City of Mexico Jany. 1. 1823
Dr Brother
I wrote you by the last mail that Govr. Martinez had arrived and
that he informed me of the arrival at Bexar of the articles that were
in the Lively—You must do the best you can to sell them for money
which retain untill I arrive, your attention to this business will
probably put it out of your power to accompany Carrasco—if so
inform him to that effect without delay—
Write to the settlers that it is their interest which detains me so
long I am determined to persevere to the end and have everything
finally finished before I leave here—
Present my respects to Govr Trespalacios so far as I have been
able to judge I think he is a good man, you must visit him every
day, and acquire his friendship I am told there is a young man
with him a son of the famous Genl. Morales, be intimate with him
also and get his confidence and friendship—to live with any peace
or comfort we must have the friendship and support of the Govr of
the Province, you must therefore be very particular on this point
and secure his friendship by close attention to him—
Attend to your studies and learn to write the Spanish
grammatically as well as to speak it correctly, devote all your time and
attention to this point—I have not sent you to the Colorado or given you
anything to do for the last summer because I wished all your time
should be exclusively devoted to study [of] the Spanish and I flatter
myself with the pleasing hope of finding you very much advanced in
that language—if I am disappointed I shall really be much vexed if
anything can vex me with my beloved and only Brother.
Give my respects to Baron Bastrop and inform him that he must
not let my long absence, obliterate me from his memory he must
come and live with me on the Colorado when I get comfortably
fixed there—I shall be able to do a great deal for the Govr or any
others who befriend and aid me, and I am particularly anxious to
be on friendly terms with Trespalacios, I can be of very great
service to him in various ways and so can he be to me—I have the
confidence of the Government here and have no doubt of getting
all things well arranged—All our future hopes are now in this
Empire and we must conduct ourselves so as not to loose the good
name we left behind us in the United States, and so as to acquire
the confidence of the government we have adopted, to do this we
must be correct in our deportment and rigidly faithful in all our
engagements and particularly so in whatever is entrusted to us by
the Government—let this be an everlasting rule for you and you
will not err—
I remember that the last time our unfortunate family were all
united was four years ago this day in Herculaneum You no doubt
have not forgotten it—It was the last time we were permitted [to]
assemble under the Paternal roof Since then how many fatigues
and troubles have we all experienced! but what is past cannot be
recalled. I hope we have gained some experience which will benefit
us, and I trust that if our Dear Mother and Sister are preserved
that it will not be much longer before we shall be once more living
under the same roof, or in the neighborhood of each other.
There has been and still exists in the province of Vera Cruz some
difficulties, that Province is in a state of insurrection, but the
insurgents have been defeated at Xalapa and it is expected that a
few days more will totally distroy and suppress them—farewell.
Study hard attend to the Governor live frugal, and sell the articles
to the best advantage.
[Stephen F. Austin.]