THE AUS'rIN PAPERS 819 not nny such intention or desire, "\Ve are Mexicans by adoption, we are the same in heart and will so remain If the laws have granted to us the honorable title of citizens, we wish that that title should be respected, and that the authorities es- tablished by the constitution of the State, shall govern us. "\Ve are farmers and not soldiers and therefore desire that the military com- mandants shall not enterfere with us at all- Since 1830 we have been pretty much governed militarily, and in so despotic a manner, that we were finally driven to arms to re- strain within their limits the military subalterns of the general :rovt. ,ve have not insulted the flag of our adopted country, as has been fa.lsly stated by our enemies, but on the contrary we have defended and sustained its true dignity and attacked those who have outraged it by using it as n pretext for their encroachments upon the constitu- tion and sovereignty of the state of coahuila and Texas, and as a cover for their baseness and personal crimes. The commandant of fort velasco acted under the orders of the commandant of Anahuac Col Juan Davis Bradburn who was his superior. An investigation into the conduct of this oflicer at anahuac will inform you fully of the details of many despotic and arbitrary acts-He refused to respect the authorities or the constitution of the state of coahuila and Texas, or to adhere to the plan of vera Cruz which we had adopted. He was sustaind by the commandant of Nacogodoches Col Piedras, Y [and] by that of fort velasco Leut. Col Ugartechea, and conse- quently we were compelled to oppose them all. We attacked Fort velasco on the 27 of last month with 112 farmers hastily collected without disciplin and badly arl'l)d, and after an obstinate and bloody engagement of 7 hours it capitulated on the terms expressed in the enclosed copy of the capitulation every article, of which has been strictly complyed with on our part, besides furnishing him with the provisions he needed for ,his troops-I herewith furnish you with a return of the killed and wounded on both sides as nearly as can be ascertained This sir is wh~,t has passed I hope it will be sufficient to convince you that these inhabitants have not manifested any other desire or intention than to unite with Genl Santana to procure the establish- ment of peace in the republic under the shield of the constitution, laws, and that soverignty of the states shall be respected- It is a matter of pride and congratulation to me, that you have come to this place to see with your own eyes the rectitude of our sentiments, and that it has afford[ed] us the 'opportunity of present- ing to you our respects and the assurances of our hearty coopera- tion in the great and glorious cause which is so nobly advocated by
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