THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 813 that I had no authority to make any such Contract with the settlers, would I have laid myself liable to detection by the open frank and public manner in which I avowed the tenns of settlement; ,v ould I have published them in the Newspapers when I very well knew that those papers were sent to Mexico, to Monterrey, to San Antonio and to an-hundred other places where the Government would see or hear of them- Or would I myself have sent the paper which contained the terms to the Governor of this Province which I did in Novr· 1821 immediately after it was issued- Let me ask you as cnndid men does this look like an intention on my pa.rt to deceive or to do an act which I thought was not Authorised to- Put your- selves in my situation and look at the Yast burthen of responsibility which has Oppressed me like a deadly weight ever since I engaged in this enterprize- An interprize which originated in the active mind and indefatigable persevernnce of my much honored and lamented father who sacrificed his life by the too Ardent pursuit of an object which it was always evident would result more to the credit of the projectors enterprize and persevera.nce than to his profit And in which the advantages secured to the settler and the benefits accruing to this Province and Government would bear no just proportion to the Compensation which was expected or asked- for let it be remembered that at that time this Province with the exception of San Antonio and La Bahia was a desart, that it was interdicted to the American Settler who but a short time before had been driven from it with fire a.nd Sword; And untill this permission was obtained by my Father, those who emigrated here did so ns it were by stealth and without any other security for their property or lives than the Caprice of the Comma.ndants who Governed, for their Emigration was not sanctioned by the Superior Government-- Consider the difficulties which my Father must have ha.d to Sur- mount, to obtain a permission which could never before be got by any person- Consider that on his death I assumed upon myself the responsibility not only of Securing to the Settlers Complete titles to their lands, but Also of being personally responsible to the Gov- ernment for their good conduct-- and look at the labors and prob- able expences which such An enterprize wns Calculated to cost, nnd Ask yourselves whether any of you would in 1821 ha.ve taken upon you the weight of responsibility which I then did 1 ·whether you would have jeopardized your property, hazarded your health, your lives, Your all to make the fortunes of others and been Content to do so without the hope of. any greater Compensation than you could give to an individual who joined yon ns a settler and who would have no responsibility labour or expence to encounter more than the care of his own family- ,vould you have been content I ask
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