[November, 1824]
To Humphry Jackson
Alcalde of the Presenct of the San Jacinto
Sir I enclose the commissions for you and Mr. Scott— You will
order a Muster of the men on the San Jacinto and its waters and
make out a muster roll which you will return to me—also inspect
the arms of the men and report their number and discription I
must urge you and Mr. Scott to use your exertions and influence in
conjunction with the Alcalde to preserve harmony sobriety and
good order in the settlement to effect this much may be done by
gentle and persuasive means for it is particularly the interests of
every individual in the colony to establish a character for Industry,
sobriety, and Harmony— Our future prosperity in fact in a great
degree depends on it, for if the Govt discover that the few americans
who are now here cannot live together in harmony they will conclude
that if any more are admitted there will be no such thing as
governing them and that we shall always be a troublesome and unprofitable
set of settlers, so if nothing else can restrain drunkeness and
quarreling the personal interests of each settler ought to do it, for I
again repeat that unless we can establish a good character with the
Govt. we shall never prosper—
[Stephen F. Austin.]