Nachitoches July 4 1821
Don Erasmo has just furnished me with another Copy of the
papers relative to the grant.
Col Pitts has not time to waite or I would have it correctly
translated— The following is a rough Translation of the order from
Arredondo to Martinez—x
"The Supreme Cortes of these provinces having deliberated on
the representation made to me in your official note of the 26
December No. Ill— I have just received their resolution with which I
have conformed it is as follows—
It is expedient to grant the permission which Moses Austin
solicited to establish himself with three hundred families in the Province
of Texas, on the conditions specified in his memorial on this subject
which accompanied your official letter—provided that the following
conditions be complied with—
1st All who emigrate under this permission must be Catholics, or
agree to be so, before they remove—
2d They must take the oath of allegiance to be faithful to the King
and Constitution etc
3 They must be honest, industrious farmers and mechanics—and
the applicant M Austin, will be held responsible for their good
conduct"— (This is the substance of Arredondos order to Martinez)
" and you are directed to send this intelligence to the party
interested by a confidential messenger.
Dated Monterey Jany 17 1821
Signd Joaquin de Arredondo "
To the Govr of the Province of Texas
The balance of the paper is an order from Martinez to Erasmo—
directing him to seek you and communicate this, and to inform you
also that by an ordinance of the King, and a decree of the Council
of the Oriental Provinces, a Port is ordered to be opened in the Bay
of St Bernardo
You must try and get Col. Pitts the bearer of this to join, from
what I can learn he is a very respectable man— I have told him you
would inform him as to the terms
Your Son
S. F. Austin