Stephen F. Austin to J. H. Bell, 01-21-1828 Stephen F. Austin Project Director and Editor Andrew J. Torget Creation of XML version Debbie Liles Initial TEI Formatting Stephen Mues Programmatic and Manual TEI P5 Compliance Ben W. Brumfield Digital Stephen F. Austin Papers 07-29-2010 J. H. Bell Unknown Unknown Eugene Barker, ed., Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1919: The Austin Papers, (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1924), 3 vols., Vol 1, Part 2, pp. 7-8 Eugene Barker's summaries and footnotes Letter 01-21-1828 Programmatic restructuring and manual clean-up to comply with TEI P5 2.3.0 Restructured to meet TEI P5 standards Digital creation of XML file

Difficulty in getting capable men to serve as officers of the ayuntamiento.

Jany. 21. 1828

Dr sir,

I recd, your letter stating that you wish to decline serving as one of the Ayuntamiento, and feel somewhat discouraged at your determination—As you personal friend, I should say you did right, but as a friend of this colony, I must say you are doing wrong—It is very important to get good men, and men of business in the Ayúntamto. I feel no individual interest on the subject and as a mere individual I am indifferent who are elected—but in all matters connected with the welfare of this colony I cannot feel or think indifferently—As for myself I shall devote my whole time and attention to the land business and have some idea of taking a trip into the United States in order to try and bring out a large number of families in a body, but I do not wish to leave the colony again, even for a moment, untill I see the local government well organised, and this cannot be done without putting good men in office

I am getting very tired and worn down with the business and were it not my duty to the settlers who are here never to abandon them, I should give up my last contract with the Govt for the settling of the new Colony, and either settle myself down on a Stock farm, or seek some other country where I might hope to find harmony but it is my duty to persevere and for that reason, and that alone, I will go on—

you are wrong to decline serving for I think you can do an important service to the colony as a member of the Ayuntamto but you have a right to do as you please, tho if you are elected the law compels you to serve—

I have heard of no opposition to Ingram and I think he will be unanimously elected I am sorry to say that Kinny has also declined serving, tho, he is excusable for his business I expect will compell him to devote all his time to his private affairs—I have not thoroughly known Kinny untill last winter he is a usefull and valuable man and I wish it was in my power to aid him in his pecuniary difficulties—

My friend we must all be united and harmonious—without this the colony never can flourish—-poor Pettus is broken up—he has been imprudent in the highest degree—and has abused me and every one else—if I had the means of aiding him I would freely do so— he is in misfortune—-let that alone be remembered and all his abuses forgotten—I send you a valuable neighbor (I hope) in Mr. Robison, I have nearly given him a small place merely because I think him a good man

Think better of the matter and say you will serve- My respects to Mrs Bell I can let you have some fig roots next year if the slips I brought from Bexar grow

S F Austin [Rubric]

Mr J. H Bell