259
PAPERS OF l\IIRABEAU BuoN.AP.ARTE Lalli.AR
Burn tts & V elen's grants; he however had to peresever to this achievnrnt under many great difficulties; he remained four years in the city before he succeded-and returned to Texas in June 1825 to commence his labors as Empresario - - The manner of his obtaing the grant was this: to wit: After re- niaing a long time in l\Iexico urging the matter, Congress passed a general Colonization Law, authorig earh state to colonize its own Territory. The principle members of that Body told Col. Edwards that that Body could not give him the grant he desired, but they gave him letters to the Congress or Legislature of Coahula 41 & Texas, recom- mending them in t.heir rolonization regulations to allow to Edwards the grant he asked. He repaired with these letters to Saltillo where the Legislature was in session, The Legislature accordingly in pai;sing the State Colonization Law, embraced in it this provision, that all the peti- tions then before the general Congress should be granted; this embraced only two, viz Edwards and Lethrwicht's the Nashville Company. This was in April 1825- When Austin succeded in getting the renewal of his fathers grant, he repaired to Texas to take possession; he wrote several letters back to Lethwicht [sic] expressive of his gratitude to Edwards for the means which he had loaned him whilst in Mexico, and promised to aid him in getting his grant. So that when Edwards arrived at Saltillo he expected to meet the assistance of Col. Austin. He found however some little difficulty not in getting his grant but in settling on the Boundary. The petition of l\Ioses Austin embraced only the country between the two rivers Colorado & the Brazos; hence the renewal of said grant to his son Stephen could include no more. Now Edwards petition asked for the Territory immediately east of the Brazos; But on arriving at Saltillo, he was told by Bastrop, that his line could not commence from that River; that Col Austin claimed to the Sanjacinto. Edwards de- murred to this, saying that the petition of l\foses Austin did not extend east of the Brazos. Bastrop replied that the Bounds of the grant had been extended by the Ayuemento 42 ( of which Bastrop was one). This the Ayumento 42 had no right to do, but Edwards not wis~ing to have any difficulty consented to let the Sanjacinto be the line of his colony and thus it was settled- Whilst the State colonization law was under discussion at Saltillo, a man by the name of Taylor presented a petition in behalf of. about 50 families who had settled on the Trinity. The Governor told him that he must apply to Edwards, in as much that country would fall into the grant which was to be given to him; the Governor also remarking at the same time that Edwards would receive him on the same terms that Austin had receiYed his Colonists. The Governor asked him what Austin asked for his lands; Taylor replied a Bit an acre; the Govr. said that was to small a price, that considering the many privatins &C of Austin, he ought to have at least 2 Bits an acre-'- This conversation was held between the Govr. & Taylor through Bastrop who acted as interpreter. Both Bastrop & Taylor afterwards repeated it to Edwards. Bastrop was pleased with the views of the Govr. on the subject of selling
"Coahuila. ".Ayuntamiento.
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