THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 1533 illegal, for the law points out the mode of punishing officers in this Govl from the President clown to an Alcalde or a corporal and the legal tract ought to have been pursued and no other-they were most dreadfully illtimecl. The slave question is now pending in the Legislature, the constitution now forming. '''hat influence are acts of this outragious character calculated to have on the minds of the members and on the clecission of the slave or any other question involving the interests and prosperity of the new Settlements~ certainly a most unfavorable influence. ,vith what face can any of those who are engaged in the late affray ask favors of the Govl when the same hand that prevents the petition had just been raised in open hostility against its constituted authorities1 And how are such measures to be justified1 vVhy you will say the Alcalde had done injustice etc but admitting he has done all this, were the right steps taken to call him to account No. the law was trampled upon and passion or madness took the command I am not only astonished, but I am in the highest degree displeased at Burri! J Thompson for the mad course he has pursued. I had a different opinion of him and spoke in his favor to the Govt. Wlrnt can I say now 1 There is one way for you all to save yourselves and only one, and that is to go in person and present yourselves to the chief of the De- partment of Texas, State your grievances, and acknowledge n.t once and without any reserve or stiff and foolish republican obstinacy that wrong steps were taken, that the attack on the Alcalde was totally wrong-that you were misled by passion or something else, (for it puz7,les me to frame excuses for such conduct) and petition the Governor to order a general court of inquiry in which the con- duct of the Alcalde and Gains and all others and your own should be fully and fairly and openly investigated, and that their punish- ment should fall on the heads ·of those who merited it without re- spect of person-If you take this course all may be terminated well. Let B. J. Thompson dissolve his company and have no more to do with any such business had he taken my advice and let the company alone unless it could have been sanctioned by the proper .Authority he would have saved himself from these difficulties. I wrote him what the law was and he is without excuse on that point-Let the Americans put aside their rifles and be guided by more prudence and reason than they have been. Let them submit to the Govl and be obedient to the laws and only seek redress in the legal mode and let no time, not one moment be lost in stating to the Govt your sub- mission and readiness to abide by their judgment and throw your- selves on their mercy, for no matter what Norris may have done the party who entered Nacogdoches have done as bad and are liable to henvy punishment. If you take the right course now aU will be.
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