299
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
Bradburn, for his negroes to work on the fort then being erected there. -Landed at Anahuac June 1831. He found there Bradburn at the head of the Garrison, which was oc casionally augmented by the troops destined for Nacogdoches, being landed here. - A small schooner, commanded by Spillman, ran from Anahuac to Matamoras, which brought the soldiers to Anahuac. - With the remnant of goods brought from Harrisburgh, he Morgan & Ried, opened a small store at Anahuac; which was increased by Ried's going to New-York and retumig with his supplies to Anahuac. - Ried, on arriving in the waters of Galveston found Fisher and Teran, anchored at the Red-fish Bar, having previously been up to Anahuac where Teran was well recd. - and a dinner given him, Bur nett presiding. Teran on leaving Anahuac, his vessel was damaged and detained on the Red fish Bar, and there it was that Ried met him as he Ried came in with his new good. - During the absence of Ried while he was in N. Y. laying in his goods, a Custom House had been established at Anahuac, George Fisher who came with Teran the, Collector, so that when Ried met Teran an Fisher on the Red-fish-Bar Fisher demanded Duties, which Ried was unwilling to pay as he had known nothing of the law, no cus toms having ever been demanded in the country until then. After much discussion, Ried agreed to pay one thousand dollars, to which Teran consented; and the vessel was accordingly permitted to sail for Anahuac where the one thousand dollars were to be paid. On their arrival there however, Fisher seized upon the vessel, placed a. mili tary guard around it, and said no goods should be taken out of it until the duties according to the regular rates of Mexico, were paid, which would have amounted to some five thousand dollars or more, which amounted to a prohibition and which the owners could not pay. - This caused great excitemt at Anahuac. The people were anxious to get the goods and were also indignant at the perfidious and high handed conduct of Fisher. They demanded that the goods should be delivered to its owners; Fisher still held on. There was, however, a. party of Americans in favor of the Mexican Govt. headed by Harden, the Alcalde, and Williams on the Trinity, -
Correction
Fisher and Teran having settled upon one thousand dollars duties, the schooner sailed to Anahuac. There, Fisher seized upon the vessel, took out the goods and placed them in a ware-house, and refused to deliver the goo�s unless the customs were paid according to a regular appraisement as the law directed, which would have amounted to 5000 -or more. Ried & morgan objected to this and demanded their goods. Fisher refused to deliver them, & read the law upon the sub ject, which was, that if any dispute should arise in such cases, the goods should be surveyed & valued by two Commif,sioners, cne to be chosen bv the owners. and the other bv the Collector and in the event of·disagreemnt between them a third Commissioner was to be appointed. Ried & Morgan, not being able to. help themselves, had to submit to this. In making the appraismt, however, the goods were
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