1570
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
AUSTIN TO His CoLONISTS
[About January 5, 1827.] rumor has already informed you of the difficulties that have un- happily arisen in the district of Nacogdoches and the emprision- ment of the Alcalde Sam 1 Norris and other violent proceedings of the party of misguided individuals who entered the town of Na- cogdoches in a hostile manner- It requires no arguments to convince reasonable and reflecting men that all such violent measures are wrong, as tending directly to the subvertion of all subordination, in fact of all Govt. and to produce anarchy and a govt. of mobs instead of a Govt. of laws, for admitting that the alcalcle has acted wrong and committed in- justice in his decissions, this cannot justify those violent measures for the law points out the mode of punishing officers of all grades from the President clown, and no individuals have or ought to have the power of assuming the authority vested by the law in the established and competant tribunals I considerd the imprisionment of the alcalde and other acts of violence of the party who entered Nacogdoches as merely the effect of a Momentary excitement that would subside after its force had been spent on the Individuals against whom it was directed, but recent information has induced me to fear that there are designing men in that section of the country who yielding to the dictates of excited passions or deluded by the hopes of personal agrandisement are attempting to organise a party in opposition to the Govern- ment relying for aid on the indians from the Sabine to the rio Grande and on other persons, who, having but little to loose either of character or property, can be drawn into their mad scheme The Mexican Govt is founded on the broad and Solid basis of rational Freedom,-it is modeld after that of the United States of the north, and its principles a.re therefore familiar to you all, they are truly republican, and have for their object the protection and security of the personal rights and property of the people individ- ually the advancement of their prosperity and happiness collectively and the promotion of the cause of justice and virtue generally- instances may arise where in from the ignorance or neglect or cor- ruption of subordinate agents individual injustice may be done, but the law has provided a remidy for such cases and is it right or just to condemn the whole ,Govt. and oppose it by force of arms because a party may suppose that a subordinate officer, an alcalde had done them a:n injustice~ put the question to your own bosoms and ask 'What would you as citizens of the U. S. of the north liv- ing in that nation think or say sh~uld.a few _foreigners settled with- out legal authority on the fronfal3.r lillmagme that the local sub-
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