2
THE AUSTIN PAPERS
commenced. 1 All I know about it is what little I can infer from the questions asked me, and the vague information or reports of persons who visit me- You will understand that the mode of proceeding here is to collect and arranae all the evidence against an accused ex-parte, he knows 0 • nothing about it, nor what he has to answer to, untill the evidence agamst him is all collected, the case is then delivered to him, and not before, to make his defence and exhibit proofs to disprove or do away the evidence against- It is evident that under such a system a suit may be protracted indefinitely at the will of accusers, prosecutors etc. etc. The only place. I can procure proofs is in Texas. It may be six months or more before it is considered that all the evidence is collected against me, and then l must send to Texas for evidence on my part- So far as I can judge, al.I seem to agree that my letter of 2d. October to the Ayto. of Bexar was nothing more than an imprudent opinion, but not a criminal act in the eye of the law, because it was merely an opinion, unaccompanied by any overt• act-hut, as I am informed, for I know nothing certain, the intention is to try and convict me of a design to separate Texas from Mexico and unite it to the United States and that letter is used as an incident, or link in the plot which it is pretended there was. All this is utterly false- All Texas can acquit me and I have no doubt would do so unanimously of any such design or plot-nothing of the kind has ever existed in me, or in any one else in Texas that I ever heard of-' But I am of the opinion that my innocence will avail me nothing- There seems to be a net wove around me which I cannot understand, and of course cannot resist- Everything I ~ave said or done with pure intentions and in good faith- All my honest and republican frankness in explaining to the govt. the true situation of Texas, every thing that has passed in Texas since I went there in 1821- All the events of the last four years- All that is said there now and since my imprisonment- All that has been published about my colony in newspapers books etc even the population and advancement of Texas in agriculture, arts, exports, and resources-in short every thing seems to he construed and perverted against me-nothing comes from Texas in my favor, and much (as it is said) against r_ne. This however I doubt- 1 have hut few friends here very few indeed, they have complained at the injustice done me by so much delay- It is however said in reply that all my own countrymen in Texas are against me, and as a proof that they are, nothing comes from there, no representations in my favor- Some even doubt whether I was e,·er appointed the agent of these people, for it i! said, that it is not reasonable to suppose that they would abandon me, a! they seem to have done etc for my part I do not believe all this, and 1 doubt very much whether any thing in my favor sent to the present ministe1 1 For Austin's imprisonment see Barker, The Life of Stephen F. Austin, 438-459.
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