Nacogdoches Sept 5th 1826

Col Steven F Austin

Dear Sir I recd your letter by mail of the 27 of August where in you state to me the news of Saltillo being favourable on Slavery which I have made known in the settlement wherein the people was so much dissatisfied with the news that all thier slaves was to be set free since I have not heard from there how they have taken the news but I dont hesitate to say that I expect as usual I did not send your letter but only a coppy of the slave news

Sir it is a mistake of yours to say that I am the father in law of Gaines I am only a Brother in law but if he was my child its self I would not correct him if I did not believe him to be wrong he has done nothing but what has went by the knowledge of the Alcalda of this place and I need not go further than yourself to prove all the representations that according to law should go through of this court has not done so and you clone more than the chief of Department done when he was applid to and it had not gone through its proper channel he sent them back to take a fair start but you did not

if Gines [Gaines] has made any fals representations I would be glad to know what they are that he may be checked in time it [is] a fine thing to check before any thing is to far gone but to check a man for obeying the orders of his Legal authority I dont think it is right

sir from the present state of affairs our stength is verry divided and it is I believe from such petitions as you translated you could have known that this man was not aiming at the fair thing as he could not obtain it here you must know in reason we have not more men than we have a use for

if they could be expected by Government it appears that you had no confidence in the proper authority of this place a stranger that is not received by government should be heard and every attention paid to him without asking any questions whether he was right or wrong

Samuel Norris