AUSTIN TO J. H. BELL
Jany 1-1828
DR Sm, I am happy to find myself once more amongst my large family after so long an absence On the 3 and 4 of Feby next the genl election comes on in the several districts for one Alcalde, two regidores or aldermen and one sindico procurador for the whole colony-these officers compose the Ayunta1niento or municipal corporation 1 -great power is given to this corporation by the laws, and much depends on getting in good and intelligent men Kinny has positively refused to serve as Alcalde, and I think that Ira Ingram will be the best we can get-he is compelled to live in this place and it will not be as injurious to him to be absent from home as some others-in my opinion he is well qualified for the office and will do credit to the colony The Ayuntamiento must meet once a month at this place which will be a little inconvenient for those who Iive at a distance • I think J. H. Bell-Wm J.viorton and L. R. Kinny ought to be the two regidores and the sindico Procurador-or if either of these will not serve M. B. Nuckols who lives here and is a very good and intelligent man. The nearer they could be elected to this place the better :£or they ought to meet at least once a month and sometiines oftener, and there is no kind of compensation allowed to them by law-Should the Alcalde be unable to act from sickness or death etc the alderman who had the highest vote takes his place which makes it still more important to elect good men-Rawson Alley has also been spoken of and he would make a good one also T. M. Duke, If you do not wish the appointment (which I presume you do not) for it will put you to great trouble owing to the distance you live :from here, I think that Kinny and ~1orton for regidores and Nuckols for Sindico Procurador will be the best we can get-Write me your opinion on the subject and wheither Ingram :for Alcalde-Kinny and Morton for regidores and Nuckols :for Sindico Prom1,rador, will suit the 1 For an account of the government of Austin's colony prior to the organization or the Ayunto.llllento, see an article by the editor in Southwestern Historical Quarterly, XXI, 223-2fS2. For the organization of the Ayuntamlento, ibid., 299 ft. 1
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