration to justify the conduct observed to· wards us. This I am conscious must have failed, but am at an entire loss to conceive why they should have been detained until this time, when yom excellency assured me they should follow immedi· atcly. Their detention has been of considerable private injury to myself, and an insult to my government. \Vhcn I marched from Chihuahua, your excellency officially informed me that every thing was prepared for my transport to our lines, but was much surprized to have to pay for the hire of hol'ses, &c. demanded of me at the first place where we changed our escorts; as I ncithet' conceived it just that I should pay for an involuntary tout· I had taken through your territories, neither was I prepared to do it; but as your officers were responsible, and gave their receipts for the transport, and from the orders received uy captain Viana at Nacogdoches, I was ouliged to hire beasts to take me to Natchito· ches, although an escot't of your troops were furnished. I here, with the greatest pleasure embrace the opportunity of acknowledging the polite treatment I received from your officers in g-eneral on my route; but in a particula1· manne1· to colonels Cordero llen01ra ; to captains Barclo and Viana, with lieutenant Malgares ; to all of whom jt would be my greatest pleasure to have it in my power to retum the compliment. Will your excellency do me the honor to present my high respects to yout' lady, and my compliments to Mr. 'fruxillo and father Roc us. I am, sir, \Vith the most profound consideration, Yout· obedient servant; (Signed) Z. M. PIKE, captaifi. His excellency govcrnot· Salcedo. |
