[From Williams Papers, Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Tex.]

Brazoria July 19 1832

Dr Sir,

I had not time to say much by Wm. Austin. Since he left I have heard of the excitement which some have felt against you owing to the difference of opinion as to what ought to be done in the critical situation of the country. These [are] things to be expected everywhere and amongst all people under excitement—they have their hour and pass away and are forgotten. All that is necessary for you to do or say is, that you wished to do for the best—may have been mistaken as to the means, that nothing but an anxious desire to serve the common cause of the country actuated you, without personal feelings against anyone, that in your moments of excitement you blamed others who differed in opinion with you, and that they also had the same right to blame you, for both thought their course the best etc. Something of this nature and in a good [hu]mored way, without any display of passion or irritation against anyone will soon put it all at rest—some of the leading men in the U. S. have had the honor of being stuck up in effigy for political opinions, so that you need not feel mortified at that. A few persons here last night had you and two others Chambers and Lewis up in effigy—it will do you no harm unless you get into a passion about it—so keep quite cool and let it all pass away, as it will do of itself. The fact is that the state of things has been such that, at times none of us knew or could tell what course was the best—all had but one object in view which was to do right as near as they could—en fin, vale mas reir qe maldecir.

The colony and all Texas have but one course left which is to unite in the cause of the Santana party, and if necessary fight it out with the ministerialists— I have written to Musquis urging him to make a pronunciamto in Bexar. Nacogdoches will follow as a matter of course and Piedras will acquiess or have to leave the country for Matamoros.

I have great need here for Mr. Greaves and hope he will come down—tho it is now almost too late. I wish the Ayuntamto to make a formal pronunciamto as soon as possible and advise the Alcalde to call an extra meeting as soon as possible so as to give time for the members to attend, this is very important indeed. We must now all pull at the same end of the rope.

Teran killed himself at Padilla on the 3—he ran his sword through his heart on the very spot where Iturbide was shot. Montezuma left Tampico for San Luis with 1500 men soon after Mexia sailed for Matamoros—it was a combined movement, ordered by Montezuma, to [enable] Mexia to take Matamoros by keeping Teran employed elsewhere—commissioners are appointed by Santana and Bustamte to meet at the Puerto Nacional to settle the question, Victoria by Santana, Camacho by Bustamte and I think it probable the whole matter is settled by this time.

Mexia and myself have been enthusiastically recd, here—it was a joyfull event for the whole country, for I think it [will] unite Texas on the same side, and right or wrong we must all pull together. I intended to have started up tomorrow and if necessary gone from there with volunteers against Anahuac by the time Mexia got round with the fleet—but day after tomorrow is a grand Ball, and we must stay. I think it will be unnecessary for any men to go to Anahuac for the troops there will no doubt pronounce.

Don't let these matters worry you, what you have done was for the best. Under the circumstances in which you were placed it was impossible to say what was for the best-—all reasonable men will look at the motives and not at hasty expressions made in a moment of great excitement. I will write to the Alcalde to call a meeting of the ayto.—it must be as soon as possible for I wish to return with Mexia to Matamoros so as to be at Saltillo by the 1 of September. He will stay no longer at Galveston than is necessary to regulate them at Anahuac and take Bradburn where he will probably never more hear of Texas. His cup of disgrace and infamy is full, up and over the brim.

Farewell—remember me to Sarah and Mr. Greaves

S. F. Austin

Muchissimas memorias a Arciniega digale que escribi a Bexar pa que se pronuncian por Santana.

A

20th.

I have this moment recd, yours by William Austin. I am fully aware of the motives which influenced you.

I have always expressed to you, both verbally and in writing a wish that the colonists should not take part in the civil wars of the Mexicans, unless they should unfortunately reach Texas, in that event there would of course be no remidy left but to take a hand.

I had no right or reason to expect that that most consummate of all fools, Bradburn, would have acted as he has done—he promised and assured me at Lynches that he would respect the civil Authority at Anahuac and concilliate the people there, and I believed he would— he was too much of a jack ass to be governed by reason or judgement, or anything else except brutal passion—I therefore could not foresee what has happened, and could not give you instructions in time— what I feared if the colonists took part in the civil wars was they would get into anarchy and confusion—but will come right now and we shall all pull heart and hand at one end of the rope. See Chrisman and have the Ayto. convened by Wednesday or thursday at most—remember me to Mr. Greaves. I shall need his aid in the Spanish line of business as soon as I get up. Speak to him on the subject. I refer you to Johnson for particulars as [to] our arrival here etc. I wrote from the mouth of the river the moment I landed and Cap John Austin directed a copy to be sent up, when he started down to meet us, which was done, but it went up the river on the other side.

Col Mexia would go up with great pleasure, but his fleet is anchored off and he is limited as to time,-he starts on Monday to embark for Galveston Bay, and will only be two days at Anahuac, as he last night recd, official information of the pronunciamto of that place under Col Suveran. The report you speak of, that there had been a saqueo etc is all false. Suveran has written to Cap J. Austin and Lieut. Domingues is here direct from Anahuac— all goes well over there and Bradburn has taken to the brush. If Piedras refuses, we must and will fight him. All Texas must go together. I will write to him from San felipe and to Ayish bayou.

S F A

write to Gonzales and let them know what they ought to do— La constitución y Santana.