568
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
The people of this place nre, in heart, unanimously hostile to the present administration, and they are more friendly to the North .American emigration than they ever were. The state of affairs in Mexico is, if any thing, more unsettled than ever. Teran I be- lieve will not go to Mexico, and I think it not improbable that he may turn his course this way- from what I can learn both Piedrass and the General are desirous to have a good standing with the settlers- we ought to encourage this idea for we may derive much benefit from it, at least so far as to keep off harsh orders etc. I send you two hundred signatures, have certificates printed over them verbatim like the others and fill them up, all except the name 1 - give as many to R. Williamson as he wants nnd send some to Mc- Guffin and some to Piedrass, and some to Col Thorn. Try and have them printed at night when no one is present and tnke care that none of the blanks get into other hands, let none know anything of this but Lesassier and Williamson. Settlers can get in with certificates from De Witt and lie ought to have about 200 struck off and sent to Arkansas and Natchitochesetc. I presume you have heard all the news from Pettus and Johnson, in this plnce there is Novedad de indios [rumor of Indians] every hour-a large party were discovered yesterday on 1\fedina near the road.- Arciniega will be on by the 15 of next month try_and get the coast colony out of the way by that time. I will write another letter by him and one by l\fadero ooth of a public cltamcter, that is you can shew them if you think proper, but this one no person must see except Lesassier. There can scarcely be a mo~e .d~cult thing than to play a doubl~ game, it is dangerous, and it is at times, a nice point to draw the distinction between such a game and dishonor- we are so situated that we must keep a good understanding with Teran and Alnman,- . but nt the same time ali our best friends at Saltillo and in Mexico nre very hostile to both those men. Silence, prudence, and vigilance, must all be called in requisition. I shall have a dreadful task at Saltillo-if I am compelled to come out and take sides openly, I must go with the Viescas of course, in this event the whole pack with Licenciado Aguirre at the hencl will open against me. Tho, it·is best not to anticipate trouble, in two weeks after I get there you shnll hear what the prospect is. Viesca' has returned to the Govt.-this is a good sign. Say nothing for, nor against Zavala, very rigid
1 For a copy of these certlflcntes, which were intended to relieve Immigrants from the embarrassments Imposed by the Inw or .Apr. O, 1830, see Austin to Mennrd, Nov. 13, 1S30.
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