New Orleans March 15th 1831
Col S F Austin
Saltillo
My Dear Sir
I wrote you by the Surprize for Matamoros on the subject of
Mr Wares proposal to establish a cotton factory in the colony. The
matter appears to me of so much moment, and the chance of letters
reaching Saltillo so small I think it advisable to repeat the sub-
stance of that letter. The immediate establishment of a manufactory
of a 1000 spindles with a capital of 40,000$ would not only
encourage the cultivation of cotton in the interior but promptly produce
a specie circulating medium by furnishing a comodity for
legitimate trade with the interior of Mexico, and the establishment would
be rapidly encreased if suscessful, which appears to me certain
unless political disturbances should occur. Mr Ware has not only a
large cash capital of his own but ability to command any amount
that can be securely and profitably invested. He proposes as I wrote
you to embark 40.000$ in the establishment of a Cotton manufactory
in the Colony, provided he can have permission so to do, and your
protection and support, that is if he can be assured no
impediments will be thrown in his way to defeat the object. Such as
priveleges to others, denied to him, excessive taxes etc. I have told
him as my opinion that as the establishment of cotton manufactorys
is a favorite project with the Govt and the location of one in the
colony obviously calculated to promote the permanent interests of
the State and people he might safely calculate on your giving the
project all the encouragement in your power consistently with your
public duty and that I had but little doubt you would obtain for his
benefit an increased grant of land in consideration of the project
being carried into immediate effect, perhaps five possibly eleven
leagues. He then said if you would do so he would allow you a
share of the profits for getting him the land, but on my observing I
had doubts whether you would allow your private interest to
influence your public duty he observed then that in case of obtaining
eleven leagues as an encouragement to establish the factory he
would consider half of the land as mine for my agency in making
the arrangement or it might be estimated as so much capital on my
acct and you might particípale in the benefits or not as you might
judge proper. He also wishes to engage me in the operation, and
on my telling him I had no capital to embark in it offered to consider
my attention to the business as equivalent to Capital
It is very doubtful whether I can join in this operation, were
my solicitation granted, I might be induced to do so as the
most secure mode of establishing myself in the colony to secure my
lands, but altho two months and an half have elapsed since your
arrival in Saltillo, I have not recd a line from you and give up all
expectation of getting the land, I have therefore declined entering
into any arrangements on the subject until I hear from you. Mr
Ware will also wait your reply, before he moves in the matter.
Would it not be practicable to get the Govts sanction to a grant of 11
leagues for the encouragement of the establishment of the first fac-
tory of not less than one thousand spindles With authority to
warrant that encouragement I could ensure the establishment of the
manufactory at once. I should think both the Govt and Genl
Teran would be favorable to this enterprise. Perhaps it would be
judicious to apply to Teran for pecuniary aid for the object as he
has funds expressly for such purposes and it might add to the
security of the property if some Govt funds were at hazard as a loan
for encouragement—yet it would not be well to be entangled with
the Govt in the matter any further than policy might require to make
him believe such establishments require encouragement. Mr Ware
wishes you to write him on the subject as we may not be here when
your reply comes I give you his address on the envelope. I shall
wait here doing nothing until I hear from you.
My Sister Mrs Holley now here with the family of Mr La Branch,
wrote you some time ago on the subject of getting land for herself
and son Her intention is to accompany my family in case I locate
in the colony and her object is to secure some ultimate provision for
her son. She has a few thousand dollars which would enable her
to make the needful improvements. She is full of the project of
reuniting the members of our dispersed and reduced family and
forming a society of our own, it is not probable her letter has reaehd
you. Cannot some arrangement be made to connect the U. S. with
the Mexican mail? Correspondence with the Colony is now very
uncertain.
The Galveston Bay land company in New York are running wild
in their operations. Selling land by hundreds of thousands of acres
a 5 cents pr acre, etc. Sending out steam machinery for mills boats
etc. I fear they will do much harm by calling the attention of Govt
too much to that quarter. I have not recd a line from the colony
since I left and know not how matters are going on. Mr Pollet of
Nacogdoches told me the other day that the emigrants going in by
land had great difficulty there for want of passports. Some for
Dewits colony had been turned back. He had passd some through
destined to your colony by engaging to procure passports for them from
the Consul here, which the authority said was indispensable This
will cause much disappointment and injury if persisted in. The
great numbers of people going into the colony will soon fill up your
contracts I beg you will let me know when your power to grant lands
will probably cease, because if I do go in I may want to provide for
some I may take with me. I should be glad also to know, (if you can
ascertain without calling the attention of Govt to the subject)when
the privelege of taking goods into the colony duty free will cease.
I see the law of April speaks only of provisions and lumber, and
expect that in ease I go in I shall be caught with the whole length of
the tariff on what I take with me according to my usual luck. I am
told they already collect the duty in Matagorda bay.
Respectfully and cordially, your friend and Serv
H Austin [Rubric]