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fon·<· is morl' 1mwi:-c and illtimcd than the laws themselves: besides it would be criminal. If a few i11diuicluals forcibly oppose the collection of the cust,0111s what will b<' its Lendency? Will not others fall in their train? which if continued will ultimateiy produce a stale of thinll's the injurious consequences of which are incalculable. I:' • • • • • It is not our business to estimate the 111tnns1c JUSltce or injustice of our system of import duties, yet we might be permilled lo give our decided opinion that when applied lo the peculiar condition of these colonists that they arc disproportionate in some particulars and oppressive in others and stand in great need of modification. But this modification is only to be effected by the national congress. Our murmuring at home or wrangling ,.,,;th the Collector serves only to fan the flame and augment the difficulties in obtaining the much desired modification of the tariff. The ~lexican Congress can have no motive in oppressing the Mexican citizens with burdensome imposts, nor do we believe that they desire it; yet we believe that the enormous duty on a few indispensab.lc articles and the prohibition of olh~rs of equal importance to our wellbeing, has a very pernicious tendency, when applied to the citizens of Texas, and particularly when applied to those who have recently settled here under the colonization law at a time when the great scarcity of the essential means of subsistence (saying nothing about the luxuries of life) is the unavoidable conscc1uence of the great influx of population and which alarming scarcity must continue to increase until the contracts of coloni;alio11 be filled and until the new colonists have sufficient lime to pul their land in a proper slate of cultivation. If the general Congress were memorialized on this subject in a proper and respectful manner we have no reason to doubt that they would apply the proper remedy. This measure should be adopted without delay to which we would with pleasure tncd our hearly cooperation: in the meantime let us abandon the introduction of foreign articles hurthened with heavy duties and those that are prohibited, lr.t us endeavor to do witi10ut them, and depend for a time on our own resources. This is a more praiseworthy, more patriotic than any recourse to arbitrary measures. We arc well aware that the great body of the people in this municipality are too sensible of their duty and allegiance lo the Republic o(!\lexico to be precipitately drawn into collision with its constitutional authorities. Bul perfect subordination extends lo something more than to the upright conduct of the citizens; the respcclful c.leporlmcnt of stningers who arc not citizens anc.l their obedience lo the laws are included. This is
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