Navidad, August 9, 1836
BRGR. GEN. T. J. RUSK
Dr Sir—
I met Dr. Archer and Mr. Wharton at this place— They showed me
your letter to the secretary of War and instructions to them, as to the
contemplated movement of the army against Matamoros— Archer requested
me to return with them so as to combine all our efforts in support of this
measure and I shall do so—
It was my intention to have visited you before this, but hearing that the
enemy had Made no move from Matamoros I remained at my brother in
laws to obtain a few days rest and recruit my health—
Dr Archer and Many others whose opinions I feel bound to respect,
insisted that I should be a candidate for President at the September
elections— Mr. W. H. Wharton was also of the number who requested it.
My name is accordingly before the people— I have consented to this for
only one reason, which is that I believe I can be of material service in
procuring the annexation of Texas to the U. S. should the people here wish it,
as I have no doubt they do.
As is usual in such cases, there no doubt are many erronious reports in
circulation—I have heard two— One that I am interested in the land
speculations of Williams and others when they were at Monclova— This
is utterly false—I never have been, am not, and never will be interested in
those speculations, directly nor indirectly, and no one in Texas is more
opposed to them than I am, and this I say in the nature of a rule of Action,
so far as one can be formed from my knowledge of the subject, for the fact
is that I never have fully understood it, untill within a few days, and I do
not know that I understand it all yet, for these events all took place in my
absence.
The other report is that I have been the means of saving General Santa
Anna. That man was saved by Gen. Sam. Houston, as you know better
than I do, and was used by him to procure the Armistice, or arrangement
of 22d. April by which I am told orders were issued by Santa Anna to
Filisola—he was also saved by the Cabinet of Texas subsequently, and
treaties made with him. I disapprove of all these measures-The first
I think was almost ruinous to Texas for it saved the balance of the
Mexican Army, and the other I think was wrong in principle, and more so in
the mode or manner of using Santa Anna
If the principle was adopted at all of using Santa Anna for the public
good of Texas, on the basis of saving his life, the only use that could or
ought to have been made of him in my opinion was with the U. S. Govt,
and not by an armistice or a treaty— An application from Santa Anna
to that Govt, to mediate between Mexico and Texas, on the basis of a
recognition of the independence of the latter, in all probability would have led
to a correspondence on the subject between the U. S. Govt, and that of
Mexico— If Santa Anna's friends or party had remained in power, they
would no doubt have come to an arrangement through the Mediation of
the U. S.— If his party had lost their influence, no good would have
resulted, and we should still have kept Santa Anna a close prisoner, and all
the bad effects of attempting to liberate him by the treaty with him would
have been avoided— I expressed this opinion to Mr Burnet and other
members of the Govt, and asked whether Santa Anna had written to the U. S.
Govt.— The answer was that he had not I was at Colombia a few days
afterwards and saw Santa Anna,—he said much about his desire to procure
the mediation of the U. S.— I told him that no mediation would be
accepted by Texas, except on the basis of a recognition of our independence—
he said that was the basis on which he acted and proposed to write to Gen.
Jackson— I replyed that he ought to do so, and to state in his letter his
firm and full conviction that Mexico could not continue the war with
Texas etc—
It is certainly clear that no harm can grow out of this letter, and
admitting that no good results, as to Mexico, it will evidently do good to
Texas in public estimation, elsewhere, by showing to the world that the
proud despot of Mexico, acknowledges that the physical force and
resources of Texas are Sufficient to sustain herself, and that he has yielded
the point.
As to whether Santa Anna is sincere or not, every one will doubt or
disbelieve, and justly so, As regards his promises or declarations made to the
Govt, or people of Texas;—but, very few will believe that he would
attempt to make -a tool of Gen. Jackson by telling him lies under his own
signature—The Moral effect therefore of Santa Anna's letter to Gen.
Jackson must be in favor of Texas, because it will be considered as a confession
by our principal enemy, that Texas has the power to sustain herself— I
wrote to Gen Jackson—my object was to try and get the intervention of
the U. S. and to have Texas annexed to the U. S.
This is all I have done in this matter, and such have been the motives
which influenced me— They are pure and disinterested. I could derive
no benifit, but on the contrary I knew that it would injure me even to see
Santa Anna— I disregarded that injury because I saw that it was possible
to do good to Texas, and impossible to do harm by Santa Anna's letter to
Gen. Jackson— If a man who is governed by these kind of motives is to
receive the curses of those he is laboring to serve, then I should say that
purity of intention and disinterestedness have lost their moral influence.
I never did approve of the principle that was adopted as to Santa Anna
when he was first taken I think he merited death, and that the country
ought not to have been compromised to save him, nor do I approve of the
acts of the Cabinet in this, and other things, but I would not on that
account do any thing to overturn our civil govt. I will always resist such
an attempt so far as I can— As a Texian I have no sympathies for Santa
Anna, and every possible cause to hate him. My sympathies are all for
the people of Texas and I have labored faithfully to serve them regardless
of myself or popularity as the past and also this Santa Anna's letter proves.
I shall return to Velasco and cooperate all I can to carry into effect the
plan of campaign which has been adopted In doing this I shall also be
slandered because it will be used against me by those who are opposed to
the Matamoras expedition, and also because it will retard my visit to the
Army and the false reports which have been circulated against me will
remain uncontradicted, except by this letter which I must beg the favor of
you to communicate to Generals Green and F. Huston and to the officers
and men so far as you can conveniently—
I am also very anxious to see you, the friendship we formed in time of
my ill health before Bexar, is I assure you unabated on my part and
strengthened rather than diminished by absence— I feel truly grateful to
you for the services you have rendered Texas
S. F. Austin