1043
THE AUSTIN PAPERS
AUSTIN TO PETER AND JOSEPH POWELL l
.
Monterrey, Jany. 18, 1834..
To PETER PowELL and J osEPH PowELL. Dr Srns, Mr. A.llsbury has 1.nformed that you are at Pilon, and have heard of my arrest.. I am arrested by an order of the :Minister of War to answer an accusation made, as I understand, by the State Government, on account of my having written to the Ayuntamieuto of Bexar recommending that all the ayuntamientos of Texas should consult together as to what ought to be clone in the event no remedies could be obtained for Texas, and also in the event that the Arista or military party should succeed, it being somewhat doubtful at that time (2nd of October), how the civil war would terminate. The genl. govt. could do no otherwise than order me back to Mexicon, to answer to this accusation, coming as it did from the state, neither could the state govt. very well have avoided making the accusation-so do not blame either of them in any manner. It was my duty, as an agent, acting under the instructions I had to write as I did under the circumstances. The fact is that the revolutions since the plan of J alapa, have kept everything so disjointed and so confused all over the nation, that no man who has had anything to do with public business, could avoid being entangled in some way. It was always my wish, as is well lmown in Texas, to keep the colony and that whole country out of the revolution, but it was impossible. All the measures of the Bustamante administration tended to ruin Texas, and subject it to a military" govt. This irritated· the people so much that they could not be restrained. They had sufficient cause to oppose military ~rpation, but I wished them to keep out of that revolution for ~t was not absolutely necessary. • • The military would have gone away of themselves in a short time. ~ince then all has been unsettled everywhere and I have been drawn mto the whirlpool, unavoidable. It could not be helped. The disposition of the genl. govt. toward Texas is in the highest degree favorable and friendly and everything will be done for that country that can be consistent with the constitution and laws. It would be made a state or a territory without delay if it was asked for by the ayuntamientos unanimously, but there must be no more co~ventions and no more wild excitements. The people must keep qwet, obey the state authorities and law, harmonise fully with Bexar and Goliad and with the Mexican population, discountena.nce all 1 From a printed copy furnished by Mrs. Mary E. Bell, London, Tex. Since tWs copy was made Mrs. Bell has given the original to the museum of the Daughters ot the Rcpul>- Uc ot 'l'cxas at Austin.
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