439
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
traverse the territory without special permission; and of consequence his present trespass was committed in open defiance of this mandate. He relied upon his arms alone for protection; and in all probability a forcible occupancy of the country was meditated in the event of his finding the Eldorado which he sought. Nolan had been the Agent of Genl. Wilkinson in New-Orleans, while the latter was engaged with Governor Miro in the tobacco trade; and it is not an unreasonable sus- picion that the General may have had some connection with his friend's adventure upon the Trinity and Brazos; for this military hero was no less grasping after gold than glory.- This, however, is mere conjec- ture. The enterprise of Nolan-whatever may have been its object- was a failure. The Spanish authorities hearing of his intrusion, des- patched Miguel Musquiz against him, with a competent force to expel him from the country. The parties met somewhere on the Brazos, and an obstinate battle ensued, in which the bold intruder lost his life, and his hardy followers were either killed or captured, except Jack House and Robert Ashley, who made their escape. Bean was released on account of his youth; and the most of the prisoners perished in detail under their long confinement and harsh treatment. We do not pre- tend to offer this affair as a regular attempt towards the settlement of Texas; although a forcible appropriation of its mineral wealth, which was probably contemplated, would have lead to this result. We give it as a matter of curiosity merely. The first legitimate attempt to establish a colony in Texas, as far as our knowledge extends, was made by an Irish-Catholic curate at Baton Rouge. While Louisiana belonged to Spain, a number of enter- prizing foreigners had found their way into that Province, and were still residing there, when the country was transferred to the United States. Among this class was the Baron de Bastrop, ~foses Austin and John Brady. As soon as the American Govt. took possession of the Country, the last mentioned of these adventurers, conceived the idea of planting a Colony in Texas. He was joined in the enterprise by Captain Despalier, a French Creole. They petitioned the Spanish authorities in 1804 for the privilege of making a Settlement on the Gaudalupe, to consist of fifteen hundred Catholic families from Lou- isiana. The families were represented as having been faithful sub- jects of his :WIajesty while this country belonged to Spain, and there- fore, as being entitled to some consideration from that Government. The application was supported by Don Jose Ugarte, Captain com- manding at Nacogdoches, who addressed a letter to the Governor upon the subject, in which he speaks of Brady as a perfect master of the English, French and Spanish languages, as well as of his own, dear native Erse.- Brady and Despalier, however, failed in their ob- ject. Although flattered for a while with a pretty fair prospect of success, the habitual jealousy of Spain of all foreigners, prevailed in the Councils, and their application was finally rejected. They were indebted for their defeat in some degree to the interference of Friar Antonio de Sedella, a Spanish Curate in New-Orleans. This vigilant defender of his country's religion, fearful of the conse- 9"uences of introducing a heretical population into his ::\fajesty's domin- 10ns, write to the Sen. Dn. Antonio Cordero, Governor of Texas, dis- couraging the propose<l enterprise. Tlrn idea that Brady's and Des-
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