1648
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
here. I should be extremely well pleased if you would write to me how Americans are received at this time or whether at all, there is several families in this County waiting to know in what manner they will be received This letter wil be handed to you by a young man by the name of Robt. M "'Williamson he has resided with us about three months he is a young man Quite unassuming of a handsome Education and very desirous of you acquaintance SAM'L BRIDGE Col. STEPHEN F AUSTIN
AUSTI~ ON THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
Extract from remarks delivered by Col Austin after reading the constitution of the state of Q. and T. at the time of its promulga- tion in Austin Colony-· . You have heard fellow citizens of the Constitution of Quahuila and Texas which has just been read, and I think you must have dis- cover'd in it abundant manifestations of the liberal and enlightend principles on which our adopted Government is founded. The rights of the people are guarded with the utmost precaution,-the security of persons and property solemnly guaranteed-the different branches of the Government divided-the responsibility of public agents is direct-the tryal by jury-recognized and the foreign emi- grants legally settled in the State are placed on an equal footing with all others in the exercise of the elective franchise and admitted to all the rights of citizenship with the exception of eligibility to certain offices of the State. The constitution is liberal and Republi- can and its just and_enlightened ~clministration must insure the rapid advancement and permanent prosperity of the State. Should experiance discover evils or embarassments in its details or opera- tions a competent remedy is provided. The power of Amendment rests with the people and the mode is not more difficult than the importance of the subject requires.- Indeed when we ·take into view the state of bondage and intellectual night from ·which the Mexicans have so recently emancipated themselves, the entire differ- ence of the federal republican System which they have adoptd from all their former experience and the variety and conflicting prejudices and opinions that were to be reconciled, there is complete astonish- ment and admiration at the steadiness and rapidity of advancement in political Science and the perfection of their Qonstitutional Organi- zation-. Fellow Citizens we have great and abundant caus~ for thankfulnrss and gratitude, first to the great A~thor of All _good, and Second}! to the Gove!nment that has so muruficently received us.- We eIIll-
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