1495
THE AUSTIN PAPERS,
AUSTIN TO AYUNTAMJENTO OF BEXAR 1
A letter I have just received from the Empresario Green De Witt, dated from La Vaca Bayou, apprizes me of a disagreeable occurrence which took place there relative to the seizure of a cargo of goods consisting, principally of flour, corn, coffee, whiskey and dry goods: by virtue of the decree of May the 20 th 1824, in relation to contra- band articles. I understand that this cargo was purchased at New Orleans by its owners for the purpose of assisting the colonists of that Empresario, at the commencement of his establishment, under the impression that the law permitted the introduction of such goods for the consumption of the people of Texas. I candidly state, that, with the decree of the Sovereign Constituent Congress, N° 141, of September the 291.h 1823, and the Colonization law in my hand, I should, without the least hesitation have intro- duced the same goods that have been seized; as well for my own consumption as for the purpose of selling them to the people of Texas. The above mentioned decree clearly declares, in the most specific terms, the object and intention of Congress in passing it. The text of the decree is as follows : "The Sovereign Mexican Congress, taking into consideration the deplorable situation to which the Province of Texas has been re- duced by Indian hostilities, and in order to give partial relief to the destitute condition of her civilized people, have determined upon decreeing, and do hereby decree, that all goods of what class soever, whether home products, or foreign, introduced in the Province of Texas, for the consumption of her people, shall be free from taxes; and the exemption shall continue in force for the term of seven years, from the date of the publication of this decree in the capital of said province." I Now the object of that decree, was" to give a partial relief to the destitute condition of her people" by granting them certain definite privileges, for a limited term; to which Congress considered them entitled in consequence of their sufferings and "the deplorable sit- uation to which they were reduced by Indian hostilities." It is therefore obvious, that the object of Congress was to encourage the people of Texas by granting a well determined and clearly defined privilege, an absolute right, without restriction or reservation what- ever, except limitation of the term to seven years, during which this favor is to continue; and this very limitation to a specific term, is, in my opinion, indisputable proof that the object of Congress was to grant and guarantee to the people of Texas the full enjoyment and benefit of the privileges of sa.id decree during that term, without any reservation of the power to rescind it by another decree, unless in
1 Trnnslutlons from Bexnr Archives, 1n Nncogcloches Archives, Texna State Llbrnr:,.
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