Jan. 1 1835 to Sep. 30 1835 - PTR, Vol. 1

and transfers of land from one citizen to another hecomc common which renders il douhly necessary that all original Lilies should he invest igatcd and placed on a permanent basis- that the halanc<: of power has ever been in Lhc hands of the Emprcsarios, their a~cnls and partisan emissaries, who hy their intrigue and managmcnl have ever kept and still endeavor to keep all office~, political and judicial, filled with persons who can be made subservient to their own views and interests- thal Lhc Ayunlamienlos to a great degree, owci11g to that influence have become degraded and feel but Jilt le of thal responsibility so necessary to the promotion of the public good- that if the claims of Lhe people of Texas lo Lhc right of the soul were investigated and the rights of the Government the Emprcsarios & Lhe settlers sett le down on a permanent basis, then the interests of the people of Texas would be consolidated & tend lo Lhe same objects- that such a course would settle all important diffieulties and establish on a pcrma11ent basis the legitimate rights of all parties concerned and thereby afford stability and confidence to the settler- and the means of producing concord and happiness. Having promised the foregoing facts I would respectfully suggest to Your Excellency the propriety of laying this matter before the honorable Congress of the state with a request that they pass a law authorising thf! settlers of legitimate citizens of each of the Departments of Texas to elect popularly three commissioners for each Department, who shall be fully authorised by commission from Your Excellency to investigate all the titles which have in any wise emanated from the Government, to the settler Emprcsario, or interested party, and settle them in good faith, and in strict conformity with the laws and decrees of the Government, 011 that subject. And that they shall be fully empowered to investigate the right and pretentions of all claimants, and if they are found to have acted in good faith, and there should be any deficiency in their title, either as it may respect identity or quantity, that the said commissioners be authorised to complete the titles by extension of the grant, or in any, and every way that the circumstances of the case may require- and that all grants or titles thus investigated and eompletccl, shall he by that board confirmed; which confirmation shall, to all intents and purposes, be considered as final a11d irrevocable forever. Aud all titles by that board rejected, shall bt' considered as forfeited and revert back to the Government, from whence they emanated, without further investigation or appc•al. And, thal no title nol confirmed by that hoard, shall bt~ eonsidl'n·d valid; but void aml null, to all intents and purposes- ancl all transfers made from such void or defective Lille, shall be considl'n·d and treated as a criminal offence.

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