Sept 24 1836 to Oct 24 1836 - PTR, Vol. 9

this, there was no identity of pursuits, habits, manners, educalion, language or religion. I now proceed to show, that these cir- cumstances have engendered towards lhe colonists in the mass of the 1'1exican nation, feelings of unconquerable jealousy and hostility. Yes! nur rnperiority in enterprise, in learning, in the arts and in all that can dignify life, or embellish human na- ture, instead of exciting in them a laudable ambition to emulate, to equal, or excel us-excites the most hateful of all thi, pas- sions-envy-and has caused them to endeavor for years past, by an unremiuing series of vexatious, oppressive and unconsti- tutional acts, to retard our growth and prosperity, and if possi- ble, to get riJ altogether of a people whose presence so hourly reminds them of their own ignorance and inferiority. Some of these acts I now proceed to enumerate. 1st With a sickly philanthropy worthy of the abolitionists of these United States, they have, contrary to justice, and to law·, iotermedled with our slave population, and have even impotently threatened in the war now pending, to emancipate them, and in- duce them to turn their arms against their masters. If they would cast their eyes around them, they would fii:d that at home the more wealthy and intelligent of the Mexicans have unjustly im- posed upon at least one quarter of their fellow citizens, the most galling and illegal system of servitude that ever stained the annals of human oppression. 2d.• Although the colonization law conceded to emigrants to Texas all the rights and privileges of citizens, in 1829 a law was passed confining the retail of merchandize to native born Mexi- <:ans. It is useless to comment upon the illegality and injustice -of this law. It speaks for itself, and clearly indicates the dia- bolical spirit in which it was engendered. 3d. I pass over many minor grievances growing out of their illegal legisJative enactments, and plainly denoting their settled hostility, and come to the la\v of the 6th• of April, 1830. By this law, North Americans, and they alone, were forbidden ad- mission into Te.xas. This was enough to blast all of our hopes, and dishearten all of our enterprise. It showed to us that we were to remain scattered, isolated, and unhappy tenants of the wilderness-compelled to gaze upon the resources of a lovely and fertile region, undeveloped for want of population. That we were to be cut off forever from the society of fathers and

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