Stephen F Austin to Stephen F Austin, 05-18-1830


Summary: Memorandum by Austin on the law of April 6, 1830.


San Felipe de Austin May 1830

Recd, the law of 6 April the 11 Article of which suspends contracts for colonization in which North Americans were to be introduced and prohibited the emigration of North Americans to this country.

Considering this unjust interference with the rights vested in me by my contracts on colonization. I wrote to the President Bustamante and to Genl Teran on the 18 May (See copies of said two letters)—in June I recd Genl Terans explanation of the law of 6 April by which I was informed that it did not in any manner interfere with my colony—in consequence of this explanation I wrote to Genl Teran and to the Vice President explaining away the harsh parts of my letter of 18 May.

During the months of May, June and July considerable and alarming excitement prevailed amongst the people of Texas and on the Nacogdoches frontier it was so violent as [to] be on the eve of breaking out.

Padillas confinement put a stop to the land business and this was thought to be a part of the plan to break up the new settlers in Texas, resolutions of an inflamatory nature were entered into on the Ayish Bayou etc. J. J. C. (?) came to see me— I advised peace and quietness he coinsided with me— I was of opinion that a popular commotion amongst the people would totally ruin the whole country and destroy those who had anything to loose and as it was my duty to try [to] avert so great an evil from my colony, I resorted to such measures as I could to offset the object and accordingly caused Bustamantes letter to me of 20 March to be published in the Texas Gazette also Teran's official letter, and on the 10 July some general remarks which were intended to allay public excitement by giving an explanation of the causes which had produced the law of 6 April and to shew that those causes were fast disappearing—- I never believed that this Govt, intended to oppress us or treat us unjustly in any manner for we had never [given] them any cause to do so and if such was the intention it would be placing us on higher ground to do our duty faithfully as Mexican citizens.

[Indorsed:] May 1830 [but evidently written later than July] Memorandum S. F. Austin