THE AUSTIN PAPERS
proud despot of Mexico, acknowledges that the physical force and re• sources of Texas are Sufficient to sustain herself, and that he has yielded the point. As to whether Santa Anna is sincere or not, every one will doubt or dis- believe, and justly so, As regards his promises or declarations made to the Govt. or people of Texas;-but, very few will believe that he would at• tempt to make a tool of Gen. Jackson by telling him lies under his own signature--The Moral effect therefore of Santa Anna's letter to Gen. Jack- son must be in favor of Texas, because it will be considered as a confession by our principal enemy, that Texas has the power to sustain herself- I wrote to Gen Jackson-my object was to try and get the intervention of the U. S. and to have Texas annexed to the U. S. This is all I have done in this matter, and such have been the motives which influenced me- They are pure and disinterested. I could derive no benifit, but on the contrary I knew that it would injure me even to see Santa Anna- I disregarded that injury because I saw that it was possible to do good to Texas, and impossible to do harm by Santa Anna's letter to Gen. Jackson- If a man who is governed by these kind of motives is to receive the curses of those he is laboring to serve, then I should say that purity of intention and disinterestedness have lost their moral influence. I never did approve of the principle that was adopted as to Santa Anna when he was first taken I think he merited death, and that the country ought not to have been compromised to save him, nor do I approve of the' acts of the Cabinet in this, and other things, but I would not on that ac- count do any thing to overturn our civil govt. I will always resist such an attempt so far as I can - As a Texian I have no sympathies for Santa Anna, and every possible cause to hate him. My sympathies are all for the people of Texas and I have labored faithfully to serve them regardless -of myself or popularity as the past and also this Santa Anna's letter proves. I shall return to Velasco and cooperate all I can to c~rry into effect the plan of C?ampaign which has been adopted In doing this I shall also be slandered because it will be used against me by those who are opposed to the Matamoras expedition, and also because it will retard my visit to the Army and the false reports which have been circulated against me will re- ·main uncontradicted, except by this letter which I must beg the favor of you to communicate to Generals Green and F. Huston and to the officers :and men i,o far as you can conveniently- I am also very anxious to see you, the friendship we formed in time of my ill health before Bexar, is I assure you unabated on my part and strengthened rather than diminished by absence-- I feel truly grateful to you for the services you have rendered Texas s. F. AUSTIN
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