Mexico May 10. 1822
The knowledge which I have obtained during my residence in the
Province of Texas of the situation and disposition of the hostile
Indians who are harrassing it, having enabled me to make some
observations on the causes of that hostility, and some reflections as to
the surest means of terminating it by a lasting peace; and feeling a
deep interest in the welfare of that province and of the nation
generally; I beg leave to submit a few remarks on this subject to your
Excellency as the superior political head of the Eastern division of
the nation, feeling confident that your Paternal solicitude for the
happiness of the Provinces under your command will insure a
favorable reception to any well founded suggestion calculated to
ameliorate their condition, and that your natural goodness of heart
will appreciate my motive and pardon me for attempting to advise
on a subject of such importance
The war with the Comanches and Lipanis Indians owes its origin
to the Revolution in the Province of Texas in the year 1812—those
Indians and many others, being employed at that time by the
Insurgents to fight the Royal forces. After the defeat of Toledo at the
River Medina and the dispersion of his army, many of the old
Inhabitants of Texas fled to the United States and settled in the
neighborhood of Nachistoches where they are now living; some of these
inhabitants being well acquainted with the Comanches and Lipanis
Indians and with the country they inhabitated, united themselves
with the American Traders at Nachistoches and opened a contraband
traffic with those, and other Indians living in the Province of Texas
taking out Goods and receiving Horses and Mules in exchange—This
trade was found to be very lucrative to those engaged in it, and the
Indians finding a good market for their Horses and Mules, were
encouraged to prosecute a plundering war against the frontiers of
Texas, Quahuila, and Nuevo Santender, robbing those Provinces of
Horses and Mules to sell to the traders for Merchandise and this
traffic having continued up to the present time is the real cause of the
continuation of the Comanche war— It therefore being a war of
individual interest to the Indians will never cease until that
interest is distroyed, by stoping the Indian trade as it is now carried on,
and confining it to a particular channel where it would be under
the immediate control of Government—
There are three routes by which mules are introduced into the
United States from the Comanches—one is by Nacodoches, another
is by Pecon Point on Red River above Nachistoches, and the third
route is to the north by way of the Kansas River to the Missouri
River, the trade on this last route is principally carried on by
Indians from one nation to another until the mules reach the
Missouri where they are bought by American traders—
The first route by Nacogdoches can be easily stoped by a
Garrison at that place—the second route by Pecon Point can also be
stoped by a Garrison on the bank of Red River oposite the mouth
of the Kiamiche River where there is a good situation—oposite to
this place within the limits of the United States there is a settlement
of about two hundred families who are included within the limits of a
district of country which has lately been ceded by the United States
to the Choctaw Indians, those settlers would willingly remove and
settle round the Fort at Pecon Point and in a short time would supply
the Garrison with Provisions—
The third route to the north by way of the River Kansas to the
Missouri is more difficult to stop, the only effectual way of doing it
that I can see is by representing the iniquity of this trade to the
Government of the United States, and getting an order from that
Government prohibiting their citizens from buying Horses or Mules
introduced from the Comanches either by this or any other route—It
is an established principle in the law of nations, and one that has
been repeatedly recognized and enforced by the United States that
where two nations are at peace, the Citizens of one, can not fit out
within its limits, an expedition with an intention of making war,
or aiding to make war against the other—now this principle will
apply to the Comanche trade—The United States and this nation
are at peace, and are united by the strongest ties of friendship—The
traders from the United States fit out expeditions to the Comanches
and other nations of Indians who are at war with this nation, and
not only furnish them with arms and amunition to carry on the
wars but actually hire them to pillage the frontiers by purchasing
the fruits of that pillage—and therefore, these trading expeditions
are fitted out for the express purpose of annoying a nation with
whom the United States are at peace, and is evidently contrary to the
above principle of the law of Nations—
Another view of this Subject is that this trade is a species of land
Piracy which is carried on by those traders against the Citizens of
this nation, for it amounts to the same thing whether those traders
plunder Mules themselves, or hire the Indians to do it—I therefore
have no doubt that if this subject was represented to the Government
of the United States, that a law would be passed which would
effectually stop this iniquitous traffic—
After the avenues by which this trade have heretofore been
carried on are closed, there will still be two other important objects to
effect before a permanent peace can be relied on, One is, the
establishment of a regular system by which those Indians could be
supplied with Goods, and other necessary articles which they have
heretofore received from the American traders, and without which they
will not be satisfied—The other is, to strengthen the Province of
Texas by fostering the settlement which is already formed on the
Colorado and Brazos by me, and encouraging the introduction of
more settlers—
In conversing with the Baron de Bastrop, and several other
citizens of Bexar on this subject I suggested several methods of
regulating the Indian trade,—One was to incorporate a Company to whom
the whole Indian trade of Texas, and of the Rio Grande Del Norte
should be given—This company by having fixed laws for its
regulation could concentrate and control the Indian trade, and thereby
prevent abuses.—Another method was for the Government to
establish factories at convenient points, where constant supplies could be
kept for the Indians. And a fourth plan was to grant Licenses to
Individuals to carry on said trade each trader to furnish his own
capital and to be independent of each other—of these plans I think the
first one by the incorporation of a Company the best, for if a liberal
charter was granted to the company and foreigners permitted to hold
Stock in it, I have no doubt that a sufficient Capital could be raised
in the United States to effect all the objects required, and the trade
could be Managed so as to be profitable to the Company, and usefull
to this Government—Should this plan meet the views of the
Government I would submit the outlines of A Charter which I think would
embrace all the objects necessary, and should the charter be granted
I could be of some use in aiding to raise the Capital by inducing
Merchants in the U. S. to take the Stock.
There is one thing more necessary besides regulating the trade
to insure a lasting peace with the Indians, and that is to strengthen
the settlements of that Province, so as to enable it to overpower and
subdue the Indians, if they still continue hostile this can be done,
and the whole frontier of the Eastern Provinces defended with little
or no expense to the nation—
If the government will grant me the privilege of settling the
district of Country designated in my Memorial, I will obligate myself
as stated in my memorial to organize the settlers into Rifle Companies
and arm them, and to hold them in readiness at all times to march
against the Indians within said Province whenever called on—These
companies will be sufficient in conjunction with the regular troops
and militia of the Province to subdue the Indians and keep them
at peace.
[The following paragraph Austin deleted]
The organizing of these Rifle Companies with arms ready for
service, and the other services mentioned in my memorial, which
I have agreed to render the nation, I hope may be considered a
sufficient equivalent for the privileges asked for in that memorial-
Having been the first who commenced the settlement of Texas I
feel great anxiety that the settlement should succeed and my
experience on this subject, and the examples which history afford of
the difficulty of forming a settlement in a wilderness has convinced
me that the first establishment in a wilderness Inhabited by Indians
cannot succeed unless it is very strong, and under the direction of
one individual, for a multiplicity of directors in the same
establishment will produce confusion and division, and there will neither
be that security or progress in improvement which would arise from
system union and consert in all the motions of the settlers a thing
which can only be produced by assigning the formation of the first
settlement within particular limits to one person—
The welfare of the new Settlers which I have brought into Texas
is closely connected with these subjects We are all equally interested
in procuring a peace with the Indians, I therefore offer my services
in any way that the Government may want them towards effecting
this desirable object, or in any other manner in which I can render
any service to the nation
With considerations of the most profound Respect I am your
Excellencys most obt. Humble servt.
Stephen F. Austin