THE AUSTIN PAPERS 633 unjust towards you and because it did not correspond with the in- structions of Gen 1 Teran whose O'rders; no, not orders, instructions he was instructed by Govt to follow in all matters relating to Texas. He then she,,rnd me General Terans officio, which tells him not to grant pasports for Texas to any emigrants but " los qe dependen a las colonias" of Austin and Dewit I encleavourcl to construe the word dependence as applicable to all who were bonafide destined to those colonies, he took fire at this and I had to back out admitting my imperfect knowledge of the Spanish language I then took the ground that the publications and notices by letters, that persons qualified according to law, who should present themselves at Sta. Felipe during the term o-f your contracts should receive lands agree- ably to law, was virtually a contract between you and them and brought them within the exception. He said you had undoubtedly agents in all parts of the country to pick up Settlers and all who had contracted with them might go. I assured him there were no such agents. He then said if I could produce a copy of a notice or a letter or a note from Mr Breedlove that he had knowledge notice had been given, he would consider it as an engagement with the emigrants and grant them passports. Your letter of Jany 19 1830 to Mr Breedlove contained a postscript exactly in point. Mr B wrote him a note which I handed him and obtained a reply a copy of which I annex. This removes the difficulty here for the present but will not counteract the effect in the country where you will see it is ordered to be published He expressed the most friendly disposition towards yon and the colonys, said the Govt could not pass ex post facto laws, and stopping the emigration to your colonjes would be ex post facto etc. but they are doing the thing whatever they may say. He professes to coincide with me in opinion that the Govt has no disposition to deviate from the just and liberal policy here- tofore shown to the colonists, appeared anxious to convince me that his personal disposition was the.best possible, and published these notices only by Superior order so I got along with him very smoothly. . In my own affairs I am at a dead stand still Mr. W. about whose propositions to establish a Cotton factory of a 1000 spindles in the Colony I wrote you via Matamoros made it a sine qua non, that I should take the direction of the business or he would not embark in it, I acceded, conditionally, we matured the plan, agreed upon terms, and were to red·uce the matter to contract so so'on as I had advices that my solicitation was granted,- Buys story that he had the exclusive right to establish cotton manufactorys in Texas not true and assurances that a premium in land would be granted for the establishment of the cotton factory of 1000 spindles no advices 88370-28---41
Powered by FlippingBook