1538
A1\IERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
Comanches en el parnge de las Lagunitas lo que tengo publicado , estos habitn.ntes en conformidad con el citado oficio de V. S. Dios y Libertad San felipe de Austin a 22 de Die•. de 1826 Es·i·EV.ru.~ F. AusTIN [Rubric] Sor Gefe del Depar 10 de Texas
AUSTIN TO B. J. Trro1rrsoN
San Felipe de Austin Decr· 24. 1826
.Mr. B J TrroMrsoN
Sm, It is a long time since we have seen each other and I cannot say what changes may have taken place in your mind as respects me, we once were neighbors and friends ·and I think you once had confidence enough in me to believe that I would neither do an act that I believed to be improper nor in any manner countenance or advice it in others-"\Ve are now in a distant and new country from that of our first acquaintance, and in another Gov'- with which you are almost as much a stranger as you are to its language and every tie that can bind former friends n.nd acquaintances together cer- tainly ought to operate with renewed force here-we were friends in Missouri, we ought to be friends in Texas. and I have taken up my pen to write to you as a friend who takes an interest in your wel- fare and I will therefore speak to you with the frankness of friend- ship and I hope what I say will be 1·eceived in the same spirit that it is offered and that you will calmly reflect on the subject of this letter- I have heard with the greatest astonishment that you have taken an active part in the commotions in that part of the country, my friend I hope you will not take my fr::mkness amis when I say that you have committed an error, you have by that rash act injured your own standing with the Government and made the words of your enemies true, and you have jeopardised the prospects of this whole country-The Govt· had made all the necessary arrangements to have the affairs of that district investigated and if after such in- vestigations it should have appeared thn.t the Alcalde had done in- justice he would have been punished. The Govt. have always taken the part of t'he New Settlers and punished those who attempt to deal unjustly with them. Complaints were made against Edwards that he wn.s speculating on the people and the Govt· on ascertaining that those complaints were true have annuled his contract, they did it because they thought he had treated the settlers unjustly and is not this a proof that the Govt. is disposed to protect the settlers 1 and
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