THE AUSTIN PAPERS 469 original de Texas que yo remiti por conducto de las autoridades del Estado, a causa de haberse estraviado en su transitu entre la administracion del mineral de catorce, y Ia de San Luis Potosi, segun parece poi- las averiguaciones hechas por ese Gobn° recibo con agradecim to las gracias qe. se ha servido S. E. el min- istro de relaciones comunicar en su citado oficio, y siento la desgracia que ha acaecido en perder el ma.pa, la que se reparara por medio de otra copia que remitire en breve tpo. con nuevas correcciones que las noticias adicionales adqueridos despues de completar el mapa., me proporcionan datos para hacer- Suplico que se sirva V. E recibir mis gracias y las espresiones de mi mas alta. consicleracion y respecto D y L San F. de A 23 de Agosto 1830. E. F. A. s. RHOADS FISHER TO AUSTIN Northumberland [Pennsylvania.] August 23. 1830 Colonel S. F. AusTIN MY• DEAR Sm I again address you in consequence of having re- ceived yours of 17th June, tho, my opinion on its leading subject has been anticipated in mine of 14 and 20th Insts: I mean Slavery, that you were in favour of a free population is no surprise to me, believing that every i;eflecting man of equal intelligence must be so; but I was not prepared to learn that your determination was so decided as you have expressed it at tl~e present junctu-re- I con- ceive each member of our little democracy, however inconspicuous his standing, has an unquestionable right to a free expression of opinion, in whatever relates to the policy of the State, and much more of the colony: under this view then, I feel no hesitation in say:. ing that I believe the Interests of the Colony will be essentially in- jured, should the course of policy,-the non admission of slaves- mentioned in yours of 17th: June be adopted- Most of your Colonists are from Slave-holding States-they have enrolled them- selves in your register under the firm conviction that slavery would be tolerated, and that they would be secure in the ownership of those brought by them -Many others have made arrangements with you to remove, and ·with an express understanding that they could safely bring their negroes with them. From your approximity to the Southern States, and from the favorable feeling already pervading her citizens, Texas may fairly anticipate a population from that quarter, more speedy and more numerous than from the northern and Eastern, and this I conceive is at present all important: added to which, do you believe that cane and cotton can be grown to advantage by a sparce white population¥
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