Nackitosh October 13, 1821—
His Excellency Governor Martinez,
Sir I had the honor of addressing you a letter dated on
yesterday, giving an account of my proceedings relative to the new Colony.
I now write you on a Subject of deep interest to the progress of the
new Settlements in Texas—
On my arrival here I found near one hundred Letters from the
neighbourhood of where I formerly lived in upper Louisiana (now
called Missouri) and many from Kentucky and other places
requesting information relative to settling in the Province of Texas,
and I am convinced that I could take on fifteen hundred families
as easily as three hundred if permitted to do so—
The distance to St Antonio is so great and the journey is
considered so hazardous and expensive that men in moderate
circumstances are deterred from going in person to apply for permission
to settle—and there are many other obstacles in the way, I have
therefore thought that the settlement of the Country wd be greatly
facilitated, and kind and character of those who emigrate would
be much better, if the whole superintendence of the Emigration
from the U. S. was intrusted to one agent whose general knowledge
of the American character, and particularly of the people of the
western country and also of the situation and lands of the Province
of Texas would enable him to conduct the formation of the settle-
ment with advantage to the Government and satisfaction to the
Settlers—
Considering that the first effort towards Colonising the Proc. by
citizens from the U. S, is made by me, and that after having
explored the sea coast I shall have a full Knowledge of the Country,
and considering also that the public stations I have filled in M.
[Missouri] and A. [Arkansas] (having been for many years a
Member of the legislature of the former and one of the Judges of the
Court in the latter) has enabled me to form very extensive and
general acquaintance with the people of the western country, and
also that my former residence for many years under the Spanish
Govt, in upper Louisiana has made me some what familiar with the
laws and customs I have supposed that I could probably effect as
much towards settling Texas with useful citizens as any other man,
I therefore respectfully petition that I be permitted to extend the
settlements to the Guadaloupe and St Marcos Rivers on the west
and to the Trinity and St. Jacinto on the East-
Should this plan for the appointment of a general Commissioner
or Agent for the Province be adopted I would respectfully suggest
that it would greatly facilitate the objects of the appointment if
he was to have pretty extensive discretionary powers as to the
distributing of lands, so as to save the delay and expense of applying
to the Gv. for instructions relative to each settler and that he be
authorized to issue certificates to the settlers stating (under such
limits as the Gv. may deem proper) the quantity of land and the
place where he is to receive it—these certificates could be a guide to
the Surveyor Genl of the Province in laying off the lands, and the
returns would thus be all made by the surveyor Genl and the Comr
and the Gv would only have those two officers to transact the
business with instead of the hundreds that would trouble them if each
settler was to apply for himself individually. I would also
respectfully suggest that the commissioner be authorized to exact from
each settler a sufficient per cent on the land grantd to compensate
him for his trouble and expense in attending to the business—
Mr Davidson who returned a few days since from St Antonio
informs me that applications have been made for grants of two
and three leagues square on the Colorado. I would respectfully
suggest to your Excellency that it may create some confusion if
grants are made within the tract of country in which my settlement
is forming— I have promised the settlers that the first who go
on shall have the first choice, and if the same land which they are
occupying and actually improving is granted to others without any
notice to me, it will involve me in great difficulty with Emigrants,
and produce a degree of dissatisfaction amongst them which will
have an unfortunate influence with others, in retarding the
settlement, I have no objection to the Genm who have applied and should
be happy to receive them as settlers, but unless the organization of
the colony is confined to one source some confusion will necessarily
arise
S. F. A.