645
THE AUSTIN PAPERS
AUSTIN TO SA~IUEL :M:. WILLIAMS [From Williams Papers, Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Tex.]
Lea Vco [Leona Vicario], 16 april 1831 s. M. WILLIAMS DR Sm. I refer you to my letter to the Ayto. and jts enclosure, where you will find ns huge a monster o.s ever appeared in any Legislative Hall on earth. I have endeavored to do all I could for Madero, but nothing can be clone with the present Govr. I will nttend to this matter at :Matamoros [with Terun] where more can be effected than here. I wish you to write to Madero or get Arci- niega to do so a.ncl inform him of this. By the last mail I recd the pamphlet from New York which you sent me, and the other letter. I have given no answer, and shall give none untill after my visit to Matamoros. I have a letter dated 6 April from .A.Inman and one of 3d. April from Teran, all seems as well a.s could possibly be wished for. The excess of tonnage duty paid by S. Rhoads [Fisher], will be refunded-Texas will be remembered in regulating the ports. The arms of the Gen 1 Govt. are wide open to receive us as a territory, (but no basis is stated with the absolute precision which I think necessary) agreeing in gen 1 terms to the plan of Arkansas or some- thing like it etc. The question of Sl:tvery with the reasons which I presented (some of which you have seen in my letter to Johnson of 31 March) has made n very great impression. I sometimes shudder at the consequences and think that .a large part [of] .America will be Santo Domingonized in 100, or 200 years. The wishes of my colonists ho.ve hurried me into this thing-but I am now in for the cuestion nnd there is no retreat, for my rule is to go nhend nfter once coming to a decisive resolution on a matter of such consequence as this. My health is not very good, this ntmosphere does not agree with me. I wish for a long life, for if these devils jalapize 1 me, I have a desire to liYe long enough to Texize them with full interest. I hnve prei)o.re<l a bill to amend the colonization law in the nrti- • cle which prohibits sales nntill cultivated in totalidnd, but I found there wns a desire thnt I should move the subject so as to destroy the whole lnw and do all the harm possible. 2 Jesus Grnnde is at the head of nll the mischief-his brother Mariano made a hand- some fortune out [of] the Sala.1·y he recd iii a few months o.s Yistn of the Adunna of Matamoros, and now no doubt would find it to
1 Menning, to remove him by "o.ddress." • Such a law was passed a year Inter. See Gammel, Ln,vs ot Texas, I, 299--S0S.
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