Sir, - Your report on President McAleese's visit to Texas (The Irish Times, April 19th), tells us: "Recalling Ireland's contribution to Texas, Ms McAleese reminded her audience that the cornerstone of the San Jose mission had been laid by Hugh O'Connor, and that 40 of the 188 revered defenders of the Alamo were Irish-born or of Irish extraction."
When Mary Robinson was president she also visited Texas and made some similar comments. At that time a Mr R. Jose Figueroa wrote to you and I believe it is worth quoting the relevant portion of his letter in full.
"Er, two cheers for President Robinson: the defenders of the Alamo were not exactly fighting for freedom, as she suggested to those adoring, blue-rinsed Texan matrons. They were, in fact, defending their perceived right to hold slaves. The US settlers in Texas had been treated generously by the Mexican authorities; each settler was entitled to buy 4,428 acres of land for less than $200 and a blind eye was turned to the holding of black slaves by the Americans.
"They returned this generosity by proclaiming a provisional government, and expelling the Mexican garrison from San Antonio. Santa Anna defeated them at the Alamo. Later the Mexicans were routed by Sam Houston, one of whose first acts as president of the new state was to draw up a constitution legalising slavery. The United States then declared war on Mexico, for the sole purpose of annexing Texas - together with New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California and most of Colorado. This is how the west was won.
"I don't know if the President is planning on visiting my country [Mexico] in the near future. If so, I hope my compatriots will have the grace to overlook her faux pas."
I hope Mr Figueroa's compatriots will extend the same clemency to President McAleese. - Yours, etc.,
Dermot O'Shea, Meadow Grove, Churchtown, Dublin.