To the Honorable Stephen F. Austin Empresario, Military and
Political chief of Colony No 1—
The Petition of the undersigned Citizens of said Colony most
respectfully beg leave to set forth and show
That Whereas: We the said Petitioners, having viewed the
Matagorda Bay as the most important and safe Harbor on the Coast of
the Department of Texas, and in fact the only one which can, and
will be recognized by men of Enterprise both of adopted Mexicans,
natives, and those of foreign nations as the general grand, mart and
emporium of commerce to which all business must, and will center
and a point to which, all the produce of the Country must find its
way to the market of the contry, as well [as] that of foreign markets
by means of the ready admission of vessels of every descriptions
which no other port on the coast is susceptable of— And further
taking into consideration the ease and facility of a ready
communication between that point and the eastern—by means of an inland
navigation—almost furnished by nature from said bay of Matagorda
to that of Galveston—These with many other reasons, have directed
our attention to said Bay and well knowing the far superior country
admiting the most dense settlements and most extensive bodies of
productive lands, and the partiality of Emigrants to settle on the
Brazos, Bernard, Bay Prairie, and Colorado and the vanity of any
calculation—that the western colonies could ever rival or come in
competition with this most superior fertile and rich section of the
country—Induced us to hope that there might be a possibility of
finding a site for the establishment of a town at or near the mouth
of the Rio Colorado though every one informing us of its
impracticability for want of sufficient depth of water over the Bar etc.—
But if this should be the case (which we hope can be overcome by
assiduity and perseverence) still we have to suggest to your Honor,
that we do not hesitate to think according to our best judgment and
the means we had in our power to ascertain facts necessary to
predicate any just ideas—that there may still be a town erected on the
east side of the Rio Colorado some two or three miles from the
mouth, and on the margin of the Bay—We discovered to our
admiration and surprise—one of the most beautiful situations for the
building a large commodious and tasty commercial town that our
utmost imagination could conceive. A large amphitheatre, a
semicircular Bluff of about 6 or 8 feet above high-water mark of very
perminant dry soil, and ascending back to an extensive and beautiful
prairie, about 2000 bars in diameter, making a very regular
curveresting one end on the Rio Colorado and the other on the bay the
margin of both being remarkably straight and regular—in the front
of this amphitheatre is a low rich marsh prairie though no stagnant
waters the beauty of the whole and particularly the Colorado is past
discription.
We are very confident that a mere trifle will open a canal from
the Colorado through this low land to the Bay, and a bayou already
flows up to meet it, which must have a full communication with the
Bay as it had the appearance of being agitated by the swells from the
Bay, though we were not prepared to examine for the want of a
water-craft—and here it is certain that vessels can lie safely at anchor
and be admitted into the Colorado by means of this Bayou, and
Canal should there be insupurable obsticles to ascending the river,
which we trust is not the case. We will now only refer you to a
diagram accompanying this petition, as nigh the true Situation as we
are able to delineate without an actual survey.
And therefore in consideration of the above.
We your Petitioners beg leave to ask the favor of a grant of land
embracing said site with the privileges of laying out said
contemplated town, Binding ourselves immediately to erect and
maintain a post of defence against the hostile Indians, and commence the
building of warehouses, and other necessary Houses for the
reception of Imigrants as expected (in case of a grant) from Missouri
and Tennessee as well as elsewhere—Subjecting ourselves to all the
rules and regulations of Government to taxes imports, tonage and
duties of whatever descriptions, name or nature, conforming
ourselves to the laws of the Government regulating ports and harbors.
And that we may avail ourselves of the advantage of your
knowledge and experience in the laws and customs of the Mexican
Government, as well as your patronage, and advice, and direction, we would
solicit, your participation, equally with your Petitioners in all its
profits and emoliments to which entent we bind ourselves to convey
an equal right whenever we shall be ennabled so to do. We would
further Submit to your consideration and inspection a plan of the
Town to [be] laid out------
If the granting for the express purpose of a Town, is not
compatible with the nature of your authorities of which we are
uninformed, We your Petitioners in such case would beg leave that a
League, as above defined may be granted for the purpose of
stockraising—
And further if a grant to an individual would be more consistent
than to the Company—-We would nominate Conl- Matison, as the
grantee who is bound to make conveyances to the company. Our
intentions are to reduce it to five shares, for although yours inclusive
would make seven, two we consider as merely nominal which Mr.
Ludlow engages to extingush by contract, and substitute his own in
lieu thereof—
Considering the vast importance to your Colony and in particular
the early, and immediate attention which we would bestow, and
gaining the advantage of the first Port where provisions and
accommodation can be afforded and a safe protection guaranteed to vessels, which
must give it every advantage over every other in said Bay—not
naming our opinion of the practicability of making an artificial pass,
through the peninsula between the Bay and main Gulph together
with the many other advantages which we will in a personal
interview explain. We do not hesitate to think and hope that your
Honor will deem [it] of the highest interest to the Government in
General but the most important in particular to this Section and
[your] own Colony, more especially—
That your honor may so consider and grant the prayers of your
Petitioners and Undersigned is our most earnest Solicitations, and
as in duty bound will ever pray etc.—
H. H. League
James C. Ludlow
Elias Wightman
Richard Matson
Sn Felipe de Austin 2d August 1826