The Development of Fricti,m, I820-z835 2 45 a mortal blow in 1832, when under the guise of sympathy for the political coup of Santa Anna in Mexico, the colonists forced the gar- risons to leave Texas. The third phase, concerning the development of coastwise trade with Mexico, was equally unsuccessful. In view of the lack of Mexican merchant marine, the law opened the trade to foreign vessels for a period of four years. But this concession proved fruitless. The time for opening trade between the new colonies and the rest of the Republic had passed. Article X was directed against slavery, and contained a phrase which became the open sesame to Austin's and DeWitt's colonies. It stated: "No change shall be made with respect to the colonies already estab- lished, nor with respect to the slaves which they contain-but the general government and that of each particular state, shall exact, under the strictest responsibility, the observance of the colonization laws and the prevention of further introduction of slaves." The honest ob- servance of this restriction would have inevitably reduced immigration from the United States, but long before the passage of this law, the colonists had solved this difficulty through the ruse of labor contracts. Much more serious were the provisions of Article XI specifically barring all immigration from the United States. "In exercise of the right reserved to the general congress by the 7th article of the law of 18th August, 1824, the citizens of foreign countries lying adjacent to Mexican territory are prohibited from settling as colonists in the states or territories of the republic adjoining such countries. Those contracts of colonization, the terms of which are opposed to the present article, and which are not yet complied with shall consequently be suspended." 53 The strict interpretation of this article automatically put an end to all immigration from the United States into Texas and suspended all colonization contracts. It spelled ruin to the empresarios and settlers alike. To make its enforcement more effective and to prevent unauthorized foreigners from entering through the northern frontier, it provided that all immigrants show passports issued to them by Mexican representa- tives in their place of residence. But the meaning of Article XI depended largely on the interpretation given the first clause of Article X, that "No change be made with 53 The English translation quoted here is by Austin, who published it in the Texas Gazette, July 3, 1830. For the Spanish text, see Dublan y Lozano, Legislacio11 Me:cicana, II, 328-339.
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