903
THE AUSTIN PAPEBS
JOHN A. WII.LIAMS TO AUSTIN
Pine Bluff, [Texas] 18 Decbr. 1832
Col. S .F. AUSTIN
DEAR Sm. your friendly communication of the 20th of November last has been recd and duly considered, and here I must acknoledge myself under many obligations for the pains you have taken to con- vince me of the propriety of the course you have advised. But your reasoning appears to me some what deficient. "Our political machinery with that of tlie whole Mexican nation," you suggest" is quite disjointed" •I am not aware of the disolution of the State Government and if dangers threaten it, .it is our duty as faithful citizens to preserve that govt, which affords us protection so long as it is worthy of support, you say that you are a "Mexican Citizen and as such have endeavoured to do your duty faithfully, and will continue to do so while you keep your senses and can do any thing" 'Vhy then.advise me to violate my duty, by the performance of an act expressly prohibited by law, and which you as a "Mexican Citizen " in obecleance to your duty as such, could not, and I presume would not perform, You say the late " convention terminated very hapiply, it tranquilized, harmonized, and united all-very important results in troubled times " . Be it so, I am hapy to hear it, But there was nothing to harmonize and tranquilize. The people of Texas were at that time, for ought that I know perfectly tranquil, perhaps more so than they are at present, The Political Chief in particular in his official communication of the 7th of Novbr last addressed to the Ayunto of Austin, of which I have a copy, expresses himself in terms which cannot be mistaken whereby he disapproves in argu- mentative and pathetic language the measure taken by that "harmonizing" Convention. In this jurisdiction the people (unless I am very much mistaken) are not content with the course marked out by the San Felipe Convention, so far as we have been verbally informed of their resolutions, for I must acknoledge that ·our worthy conventioners have not served us with a copy of these important rules of action which (it is suggested) we aught implicitly to obey, "any law to the contrary not withstanding" • You say that your standing " Moto has been fidelity to Mexico " that you have been "faithful to that Moto" you believe that it has always been, and now is> the standing Moto of all the people of Texas " and I believe it too. and I believe further, that if all the people of Texas were consulted, and made to understand the subject in its proper light, and then the main Question put. Shall we obey the laws of the Country we have adopted, or shall we not obey them, and yeald obedeance to the J unto of San Filepe 1 I believe Sir that you would find an over whelming Majority in the affirmative.
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