AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
The Association has been invited to hold a midwinter meeting this year at Huntsville. That town is of great historic interest in itself, as the home of Sam Houston and the place where he lies buried. There are many members in easy reach of it; and no good reason appears why a large and enthusiastic meeting should not be held there. The council has not yet acted finally on the matter, but if it can see its way to accept the invitation, the program for the meeting will be sent to the members in due time.
The fireproof vault for the University is under contract, and those having valuable papers or relics which they may be disposed to give the Association can now be assured of a safe depository.
Mrs. Sarah Garrison of Jacksonville, Tex., has given the Association a mutilated copy of the La Grange Intelligencer for July 4, 1844, containing an extract from a letter of Senator Geo. M. Bibb, of Kentucky, in favor of annexation.
Mr. John S. Keaghey, county attorney of Jasper, sends a pass dated Sept. 23, 1836, given to Alexander Allbright by order of Thos. J. Rusk, Brigadier General Commanding, and countersigned by Lysander Wells, aid-de-camp and lieutenant-colonel of cavalry.
Mr. Will. M. Tipton of Santa Fe, N. M., sends an especially interesting and valuable gift. It is the original Order Book of the Santa Fe Expedition. The history of the book and how it came into the possession of Mr. Tipton are best given in his own words. He writes:
“Last year while investigating, in the interest of the U. S. government, a Mexican land grant in this territory, I came across a book which had been used for the keeping of accounts by General Manuel Armijo, the last Mexican governor of New Mexico.
“At the time of discovering it I was hunting for signatures and specimens of the handwriting of Governor Armijo, and in this book I found both.
“But what was more interesting than the writing of Armijo, was my discovery that the book had been used originally for recording therein the military orders issued by Brig. Gen. H. McLeod, who commanded the Texan Santa Fe Expedition of 1841. These orders are twenty-two in number, covering twenty-eight pages, the most of them bearing the name of Theodore Sevey, Adjt., and a few that of C. J. Burgess, Acting Adjt. The first is dated at Austin, May 24, 1841, and the last at Camp Resolution, Headwaters of Red River, Sept. 11, 1841.
“The book is unquestionably genuine, and can be traced from the gentleman through whom I obtained it, directly to the custody of Armijo, who undoubtedly took it from the captured Texans, and appropriated it to his private use.
“Fearing that it would be destroyed if it remained where it was, and appreciating its value as a relic of the unfortunate expedition of '41, I bought it, and it is now in my possession.
“My object in writing you is to say that if it will be acceptable, I shall take great pleasure in presenting it to the Texas State Historical Association, where I feel that after its wanderings of fiftyeight years it is entitled to a resting place.”
How to cite:
"AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION.", Volume 003, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 154 - 155. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v003/n2/back_7.html
[Accessed Mon Dec 1 15:02:28 CST 2008]
