Duplicate, original via Brazoria
New Orleans March 30th 1831
Col S F AUSTIN
Saltillo
My dear Sir.
Since my last via Matamoros new matter has occurred of very
serious import. The enclosed " Notice to Immigrants" put a dead
stop to the emigration and I was told the orders of the minister went
farther than the notice. I called upon the Consul for information;
He showed me the ministers officio from Washington and General
Terans on the same subject. The minister says the law of 6 april
has no exception in favor of the Colonys of Austin and Dewit [and
for] him to publish the notice and the concluding clause is " those
who have obtained a location there since the publication of that law
(being of the U S.) are liable to be expelled at the pleasure of the
Govt" This clause the Consul suppressed because he thought it
unjust towards you and because it did not correspond with the
instructions of Genl Teran whose orders; no, not orders, instructions
he was instructed by Govt to follow in all matters relating to Texas.
He then shewed me General Terans officio, which tells him not to
grant pasports for Texas to any emigrants but " los qe dependen
a las colonias" of Austin and Dewit I endeavourd to construe the
word dependence as applicable to all who were bonafide destined to
those colonies, he took fire at this and I had to back out admitting
my imperfect knowledge of the.Spanish language I then took the
ground that the publications and notices by letters, that persons
qualified according to law, who should present themselves at Sta
Felipe during the term of your contracts should receive lands
agreeably to law, was virtually a contract between you and them and
brought them within the exception. He said you had undoubtedly
agents in all parts of the country to pick up Settlers and all who had
contracted with them might go. I assured him there were no such
agents. He then said if I could produce a copy of a notice or a
letter or a note from Mr Breedlove that he had knowledge notice
had been given, he would consider it as an engagement with the
emigrants and grant them passports. Your letter of Jany 19 1830
to Mr Breedlove contained a postscript exactly in point. Mr B wrote
him a note which I handed him and obtained a reply a copy of which
I annex. This removes the difficulty here for the present but will
not counteract the effect in the country where you will see it is
ordered to be published He expressed the most friendly disposition
towards you and the colonys, said the Govt could not pass ex post
facto laws, and stopping the emigration to your colonies would be
ex post facto etc. but they are doing the thing whatever they may
say. He professes to coincide with me in opinion that the Govt
has no disposition to deviate from the just and liberal policy
heretofore shown to the colonists, appeared anxious to convince me that
his personal disposition was the best possible, and published these
notices only by Superior order so I got along with him very
smoothly.
In my own affairs I am at a dead stand still Mr. W. about whose
propositions to establish a Cotton factory of a 1000 spindles in the
Colony I wrote you via Matamoros made it a sine qua non, that I
should take the direction of the business or he would not embark
in it, I acceded, conditionally, we matured the plan, agreed upon
terms, and were to reduce the matter to contract so soon as I had
advices that my solicitation was granted,— Buys story that he had
the exclusive right to establish cotton manufactorys in Texas not
true and assurances that a premium in land would be granted for
the establishment of the cotton factory of 1000 spindles no advices
came, altho it is three months since your arrival in Saltillo and six
weeks since my letters on this subject. My friend is getting uneasy
at these consular notices, impatient of so much delay and has
gone to day to attend the sale of a sugar plantation. If he buys
it it will absorb 200,000 dollars of his Capital and I shall be thrown
out of the saddle after all besides if the ministers construction of
the law is to obtain, we cannot get a legal title to land enough
to [settle] the manufactory upon. However whichever way things
turn I must take a hand in the game somehow or other. I hope
I may soon hear from you as I have already been here two months
on expense and must soon be in action or raise the wind.
Henry Austin
[Inclosure]
Copy of a Letter from the Mexican Consul
New Orleans March 30—1831.
Mr J. W. Bredlove
Sir I have recd your letter of this morning in answer to it I
inform you that I will have no kind of objection to give passports
to any person whatsoever, if you will send me by those Persons an
assurance that they are going to Mr Austins Colony to settle, It has
never been my intention to refuse granting passports to Persons
going to Texas on their private business or with a view of seeing the
country.
Frano Pizarro Martinez
[By Henry Austin:] ps April 2d—I have just recd your favor
of March 5th Mr W has not yet concluded the purchase of the
Sugar plantation but is in treaty for it I may yet do something with
him. Tailor has purchased and paid 50.000$ cash—I shall leave
this for the colony shortly. The consular notices and reports
that Mexican troops in great numbers are pouring into the colony
are doing much harm. Morgan and Reed have given up their
intention of going out altho they had made purchases and Reed had
come from North Carolina. The consul told them they could not
take their negroes there on any terms—and that Genl Teran was
going to the colony to inforce the law and set all negroes free that
had been taken there contrary to law etc.
I find it in vain to combat the many reports afloat here, some of
which are that the colonists will have to fight for their lands or
lose them, that the Govt is determined to drive them out etc. These
reports have a bad effect every way, those who have money do not
like to hazard it where there is but little security.