THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 797 the 4 th Article, 1 -lVI• Dill and Capt Gains have returned from St Antonio they speak very violently against the Counsel at that place as being self created and having no power. etc Gains took out a petition signed by about 150 men. I saw nothing in this that would be considered wrong or improper in the United States but Gains states that it was violently opposed in the Counsel particu- larly by Baron de Bastrop who he states is opposed to this District being settled by the Americans and that he rules the Counsel that he Gains argued and disputed with the Counsel for 15 days but cou]d get nothing done owing to the opposition of the Barron. the oppinion now circulating is that the Barrons opposition to this settlement is owing to self interest that if he can break up this settlement that numbers would go to the Bras.sos and the more Setlers the more money for him as Survayor General-the answer to the petitions and the insinuations of those persons returned from St Antonio has caused much uneasiness to the setlers, as soon as I learnt those things I proceeded with one of my neighbours to Nacogdoches and had sufficient influence with Juan Segean (who is acknowledged by Snlceucla [Saucedo] as the first Alcade) to get him to issue a notice to all the Setlers in the District. who wished to live in the lVIexican provinces as quiet peaceable citizens and to hold themselves in obedience to the laws and regulations of said Government to come forward on the 6 th day of June to swear to support the :Mexican Constitution-this will satisfy all parties and produce peace and harmony in the Country M• Dill I conclude you are acquainted with if you have been in his company. As to Capt Gains I can truly say that in thirty :vears intercours with mankind I have never been so much deceived and cheated by any person as him. I state to you in confidence and I wish you to con- sider my statement as confidential, that this discription is his true carractor, that he is a bladder of wind seeking popularrity that he possesses a very inventive genius is very decent-full and a most abominable Iyer if you detect him in a lie he will deny it without a blush and produce such nrgiments as to convince a person not acquainted with him that it was impossible that he could make such a statement he has told a different story nt allmost every house he stoped at since his return, he is becoming generally known, under those circumstances you may rest nssur'd that we will not permit him to ruin the settlement by sowing the seeds of dis- sention among the Inhabitants,-! have been informed as a secret that he has purchased a League of land of you but that he does not wish the people of this settlement to know it-I have recei,·ed
1 Estnblisblng Catholiclsm as the State religion and !orblddlng the practice o! any other.
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