San Felipe de Austin 14 June 1830
T. F. Leaming Esqr.
My dear Sir, It has been a long time since I had the pleasure of
hearing from you by letter. My brother in law James F. Perry
paid me a visit in april last and will remove his family to this colony
in the fall he expects to visit Phia this summer and will call on
you— I have as yet heard nothing of the Map of Texas, since I
forwarded it the surveys have been considerably extended and I
could now form a much more accurate map, tho the one I sent gives
a very correct general idea of the country and is fully as correct as
the first maps of new countries usually are and I think more so, it
cost me great labor and trouble and considerable expence— My
object was not individual profit, it was to bring this country
forward into public view, for it has been literaly buried in obscurity up
to the last year—
Respect for the opinions and last will of my father caused me to
explore Texas in 1821. I was both delighted and astonished to find
it to be the most favord region I had ever seen. Its fertility and
natural resources, so far exceeding any thing I had imagined,
determined me to devote my life to the great object of redeeming it from
the wilderness.
It was a heavy undertaking for a young, inexperianced and very
poor man—My first step was to study the character of the Mexicans
and ascertain their ideas and views as to Texas— I found they
knew nothing about it, and were profoundly ignorant of its real
value, and also that they considered it next to impracticable to form
a settlement in its wilderness without the aid of a very strong
Military force for garrisons to keep the indians in check. I also
discover that strong prejudices existed against the North Americans
owing to the conduct of some who were engaged in the revolutionary
expeditions that had entered Texas at various times since 1811, I
saw that all the efforts to get foothold here by means of such
expeditions had failed and ended in defeat and ruin, and I believed they
always would fail, These observations convinced me that the only
means of redeeming this country from the wilderness was by
peaceful silent, noisless, perseverence and industry, and that the axe, the
plough and the hoe would do more than the rifle or the sword.
under these impressions I began and have pursued the main object
with a degree of patience and perseverence which nothing but its
vast importance to the civilized world could ever have given me
fortitude to continue through so many years of hardships and amidst
so many discouraging obstacles— The worst is now over and the
few clouds which seem to hang over us are mere shadows when
compared with those which have passed. I have laid a sufficient
foundation for others to build on, and a prudent course will make this
country one of the finest in the world.
The measures lately adopted by the Mexican Govt, prohibiting
the emigration of North Americans, affords a striking proof of the
nesesity of the silent course which I have pursued in bringing
forward this settlement. I have never sent any notices or publications
respecting it to be printed in the news papers untill lately, when I
first began in 1821 merely put in a notice in the Orleans papers that
I was authorised to settle 300 families and barely said enough to
draw a little attention, last year I found that the Govt, were
begining to become suspicious that this country was of more value than
they had supposed it was, Genl Teran passed through here, and
saw it. I found that something must be done to draw emigration
and I determined to have the Map published as the Most effectual
means of operating on an intelligent people, and the least dangerous
with the Mexicans, for not many of them know any thing about maps
—unfortunately about this time "Americanus" and other publica-
tions appeared and Texas became A general topic of discussion in
the U. S. papers This roused the attention of the Mexican Govt,
and excited their jealoucy that the U. S. were determined to take
this country by force right or wrong, and this mistaken notion has
produced the law of 6 of April last prohibiting emigration from the
U. S. and suspending all the contracts of colonization, except in the
colonies that are " established "— this clause was crowded in by
my friends to cover this colony (for mine is the only one that is
established) and under it I shall be able with good management to
keep open the door for some time longer, and perhaps untill a new
order of things takes place,
I have had two difficult tasks to perform here, one to manage
the Govt, and the other to manage the settlers, of these, the latter
was by far the most difficult— I do say that the North Americans
are the most obstinate and difficult people to manage that live on
earth, tho I have had many " backwoods men " and " rough fellows "
to do with. Emigrants from europe are not prohibited, and I
sometimes think that Swiss and Germans will promote the
prosperity of this country much more than North Americans— They
will introduce the culture of the vine, olive etc. they are industrious
and moral, they have not in general, that horrible Mania for
speculation which is so prominent a trait in the english and North
American character, and above all they will oppose slavery— The
idea of seeing such a country as this overrun by a slave population
almost makes me weep— It is in vain to tell a North American that
the white population will be destroyed some fifty or eighty years
hence by the negros, and that his daughters will be violated and
Butch[er]ed by them— "it is too far off to think of—" "they can
do as I have, take care of themselves "—" something will turn up
to keep off the evil" etc, etc, such are the silly answers of the slave
holder—to say any thing to them as to the justice of slavery, or its
demoralizing effects on society, is only to draw down ridicule upon
the person who attempts it— In the begining of this settlement
I was compelled to hold out the idea that slavery would be tolerated,
and I succeeded in getting it tolerated for a time by the Govt. I
did this to get a start for otherwise it would have been next to
impossible to have started at all, for I had to draw on Louisiana and
Mississippi, Slave States, for the first emigrants— Slavery is now
most positively prohibited by our Constitution and by a number of
laws, and I do hope it may always be so.
I have passed a truly slavish life here for nine years, my
constitution is much broken, my health bad, and my days are probably
drawing towards a close, but I can claim some credit for what has
been done towards laying a foundation for the formation of a rich
and I hope a happy community— Texas no longer belongs to the
wilderness—whether it will ultimately remain attached to Mexico,
or unite with the north, or form an independent nation, is all mere
matter of conjecture, If slavery is excluded, I think the latter the
most probable—but if it is admitted, Texas will become what all
slave countries are and of necessity must be destitute of physical force
and dependent on some other power even for the preservation of its
internal tranquility—in short it must have a prop to lean upon, for
no slave country can stand alone—
I think that much good might be done by a series of publications in
the National Gazette on the emigration of Swiss and Germans to
Texas—also against the admission of Slavery here—against annexing
it to the U. S.—in favor of its adhering to Mexico as long as the
federal constitution stands and no longer, but then to set up for
itself, under the protection of the U. S.— you will of course
perceive that this letter is not for the public eye— I have wished to
give you as a relative, some idea of my labors and views here, they
are pure— I will die sooner than violate my duty to this
government, and if it would let me work I would make Texas the best state
that belongs to this nation, but my dear sir the truth is that the
Mexicans cannot sustain a republic-— The present form must fall
and what is then to become of Texas ? we are too weak to set up for
ourselves, unless under the protection of our powerfall neighbor—
and the protection which the strong affords to the weak is much to be
feared-— If we had population, our course would be a very plain
one, but we have it not— Territory we have to form a snug
republic,— I am in hopes the federal system may stand a few years
longer and that by that time we shall get in some thousands of swiss,
Germans, etc, and North Americans—the emigration is still
uninterupted to my colony and there will be a great accession of strength
this fall—
S. Rhoads Fisher of your city has paid us a visit and can give
you much information as to this country—-
I sent you a pamphlet sometime since containing translations of
the laws of colonization etc—if you have not recd it you can get
one from John P Austin, (Austin and Tayleur) New York, or from
Arch. Austin same place—you will see by the law that what I stated
to you relative to the impositions attempted by D. A. Smith, Stephen
Wilson etc was correct—the publications of those men had its effect
in producing the law of 6 of April last. Had all other impresarios
gone to work in good faith as I did, Texas would now have had a
very heavy population, but I am the only one out of near 80 who
engaged to settle colonies who has done any thing, except harm
they have not brought one family to the country, nor advanced one
step.
I have but little knowledge of my mothers family I idolised
my beloved Mother and altho I know none of her Philadelphia family
connections personally I have towards them all the affection of a
relative— Will you do me the kindness to send me by Mr. Perry
a short historical sketch of my mothers parentage and family and
of my maternal relations who are alive, where they live, their names
etc I have a great desire to visit the U. S. and I have no doubt it
would restore my health, but I am tied down here now, by many
heavy and perplexing duties, and to tell the truth I am too poor as
to money) to bear the expence— I have land but it will not sell
yet—notwithstanding, I do not dispair of seeing Philadelphia before
I die—.
I think I was called after Benjamin Fuller who married a sister
of my mothers,— who inherited his fortune? he promised my
mother to leave it to me— If I had it now I would make Texas
much the better by it—
I hope Tanner may make a fortune out of the map, if so, he
must send me one [of] his best bound general Atlasses—
you may have some curiosity to know my age, I was born in
Wythe county Virginia November 3. 1793—
very cordially your frend and relation
S. F. Austin [Rubric]
I regret to say that James Austina son of Aunt Margarette died
of consumption here a short time after his arrival from Missouri,
he was nearly gone when he reached here—
A
[Addressed:] Thomas F. Learning Esqr. Philadelphia Pen.