Matamoros June 3d 1830

Col. S F Austin

My dear Sir In a letter which I wrote you by Captn John Austin I expressed a wish that you might be induced to accept Genl Terans invitation to meet him here rather than at La bahia or St Antonio— Since writing circumstances have transpired which cause me to suspect the Genls Views to be somewhat treacherous

When he came here one of his aids told Col Bradburn who was then with me that one of the Genls objects in visiting Texas was to remove you from the Colony, your influence with the colonists being dangerous to the security of the province—

I paid but little attention to the observation at the time supposing it to be impossible for the Genl to meditate so rash a measure—

Today there is great excitement amongst the Americans, on acct of a declaration last night by the Genl to a Mexican in presence of an American whom he supposed not to understand Spanish, that he viewed the foreigners in this part of the country as the Most dangerous enemies of it particularly the North Americans whose sole object was to wrest from the Mexicans their property and so much of their territory as they could get— The American could not refrain from asking him if it were possible that such were his real sentiments to which he replied they were— You know the duplicity of the Mexican character—their general want of faith in all transactions and the necessity of being guarded against their villany— It is possible the observation of the Genls Aid to Col B was with good information of the subject. It may therefore be wise to keep yourself under cover of your own rifles, which Genl Teran has not nerve nor power to encounter you must take good care not to let it transpire that I communicate with you on this subject as it would probably consign me to the Calabose

I shall be off as soon as I possibly can but have too much property outstanding to do it immediately

H Austin [Rubric]