Saltillo, May 8th 1832
Dr Sir.
The last mail brought me yours of 3 and 17 April, am truly
gratified to hear that peace and prosperity prevail. I shall leave in a
few days for Victoria in company with Mason and Greaves, where
we expect to see Genl Teran. I have very friendly letters from
Teran, Alaman and the Vice President (see my letter to the
Ayuntamiento). I have every confidence that the law of 6th A[pril]
will be modified, I also have full confidence in Ter[an Poli]tical
matters will probably soon take a favourable, and p[robably an]
unexpected change. Peace and harmony in Texas are [more]
important now than ever. I cannot give you all the reasons I have for
this opinion, but they are many and very weighty. Make what use
you deem prudent of these remarks, always avoiding talkers and
news paper paragraphs.
Aparte—I send you all the necessary papers and powers to perfect
the titles for the grants mentioned in them of Aguirre and Vega.
The concessions are in my trunk of which you have the key get
them out. I think they are in a bundle rolled up in a news paper.
This land has cost me $1000 and will cost much more besides the
expenses and the govt dues, settlement, etc.
You will want a sufficiency to take the front on the Colorado river
from the upper line of Tannihill's league in the upper colony, to 500
varas at least above the big springs at the foot of the mountain, also
the fourth of a league on the mountain on the west side of the
colorado opposite the said big springs the falls to lie in the center of
the front of said fourth league. To make the matter more clear I
give a sketch of the land as near as I can recollect, ten sitios which
you will locate on the west side of Colorado, bounding on onion
creek (Burro, or Garrapatas) on the lower or south east, and on
the Colorado river on the eastward—thus. [A sketch map is here
omitted.] These three locations I wish you to be particular about.
The Burro or onion creek I believe runs more parallel with the river
than I have marked it which of necessity will extend the front up
the river. The 1/4 sitio at the falls is all high mountain —has some
timber and plenty of rock, no land, but I want the falls for a very
special object and therefore wish them to lie in the center of this
tract on the river—to say—7 or 8 sitios above Tannihill east side—
1/4 at falls W. side—10 sitios in forks of river and onion creek.
You will also locate the 4th league above Bastrop (cedar league)
The balance of the land to nil the three concessions you will locate
on the Sanjacinto W. Side above the Tuscasite road, or up the
Brazos or between this river and navisoto, or on the yeagua—en fin,
I want the best land that can be had and prefer taking it all below
the upper road within the boundaries of my old contracts, out of the
ten league reserve. I shall fix a place on the colorado at [the] foot
of the mountains to live, and wish for those location [s for] my own
use and not to sell. The balance is for m[mutilated] or for sale. I
must request you to attend to this matter [promptly] and have it
all concluded as soon as practicable. [Present] a pe[ti]tion to the
Alcalde for the two tracts west of colorado with [out] any delay, not
one day, for there are various applications for that colony of Milams
and also for DeWitts.
As soon as the titles for the colorado tracts are finished execute
the deed for sale of them to me, the balance you can let alone for
the present, I mean the deed of sale.
As regards what you say about Dexter, I never made him any
promise at all of any kind whatever. Nixon I think is so reasonable
that his wishes might be complied with, especially as he is about to
marry and settle permanently, tell the widow that she had better
yield than have the LAW put in force against her, as I laid it down
and left you to execute. As regards others who wish to locate above
the road you can do as you please con plena poder—but keep them
away from the limits of my old colonies, be particular as to this.
As regards Bowie do as you think right I have never objected to his
having a reasonable portion, and he has no cause to find any fault
with me. As regards the subject proposed by Madero and others
do as you think proper, always keeping above the road, Navarro is
appointed in place of Madero. For your government in the general,
I have to say that I have recd very favorable offers to settle our
contract, but shall not [mutilated] until I see the GENERAL. Also,
I shall in futu[re have] nothing to do with the home details of the
busin[ess you] will have to do it all and if you start badly
[mutilated] to cause any entanglements it will give you trouble in the end.
The sistem of surveying must be changed immediately—the price is
too much. Stop this at once in the old and the new colony—except
the work already done, but have no more done on the same terms,
make special contracts for the surveying of my lands.
I shall get Arciniega appointed comr of the new colony, it will
probably be done next week. Mr. Greaves an english gentleman
will go to Texas, he is applicant for Milams colony, he will make
a good secretary for the Brazoria Ayto being a very good Spanish
scholar, an educated and very moral man and much of a gentleman.
S. F. Austin [Rubric]