THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 589 interests of the nation 1 ,vho has not only broken his sacred oaths taken in presence of Almighty God, this same Congress and the nation -who has imprissioned the deputies for no other cause than that of possessing too much virtue for the purpo_ses of despotism and who kicked this same Congress out of doors and trampld on the national dignity for refusing to give-him power to make a Constitution suit- able to his own purposes of agrnndisement and despotism 1 "\\'ho has seized on private property on the highways, in private houses and whereever he can find it-who has-but where shall we stop if all his acts of usurpation are enumerated-Is it be to expected that such a man will permit the national repre.sentation to deliberate in- dependently and freely and discuss his own acts of violence and usur- pation, and award that punishment due as well to him as to e,:ery individual concerned in this gross violation of the nations rights? No fellow citizens force the force of public opinion (which your Emperor hns always pretended to respect, but has in fact dispised) has compelled [him] to convene the Congress, and the same acts and intrigue which dissipated it before will do so again, the moment he has the power-· The deputies therefore who did not attend have done their duty as becoms them, and the only way in which Congress can or ought to meet [is] under the protection of the Anny, and a£te1 I-I. M. shall have been removed beyond the limits of the city and de- prived of all command or influence whatever then-untill they c,u1 meet under these ciruumstances, they ought not to meet at all-
JA:'.\IES E. B. AUSTIN TO J. H. BELL S 1
• Antonio de Bexar March 16
th ·/23
DEAR Sm, Some time has elapsed since I have had an opportunity of writing to the settlers on the Brazos n.nd Colorado, but now I have the pleasure of announcing to them that my brother has left MexictJ with his business concluded to his satisfaction, the law of coloniza- tion has already arrived and I find it much more liberal than I ex- pected. Some of the items are that you are fr('.e from Taxes dutys contribu- tions under whateYer name they may be for six years and for six following pay but half that the other inhabitants of the Empire pay-All slaves already introduced and all that are introduced here- after for the use of the settlement are slaves for -life their children are free nt the age of 14 years Traffic in slaves is prohibited in toto. You are all perfoctly secure as to your }ands all that now remains is the usual paper form and the land is yours forever there are many
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