Harrisburgh January 10th 1831

Dios y Libertad

My Dear Sir

My object in coming to this place was to load the Schooner Champion with lumber or freight for Tampico, and I intended to keep her in the coasting trade provided I found it to my Interest, knowing it was decidedly to the advantage of the Colony to have a vessel as well calculated as she is to carry off their produce. But I have to state to you with regret that unless a different construction of the maritime laws shall be made, or the laws themselves changed, it will be impossible for any vessel to pursue it. I waited on Colonel Bradburn with the letter you honored me with, and found him as you represented a Gentleman. I stated to him that I had paid in Aransaso Bay a Tonnage duty on the Schooner, and all the other Government dues for which I had a receipt from the Administrador; that after leaving there we entered the Bay of Matagorda in ballast, and finding no loading had come on to this for lumber to proceed to Tampico: he said his instructions were positive, and that I must pay the tonnage duty here, and that had there been an office at Matagorda, the same would have been required there; and further, that the same must also be paid in Tampico : this then, amounts upon the Schooner whose tonnage per U. S. Register is 65, besides other port charges to $552.50 from which 16 p. c. is to be deducted; no vessel can stand this, and unless a change be made the Trade must be abandoned. I am not prepared to dispute the legality of Col. Bradburn's demand, but Mr. Hiram, and several other gentletmen here say they would not pay it, for Colonel Bradburn has nothing to do with this Colony, nor has the ayuntamiento at Austin ever received any official notice of an officer having been placed at Galveston entrance. I have no hesitation in addressing to you, my dissatisfaction, but under the present feeling between the two people prefer a slight submission (for submission I consider it to be) to being the means of increasing that feeling. I understood Colonel Bradburn to say his orders were from General Teran, and that as he conceived no vessel upon having payed the Tonnage duty in one Mexican port should be required to pay it in another, unless her last clearance was from a Foreign one, he would write to the General upon the subject, requesting him to give instructions to have the payment made here returned in this case and not demanded in future; but God help us! as the fable tells us there are many tracks into the lions den but none out of it—he further added that he would write to the General, to grant to the Schooner a coasting licence for six months, now my dear Sir, if you would back this request by also addressing the General it would oblige me.

In the course of conversation the Colonel mentioned that the views of the Mexican Government were such that he had no doubt but all north american emigration would be prohibited in the course of a short time, even to this colony; should this prove to be the case, I shall most truly regret it, for my attachment to this my adopted country, where I have located all my interests, and whose prosperity I consider as identified with my own, is such, that I cannot view without pain a step of such short-sighted policy. The Mexican Government have at all times been most liberal towards us colonists and the people we have ever found to be amiable and hospitable; on the other hand we have been true and faithful citizens, ready at all times to protect the country from Foreign invasion, and Indian aggression, as well as to support the execution of the laws, we have Industry and mechanical and agricultural knowledge wherewith we can enrich the country and set a good example to our Mexican brethren. Any step therefore on the part of the Government which might check this Industry, and the good feeling existing between the Colonists and the native Mexicans I consider injudicious.

I shall forward this via Tampico, and return in a day or two to San Felipe.

S. Rhoads Fisher [Rubric]

Colonel Stephan F. Austin.

[Addressed to Saltillo]