THE AUSTIN PAPERS 981 I have been adverse to the principle of slavery in Texas. I have now, and for the last six months, changed my views of that mutter; though my ideas are the same as to the abstract principle. Texas must be a slave country. Circumstances and unavoidable neces- sity compels it. It is the wish of the people there, and it is my duty to do all I can, prudently, in favor of it. I will do so. I think the General will send on Fisher with a few men by land. He is com,pelled to re-establish the customhouses, and I advised hiru to rely on the colonists to enforce the revenue laws. I am of opinion decidedly, that if Fisher's reports are favorable, there will not be any garrisons sent to Texas except on the frontiers. It ,vould take a sheet or two of paper to tell you the extent of the injury that was done to all Texas by the departure of Dudor [Du- clor] from Brazoria. 1 He was a Santa Anna officer. ,vhen I look back, I nm really mortilied at some things. In the first excitement at Brazoria, Samuel Sawyer was a lender, and a great man-a right-hand man of J. B. McKinstre. .Also, in Mata- gorda bay, one John Colbourne, who was concerned in the ~oston packet, took a part in insultinO' the customhouse. Now, this Col- bourne went to :Mexico and ~heated Mr. Parrot, an American merchant out of $3,500, by a forged draft in company with Girnrd. And yet the fa'r'Tnm·s were ready to fight nll Mexico to favor the ~muggling operations of such miserable scoundrels. Mr. McKinstre was the principal cause of Dudor's [Duclor's] leaving Brazoria, and he has done as much harm to Texas ns any mun in it. If the in- dustrious men of the country will snffer themselves to be mnde t!1e mere tools of peddlin(T traders nncl hot-brained mndmen, they will . 0 deserve to suffer. . ., . Fisher ought to be •sustained, and I hope all the past w~ be totally forgotten. See John Austin on this subject. As to Fisher, the fact is there were faults all round, on both sides. Farewell.
S. F . .A.usTIN.
.A.usTIN TO JoHN AusTIN 2
~fatnmorus ~fay 31. 1S33
J. AUSTIN Esqr
Brazoria.
Dr Sm. This will be handed to you by Geo. Fisher, the Collector of Galveston, who returns to Texas ns an Officer of the Governl to establish the Custom House. • I have assured him that he will receive the support of the Colo- nists in sustainino- the Revenue Laws, and Collecting the duties. b 1 See Fro.nclsco M. Duclor to Ayuntam1ento of Snn Felipe de .Austin, Sept. 27 • 1832 • 1 Copy by George l~lsher tn Lnmar Papers, Texas State Library.
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