Stephen F. Austin a Native of Virginia of the United States of
America and a Settler in the province of Texas, one of the Eastern
Interior Provinces, with due respect represents to your August
Body, That in the year 1820 my father Moses Austin entered into
a contract with the Provincial Assembly of the New Kingdom of
Leon, then comprising the four Eastern Interior provinces to bring
into this country at his own expence and settle in the province
of Texas three hundred families of the Catholic religion, farmers
by profession, and of industrious habits. The Assembly aforesaid
admitted the contract on the terms specified in the file of documents,
on record in the Archives of this Government, soon after which
my father died, leaving me charged with the duty entrusted to him;
this I have performed by bringing into the country the aforesaid
number of families, which with the permission of the Governor
of said province, I have located on the banks of the Rivers Colorado
and Brazos. By this time the independence and emancipation of
this part of America had fortunately taken place, and remitting
through the said Assembly to this Government an Account of all
I had done, up to that date, I deemed it necessary to present myself
in person, with a view to obtain in the most legal form a ratification
of my acts, in regard to that settlement. But, the consummation
of this hope has been delayed more than a year, awaiting your
Supreme pleasure to enact the General Colonization Law.
The Junta Instituyente at last determined upon the Colonization
Law, on the 3rd of January of the present year, which being
sanctioned by the Emperor, was published on the 4th of the same.
Until the present time I have been unable to progress with better
hopes of success, in the only business which for so great a length of
time has detained me in this Capital, and in which so many families
are interested, obtaining at last of the Government on the 18th
February last the enclosed commission which I have the honor
herewith to present to your August Body: I am informed that under
the same date copies of this were transmitted to the Political Chief,
and to the Commanding General Pro tem, of these provinces and
also to the Governor of Texas; and although confiding in the good
faith guaranteed by those documents and by this which I now lay
before your Honors, I could have proceeded on to be put in
possession of that settlement, yet I deemed it more to the purpose to
await the favorable and happy re-establishment of your August
Body, and the liberal form of government, which has been
enthusiastically proclaimed by the Liberating Army and this
honorable Nation: I have already witnessed, with the greatest pleasure,
the consummation of this happy event, and the entire change of the
Government, and desirous therefore to insure and secure my own
welfare and permanency in this part of America, as well as that
of the families that I have conveyed thither, at my own expense,
I present said Commission, praying your Honors to confirm it,
or decide in the matter according to the Sovereign will and pleasure
of your Honbl Body, condescending to take into consideration the
very great expenses I have incurred in conveying said families, in
effecting their settlement, and in having been myself detained
attending on this court for upwards of a year, as well as the state
of uncertainty and exasperation of those settlers, caused by so much
delay in the termination of my mission, while they have dedicated
themselves, with so much ardor and diligence, to the cultivation
of those lands, amidst the dangers and ravages of the tribes of
savages, whom they have successfully resisted, and severely chastised,
as is evident by the reports which have been transmitted to the
Government. Therefore I humbly pray your Honors for a prompt
decree favorable to this my petition and agreeable to your supreme
wiil Mexico, April 5th 1823.
Stephen F. Austin