[Copy by Austin.]
Stephen F. Austin, Jared E. Groce, James Cummings and Jno.
P Coles a Committe unamimously appointed at a General Meeting
held on the 5th of June instant the Inhabitants of the Colony formd
in the Province of Texas by the empresario S F Austin in the name
and in the behalf of said Inhabitants respectfully represent to your
sovereignty that should it be deemed Consistent with the general
interest of the Nation they solicit that the priviledge of raising Tobacco
should be granted to the province of Texas on the same terms as
allowed to the Towns Orizava Cordova etc or on such terms as your
sovereignty may deem proper and also the priviledge of raising that
article for exportation—
This is a priviledge if granted will in the humble Opinion of these
Inhabitants Greatly benefit the eastern section of the Nation
without in the least injuring that branch of the Revenue derived from
Tobacco and it is also one which it is conceived that the peculiar
situation of this province and the long sufferings and distresses of
its inhabitants gives them strong Claims to ask for— The province
of Texas must solely depend upon Agriculture for its support
having no mines to enrich it. Also its situation on the sea Coast will
afford great facilities for the exportation of its Agricultural
productions
If therefore the Government will encourage its Agriculture it
Might rise from its present state of wretchedness and misery and
instead of being an expense to the Nation to defend it from the
savages as it now is it probably would in a short time be able to afford
its full quota with the other States towards the support and defence
of the Mexican Government— It therefore appears to these
Inhabitants that numerous benefits would result from this priviledge—it
would aid the distressed Inhabitants of this Country [to recover] the
losses caused by 10 years horrid war with savages it would encourage
agriculture which has alwas been considered the safest and most
solid weath of any nation—and which has therefore been protected
and encouraged by the Civilised World, it would save in the Country
much money that would be otherwise sent out to purchase Tobacco
for the National Estanque and it would actually bring into the
Country large sums of Money and Merchandise that would be
received in foreign Countries for the exported Tobacco and thus give
greater activity and extention to our Commerce and industry and
oil these advantages it appears to these Inhabitants would be
produced without in the least injuring the national Revenue produced
from Tobacco because all that would be sold in the Country would
be delivered to the Government and Consequently the monopoly in
that Article would continue unimpaired—
Should it not be considered proper to grant this priviledge to this
whole province these Inhabitants respectfully hope that the
distresses and Sufferings they have undergone in Establishing a
settlement in an entire wilderness surrounded on every side by hostile.
savages and struggling as they have through one whole year with
famine will plead for them with your sovereignty to grant to this
Colonial establishment the priviledge of raising Tobacco being a
species of Culture which these Inhabitants have been accustomed to
from their Childhood and in which they Can therefor promise
themselves the greatest success.
San Felipe de Austin June 10, 1824
Signed Estevan F Austin
Jared E. Groce
Santiago Cummings
Jno P. Coles
Comte.