San Felipe de Austin Oct. 20 1823
Dr Sir,
I recd your letter dated 5 April 1822 only a few days since, and
am much pleased to see your inclinations directed towards this
quarter.
You have doubtless heard much of, and concerning me and my
prospects etc, it is true they have been at times brighter than at
others, tho there never has been any just cause to doubt of final
success in the completion of my business with the Government. The
revolution coming on at the critical time it did threw some
difficulties in the way that were never even dreampt of, but time and
perseverance has overcome them all, and I am now engaged
surveying the lands to the settlers.
The terms on which emigrants are recd [are] as follows— No
one will be recd as a settler or be permitted to remain in the
Province who does not bring the most unequivocal evidence from the
highest authority and most respectable men of the state and
neighborhood Where he resides, that his character is perfectly
unblemished, that he is a moral and industrious man, and absolutely free
from the vice of intoxication- those who presume so far on the
lenity of this Government as to intrude themselves upon its
territory without such evidence will be immediately ordered to leave the
Province and if the order is not obeyed within the time specified
(which will be ten, twenty, or thirty days according to the situation
of the family) they will be sent off under guard and their property
seized and sold to pay the expenses, and should any resistance be
made they will be whipped or condemned to hard labor on public
worfe with a ball and chain attached to them according to the nature
of their offence.
Those who are received as settlers have everything to hope—they
will get one league of land if they wish for so much and as much
less as they please which will cost at the rate of twelve dollars and a
half pr hundred acres—The land will be surveyed and the titles
delivered at the houses of the settlers and all the records made
complete without any additional charge—a very large family, or a
person who brings a valuable capital and erects mills or establishes any
useful and extensive branch of business that will be of real benefit
to the Colony, can get as much as five leagues of land if he wishes at
the same rate—
The Government is yet unsettled tho there is now no doubt of its
being a federal republic on the plan of the United States in every
particular except toleration, the Roman Catholic is the established
religion to the absolute exclusion of all others and will so continue
for a few years, but the natural operation of a Republic will soon
change that system—private worship will never be enquired into,
but no public preaching or exorting will on any account be
permitted, and I should feel myself compelled to silence any preacher
or exorter who would attempt it within my jurisdiction.
You may think me rather tyranical relative to those who come
without proper recommendations, but I have been much imposed
upon, no recommendation from justices of the Peace will be noticed
unless I personally know them, and all bad or idle and worthless
men who come here will have abundant cause to curse the hour they
crossed the limits—the wellfare of this Colony requires the most
rigid police, and my orders from the Govt on this subject are
imperative and must be obeyed.
No credit will be given for lands and nothing taken in payment
but money or negros—this is the general rule, but if you and a few
more of my old friends come you may have your own time to pay
in. If you see any worthless and idle men on the way here try and
turn them back.
[Stephen F. Austin]