THE AUSTIN PAPERS 767 The new colonization law has passed 1 -it had progressed consid- erably before my arrival and is as favorable as could be obtained or expected at present. A law has passed reducing the Alcabala one half in the departments of Bejar and Monclova-another stating that the military in service have not, and never have had, any right to vote at elections, except the presidia! companies in the towns where they belong-another establishing the municipality of Brazoria. Three years more have been granted to Powers, Cameron, Beales, Viehlien and Burnet to settle their colonies. Upon the whole this legislature have done no harm except the retail law, and some good. The States of Jalisco and Zacatecas have formally dema:ruled the dismissal of the ministers. Tamaulipas is all at sixes and sevens- the Legislature have annulled the decree of the junta Legislativa of 19 March last, and asked pardon of the general Government, etc. The Governor of that State, Vital Fernandez, refused to sanction this last net of the legislature and mustering all the troops and militia he could marched towards Tampico in the night of the 20 April. General Teran it is said was within six leagues of him on the pursuit, but I doubt this, for I have a letter from Teran 14 April from Matamoros, he was then starting for Victoria. Santana is already besieged in Vera Cruz. • It is impossible to form any definite opinion as to how this matter will end, but I think the most probable conjecture is that the ministers will retire soon, and that a general amisty will follow and a total cessacion of all hostility. I must confess that I doubt very much whether the nation will gain anything by a change of ministers-our Oo-ngresito, very wisely I think, have adopted the turtle sistem, callado. So much for general matters-now for home affairs. The removal of Fisher, and the establishment of a custom house office at Brazoria I presume has satisfied everybody, and of course you have pence and harmony in the colony. The prospect of getting the law of 6 April modified is much better than I expected. •If the whole of Texas and that colony in particular are quiet, prudent and obedient, and can keep all the local officers and especially the Military in a good humor, and well satisfied, I will almost insure a repeal of the 11 article of the law · of 6 .April, but there must be no more such violent excitements as that at Brazoria in December-no more such illegal and even pi'ratical conduct as the Boston Packet,-No more speeches. How silly and imprudent the best of us will talk and net sometimes when under excitement. Those who were abusing me at Brazoria and in San Felipe because I insisted thnt Teran and Brnd-
• Deeree No. 100, Gammel. Laws ot Texu, I. 103.
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