Nacogdoches Sept 5th 1826
Col Steven F Austin
Dear Sir I recd your letter by mail of the 27 of August where
in you state to me the news of Saltillo being favourable on Slavery
which I have made known in the settlement wherein the people was so
much dissatisfied with the news that all thier slaves was to be set free
since I have not heard from there how they have taken the news but
I dont hesitate to say that I expect as usual I did not send your
letter but only a coppy of the slave news
Sir it is a mistake of yours to say that I am the father in law of
Gaines I am only a Brother in law but if he was my child its self I
would not correct him if I did not believe him to be wrong he has
done nothing but what has went by the knowledge of the Alcalda of
this place and I need not go further than yourself to prove all the
representations that according to law should go through of this court
has not done so and you clone more than the chief of Department
done when he was applid to and it had not gone through its proper
channel he sent them back to take a fair start but you did not
if Gines [Gaines] has made any fals representations I would be
glad to know what they are that he may be checked in time it [is] a
fine thing to check before any thing is to far gone but to check a
man for obeying the orders of his Legal authority I dont think it is
right
sir from the present state of affairs our stength is verry divided
and it is I believe from such petitions as you translated you could
have known that this man was not aiming at the fair thing as he
could not obtain it here you must know in reason we have not more
men than we have a use for
if they could be expected by Government it appears that you had
no confidence in the proper authority of this place a stranger that
is not received by government should be heard and every attention
paid to him without asking any questions whether he was right or
wrong
Samuel Norris