584
AMERICAN RISTORIOAL ASSOCIATION
I understood Colonel Bradburn to say his orders were £rem Gen- eral Teran, and that as he conceived no vessel upon having payed the Tonnage duty in one :Mexican port should be required to pay it in another, unless her last clearance was from a Foreign one, he would write to the General upon the subject, requesting him to give instructions to have the payment made here returned in this case and not demanded in future; but God help us! as the fable tells us there are many tracks into the lions den but none out of it-he further added that he would write to the General, to grant to the Schooner a coasting licence for six months, now my dear Sir, if you would back this request by also addressing the General it would oblige me. In the course of conversation the Colonel mentioned that the views of the Mexican Government were such that he had no doubt but all north american emigration would be prohibited in the course of a short time, even to this colony J should this prove to be the case, I shall most truly regret it, for my attachment to this my adopted country, where I have located all my interests, and whose prosperity I consider as identified with my own, is such, that I cannot view with- out pain a step of such short-sighted policy. The Mexican Govern- ment have at all times been most liberal towards us colonists and the people we have ever found to be amiable and hospitable; on the other hand we have been true and faithful citizens, ready at all times to protect the country from Foreign invasion, and Indian ag- gression, as well as to support the execution of the laws, we have Industry and mechanical and agricultural knowledge wherewith we can enrich the country and set a good example to our Mexican breth- ren. .A:ny step therefore on the part of the Government which might check this Industry, and the good feeling existing between the Colo- nists and the native Mexicans I consider injudicious. I shall forward this via Tampico, and return in a day or two t-0 San Felipe.
S. RHOADS F1sHEn [Rubric]
Colonel Stephan F. Austin. [Addressed to Saltillo]
AUSTIN TO SAMUEL M. w ILLI AMS [From Williams Papers, Roaen~erg Library, Galveston, Tex.]
Leona Vicario (Saltillo] 13 Jany. 1831
Mr. S. M. WII.LIAMS DR Sm. I arrived in this city last evening, after an unpleasant journey through the mountains, owing to the cold, which has been
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