WHAT DO YOU KNOW about the Pig War in Texas?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW about the Pig War in the new nation? The Pig War was a dispute between a hot headed Texan and an arrogant Frenchman in the primitive young town of Austin over a hotel bill in 1841 and beyond. I hope you find it amusing._________ Count Alphonse de Saligny, French Charge d’Affaires, represented France in the new Republic of Texas. He wrote to Paris of his delight and pleasure with the reception he received. This was before his confrontation at the Bullock Hotel. The Texas Congress was in recess so Saligny checked out to visit New Orleans. When receiving his bill he felt over-charged. He offered Bullock a lesser amount that was angrily refused. He left without paying and created an enemy. Upon his return to Austin, he rented a house and an office but his daily walk to the capitol caused him the discomfort of passing in front of the Bullock Hotel on Congress at Pecan (6th street)._________ He purchased 21 acres on a hill east of town to create a settlement for French immigrants. Partners in the project “Franco Texienne” counted on the passage of a bill giving tax breaks, duty-free importation of French goods and mineral rights. Count Saligny lobbied Texas politicians with extravagant dinners serving fine French wine and cigars, still the bill failed. His defeat enraged him._________ He built a house we know as the French Legation (*) and ordered his servants to kill any of the unfenced animals that strayed into his garden. Several unfortunate pigs succumbed and were served at one of his elegant dinner parties. The pigs belonged to Richard Bullock._________ One day Bullock spotted the count’s employee Eugene Pluyette; he harangued and attacked him with his walking stick before the Frenchman could retreat to the French office. Saligny was outraged and wrote a letter to the new Secretary of State James Mayfield who promised to look into the matter and punish whoever broke the law. In addition Bullock submitted a petition regarding Saligny’s unpaid Hotel bill and the dead pigs. When a court hearing was scheduled, Count Saligny haughtily responded that he would not allow Pluyette to testify in a court because it was beneath the dignity of France._________ Complaining to his American counterpart who was living at the Bullock Hotel, the Count was thrown out and told never to return. His pride was wounded so he told the Secretary of State that he was temporarily suspending operations at the French Legation. Mayfield saw opportunity to rid himself of Saligny. President Lamar, wanting to avoid more embarrassment, requested a recall from Texas of Count Jean Pierre Isidore Alphonse Dubois de Saligny._________ Carole Sikes Ref. The Republic of Austin by Jeffrey Kerr, Waterloo Press, Austin History Center Association (*) The French Legation still stands at 802 San Marcos Street in Austin and now is operated by Daughters of the Republic of Texas