8th December 1832.
Dear Sir,
I received your letter of the 18th ult. on the evening of the 29th,
to which I made a hasty answer early next morning. Since which,
I have been to the Big Road and showed it to members of the most
respectable citizens of the Ayish District.
They all heartily concur in the sentiments expressed in the letter,
and most ardently wish that the project may be carried into
execution. They want a local Government—they want a judiciary
proceeding according to the principles of the common law, so far at
least as respects the mode of trial, and one, that will protect their
property and persons.
There is perhaps no person more dangerous in the formation of
a new government than a mere theorist. The principles in the State
Constitution are in the main excellent; but the thread is too fine
spun— Much is lost in detail— It resembles the works of the
famous Abbe Sieyes.
Philosophers and Speculatists may admire liberty for its own
sake; but that liberty which the mass of mankind understand—the
free institutions which they love and would die to defend, must, with
its other blessings promptly afford them security of property,
character, and person. Look at our situation under the present
constitution and the state's laws as organized among us. To say
nothing of assaults and battery, Slander, Libels, Larcenies in every sense
of the word, and there have been about twelve men killed among us
in a few years and not a person judicially punished for any of these
offenses. But to return.
They deprecate the idea of being independent of the Mexican
Republic. Their sole wish is to be dependent on it, and to afford it
all the support and protection in their power—-to protect all its rights
and interests, and in return to participate of all its benefits and
advantages, and particularly of its liberal policy in relation to its
lands. Neither do they wish, nor could they consent to become a
part of, [or] belong to the states of North,
The system of the land sales in those states has long been a subject
about which a feverish sensibility and rather a rude spirit of
domination has generally prevailed. If the Government there would in
time have radically changed it, and checked the progress of what
every one individually pronounced an evil, but which sometimes the
executive, and always a majority of both houses of congress,
adheared to with [the] grasp of a dying man, and refused to consider,
we had most of us never seen Texas. Establish a liberal local
government— Procure the repeal of the obnoxious prohibitory
emigration law. And if it be true what some say, we shall soon see its effects
in more than one district, in some of the old states of the North.
This united with the cold there, will it is said make the elements of
depopulation, poverty and weakness too evident to be resisted. And
herein are the causes, among others, why enterprising and
industrious labouring freemen, the life blood of any country, will abandon
the places of their nativity, in greater numbers than we would
ordinarily anticipate. It is true their land system has of late been
somewhat softened; but the very effort showed it never could be radically
changed. Let those there who wish it, adhear to that policy—that
foolish pride, which rejects experience, and continually gathers to
itself fresh absurdities to feed upon, with that spirit of boasting and
blindness to decay, thai was so strongly evinced in the debate on that
subject. Texas will profit by their obstainacy.
If another convention is called I think that two delegates from
each district or precinct would be quite sufficient. And, that funds
ought to be provided to pay their expenses. Say two dollars per
day. And, that the state be bound to reimburse it. Otherwise few
delegates, I think will go from the Red Land. Riches and poverty
are relative terms; but we have very few relatively rich men. A
convention to form a local government ought to be open to the whole
population. Strange as it may appear to those that are in the
habit of handling money there are in these districts many good
citizens—very good livers—men of property—who do not handle
five dollars in a year. I do not know how it was with others; but
to the late convention, I was gone, twenty seven days, and expended
about fifty dollars, and lost a valuable horse; none of those just
mentioned persons could bear this and I am as poor as any of them. I
was as economical as the case would admit of. And what may
surprise you my losses in going to the late convention are more than I
shall make in a year. For myself, I do not expect to go if there
is a convention; but I mention my own case to show that the
expenses of the delegates ought to be paid. Why should a part of
society labor for the whole and find themselves? The corporations
or wealthy citizens ought to advance these funds.
Your early notice to us, of this subject, is another evidence of
the good feelings and kindness you hold to the citizens of the Red
Land, which they duly appreciate.
Be pleased to direct your letters to me at Teneha to left at " Mr.
Sublets,Big Road Aysh District". Present my respects to Mr.
Williams
J. Harrison
Colonel S. F. Austin