THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 827 famine will plead for them with your sovereignty to grant to this Colonial establishment the privileclge of raising Tobacco being a species of Culture which these Inhabitants have been accustomed to from their Childhood and in which they Can therefor promise them- selves the greatest success. San Felipe de Austin June 10, 1824 Signed EsTEYAN F AusTIN } JARED E. GnocE SANTIAGO Cu:uMINGS Comtee JNo P. CoLEs
PETITION CONCERNING SLAVERY1
Stephen F Austin, Jared E. Groce James Cummings and Jno P Coles a Committe Unanimously appointed at a general meeting held on the 5 th June instant by the Inhabitants of the Colony formed in the Province of Texas by the empresario SF Austin in the name and in the behalf of said Inhabitants respectfully represent to your sovereignty that these . Colonists emigrated to this establishment from Louisiana in Consequence of the Invitation of said Austin and many of them brought their negro slaves with them as also all their property intending to establish themselves permanantly in this Province. They have been much alarmed by the news Communicated through the public Gazette that your Sovereignty were about to pass a Law freeing all the Slaves that were introduced by the emigrants. . . . • These Inhabitants respectfully represent to your sovereignty that the Slaves introduced into this establishment by the emigrants were not brought here for the pnrpose of Trade or speculation neither are they Africans but are the family servants of the emigrants and raised by them as such from their infancy and were intended to aid in clearing the Land and establishing their farms which these Colonists Could not have effected without them for this Province is entirely uninhabited and great Labor required in Opening farms and as the Law sanctioned the introduction of slaYes into the Country the emigrants felt entirely safe in bringing them. These Inhabitants therefore respectfully solicit that your sover- eignty will take into Consideration the right of property they have to their slaves that they brought them here As a necessary part of the Capital required by the desert State of the Country to establish their farms and Ranches and if freed the los.s of their value added • This seems to be the original draft. A Spanish translation, In Austin's hand, with autograph 1lgnatures, is 1llghtly stronger In the last paragraph than the EngUsh, . .
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