THE AUSTIN PAPERS 977 By so doing they will procure a State Govt and keep away large and unnecessary military Garrisons and obtain everything that a reason- able people ought to expect or a just and liberal Govt ought to grant. I recommend that the people of Tejas should be mild calm and firm in favour of making a state of Tejas by legal and constitutional means and by no other. To the Aym t of Nacogdoches. s. F. AUSTIN A true copy of the original. Nacogdoches 10 july 1833 ADOLFO STERN [Rubric]
AUSTIN TO 1-Vn..Y ~URTIN l
~Iatamoras, May 30, 1831 [1833]
Capt. WILEY :MARTIN: On my arrival here, things wore rather a bad aspect, but they have totally changed for the better. It was believed that Texas had declared independence, and that John Austin was organizing an army to fight the :Mexicans. I nm told there is also some excitement in ~Iexico, nncl that the State got all excited, and have sent commis- sioners to Texas. The Com. Gen'l Filisola, is a blunt, honest, candid and prompt soldier. He hns been over thirty years in service; has been Com. Gen'l. at various times, with important powers entrusted to. him:- and what is rather uncommon he has not made a fortune. His prm- ciples are liberal and republidan, and he wishes that the practice of all the authorities should conform with the true spirit of the Con- stitution and the laws. Says that there is a great want of moral honesty, and great abuses in the revenue. He is the friend of the farming and agricultural interests-a decided enemy of smugglers and lawyers, for he thinks they demoralize the community by placing temptations before weak or avaricious persons etc. He will be un- popular with all who wish to make money by evading the law. He thinks well of the idea of makincr a State of Texas, and has a good opinion of the Colonists in gen~ral, but believes they have more enemies amoncrst themselves than any where else. The reason he thinks so is, tl~at he says a quiet and prudent course is the best f?r them and a ri!rid adherence to all the laws, so long as they are ID force, etc. Th;y nre craininu yearly and the republican principle[s] b b l • they have been accustomed to are also gaining all over the natwn, so that a little patience will pl~ce all right without any difficulty etc.
1 Clipping from Richmond fTexns] Recorder, Mny 6, 185·1.
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