762
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
AUSTIN TO SAl\lUEL M. WILLIAMS
[From Wllltam11 Pnpers, Rosenbc-rg Librnry, Gnlveston, Tex.]
Leona Vicario 9 April 1832
Dn Sm.
I arrived here Sin Novedad, on the 5 and took my seat on the 6th. Nothing has been done except the ley de comercio, which I presume you have seen. The Govr opposed it vPry violently .and returned it, but the legislature approved it a second time, only th:ree voted against it. Aguirre, Fuentes, and lfigueroa.. It will do the colonies no material harm, for not many of them have ever retailed goods out of the colony. In principle it is unconstitutional, but nothing need be said on that ground at present. The Governor is decidedly in favor of the colonists, he will sustain them if they net prudently, and had it not been £or this Santana business he would have taken some measures relative to the Trinidad de la Libertad affair, but to notice it now would be adding fuel to the flame of discord that threatens the ruin of the confederation. The opinion of 1nany who are opposed to the minist<>rs, and of all who are opposed "ton Santana is, that his real object is centraU,;mo. The Ministers are suspected to have the same views. The real federalists are therefore opposed to the ministers and support Santana so far as to insist on theii· removal, but there they will stop, and if Santana still persists all parties will [be] united against him except his per- sonal friends and he will £all. Tamaulipas is in great confusion. Santana is besieged in Vera Cruz-all the rest of the nation is quiet. On my arrival here I found rumors in ureat abundance relative • b to Texas-that it had separated and declared independence etc. etc. The Govr did not believe anyt;hing of the kind, and I have fully satisfied him, on that subject, he is in favor of the memorial and will recommend it when it returns through the Chief of Depart- ment- he thinks it will be granted if no imprudence is committed by the colonists. There will be a change of ministers, an express who arrived last night from Mexico, I am told brought news that it had been finally determined to change all the ministers. The Memorial will therefore reach Mexico with the Govra recommenda- tion in the ,right time, just after •the new cabinet is formed, and whilst reform is the order of the day. The object is a very importnnt one, and it is best to bear almost any thing rather than jeapordise all by rashness and ill timed passion and imprudence. All the wild sayings and gabbling over cups and speeches etc at Brazoria ~ave been circulated over this country with wonderfull augmentations. The fact is that the great majority of the thinking and intelligent part of the people in the towns I passed through and in this place
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