1066
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
under the excitement, disseminating infinite calumnies, and raising false reports, relative to my conduct and authority; but I feel per- fectly secure under the conviction, that the Government, taking into consideration the great injury which would result from the intro- duction of such characters, will approve the course I have pt1rsued in this instance; thereby preventing such persons from incommod- ing these Colonist hereafter; and at the same time, promote the progress of this section of the State generally.-! request the Supreme Government of the State of Coahuila and Texas, in its acknowledged goodness to authorize me to settle the additional num- ber of five hundred families on the lands which remain vacant upon the rivers San Jacinto, Brazos, and Colorado, and their tributaries, and on the Island and Bay of Galveston, with full power to expel from this jurisdiction, all persons of notoriously bad character, who in future may immigrate hither. The arguments I offer in support of this petition are: 1s t -The number of three hundred families already legally settle<l is very small to sustain itself against the Savage Indians, who sur- round us. 2 nd -It is important that the settlement of the vacant lands con- tiguous to, and adjoining those already distributed, should be effected through the same Empresario, or authority who surveyed and dis- tributed the lands to the present Colonists, in order to prevent all clashing or dispute between the new and old Colonists, with regarrl to their lines and boundaries; likewise, by these means, to form in this towp. a general and minute Record of all the lands distributed within this jurisdiction; a matter of the greatest importance in pre- venting hereafter, even the possibility of doubts, or disputes, in rela- tion to titles. 3 rd -Should the National Government make a port of entry of Gal- veston, the advantages of sales which would result therefrom, will not be realized from it unless Colonists settle there, and in its imme- diate neighborhood, and inasmuch as I was the first who proposed this matter to the Government, I entreat the Government of the State to do me the honor of effecting its settlement, and complet- ing its establishment. 4 th -Nothing but foreign commerce, particularly the exportation of cotton to Europe, can enrich the inhabitants of this section of the State; and this cannot be expected without an increase of population, and physical force; for without this, Capitalists will not undertake to enter into it, with vessels of sufficient size, for European Com- merce; and to obtain these great benefits to the full extent that would indubitably result to the nation, by the enterprise and industry of
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