City of Mexico Jany. 1. 1823

Dr Brother

I wrote you by the last mail that Govr. Martinez had arrived and that he informed me of the arrival at Bexar of the articles that were in the Lively—You must do the best you can to sell them for money which retain untill I arrive, your attention to this business will probably put it out of your power to accompany Carrasco—if so inform him to that effect without delay—

Write to the settlers that it is their interest which detains me so long I am determined to persevere to the end and have everything finally finished before I leave here—

Present my respects to Govr Trespalacios so far as I have been able to judge I think he is a good man, you must visit him every day, and acquire his friendship I am told there is a young man with him a son of the famous Genl. Morales, be intimate with him also and get his confidence and friendship—to live with any peace or comfort we must have the friendship and support of the Govr of the Province, you must therefore be very particular on this point and secure his friendship by close attention to him—

Attend to your studies and learn to write the Spanish grammatically as well as to speak it correctly, devote all your time and attention to this point—I have not sent you to the Colorado or given you anything to do for the last summer because I wished all your time should be exclusively devoted to study [of] the Spanish and I flatter myself with the pleasing hope of finding you very much advanced in that language—if I am disappointed I shall really be much vexed if anything can vex me with my beloved and only Brother.

Give my respects to Baron Bastrop and inform him that he must not let my long absence, obliterate me from his memory he must come and live with me on the Colorado when I get comfortably fixed there—I shall be able to do a great deal for the Govr or any others who befriend and aid me, and I am particularly anxious to be on friendly terms with Trespalacios, I can be of very great service to him in various ways and so can he be to me—I have the confidence of the Government here and have no doubt of getting all things well arranged—All our future hopes are now in this Empire and we must conduct ourselves so as not to loose the good name we left behind us in the United States, and so as to acquire the confidence of the government we have adopted, to do this we must be correct in our deportment and rigidly faithful in all our engagements and particularly so in whatever is entrusted to us by the Government—let this be an everlasting rule for you and you will not err—

I remember that the last time our unfortunate family were all united was four years ago this day in Herculaneum You no doubt have not forgotten it—It was the last time we were permitted [to] assemble under the Paternal roof Since then how many fatigues and troubles have we all experienced! but what is past cannot be recalled. I hope we have gained some experience which will benefit us, and I trust that if our Dear Mother and Sister are preserved that it will not be much longer before we shall be once more living under the same roof, or in the neighborhood of each other.

There has been and still exists in the province of Vera Cruz some difficulties, that Province is in a state of insurrection, but the insurgents have been defeated at Xalapa and it is expected that a few days more will totally distroy and suppress them—farewell. Study hard attend to the Governor live frugal, and sell the articles to the best advantage.

[Stephen F. Austin.]