THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 1001 the Alcaldes-one Juez de letras could do for the whole Province, I am ready and willing to act in any capacity in which the Govt may deem me useful in this Colony and that without any pay or salary whatever as I have heretofore clone and am willing to continue as I have done to manage the civil and militia affairs of the Colony and the keeping of records etc., but if it can be otherwise arranged I do not wish to have anything to do with Judicial proceedings for I think that a man learned in the :Mexican laws ought to be ap- pointed for that purpose, though if this colony was divided into as many particlos as are necessary and one Alcalde elected by the people for each partido from whose decission there should be an appeal to the juez de letras of the Province I think it would very :.n.uch tend to promote good order, and it certainly would be in the highest degree satisfactory and gratifying to me as I should then be releived from the most responsible and disagreeable part of my duties-[In margin:] Not sent. • 8-A number of preachers of the Christian Religion in the Eng- lish language have applied to me for liberty to preach and estab- lish their mode of worship in this Colony, I have informed them, in conformity with the 4 article of the acta Constitution and in complyance with the verbal instructions of the Political chief of the Province that it was contrary to law and if they come here to preach publically they would be liable to be punished If the Con- stitution and laws of the nation or those of the state could permit any relaxation on this point it would greatly promote the pros- perity of this part of the country and as I conceive could not do any injury as the object of those preachers who wish to come in is solely to promote good morals without wishing to attempt making converts from the Catholic Religion-Any indulgence that could be extended to these settlers on this subject will be most thankfully reced and gratefully remembered, as they are now totally destitute of any spiritual aid whatever and must so continue for a long time as they are all unacquainted with the Spanish language, and can- not therefore receive that instruction from the cura who we have been expecting which a subject of such great importance requires- I therefore submit the subject :for the consideration of the Honorable State Legislature in the full hope that, that honorable arid enlight- ened Body will be pleased to extend to these inhabitants all the in- dulgence relative to public worship and preaching in the English language, which they may deem consiste.nt with the laws or with the general interests of the nation. And under the full belief, that the permiting a few enlightened well educated Judicious and reas- onable preachers of the Gospel of the christian religion in the Eng- 25007°-24-voL 2, PT 1-64
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