Stephen F. Austin to Jose Antonio Saucedo, 04-20-1824


Summary: Bastrop elected to represent the colony in State Congress. Has received the acta constitutiva.


San Felipe de Austin April 20, 1824. I received only yesterday your communication of the 18th of March last, in which amongst other things, you instruct me to send a certified power of the people of this Colony, appointing an elector to proceed to the electoral meeting for electing a Representative in the Legislature of the State, I lost no time in sending expresses in every direction to obtain the votes of the Colonists, and I am authorized by over one half of them to say to you that they have elected the Baron de Bastrop, our Representative in the Most Excellent Deputation, to be our elector for the above mentioned object. As soon as I receive the votes of the others, I shall forward them to the Government, for due authenticity. In the meanwhile, and at the request of those who have already voted, I send to you the inclosed power certified by the Alcalde of this District of San Felipe, that of the Colorado, and myself, for the truthfulness of which we are personally responsible. We can also assure you that the Baron de Bastrop will be unanimously elected by the people of this Colony. Time has not allowed me to do anything else because, is I have already said, your communication was received yesterday only; and I have thought advisable to avail myself of an occasion offering to day for La Bahia, to report the subject to you, I have received the Constitutive Act and the Law creating the Legislature of this State; in Compliance with your order, I have appointed the 1st of May next for proclaiming and swearing to said Constitutive Act with all the solemnity and enthusiasm required by that important, and glorious subject, of which I shall give you a circumstantial account by next occasion. There has been nothing new in the Colony, since the encounter of a party of Karankauases some time since, by some inhabitants of this Colony, which incident I have reported to the Military Commander. It has not been possible as yet to sell the corn contributed by these people for the Representative in Congress

Estevan F Austin Political Chief of the Colony on the Colorado and Brazos

I pray you to excuse my erasures and bad Spanish; but the person who will take this letter is about to leave, and will not wait until I can have a clean copy made

E F Austin

José Antonio Saucedo, Political Chief of the Province of Texas.