By your official letter of the 3d prest month which came to hand yesterday morning I am informed of the doubts of Capt Fuller respecting the payment of Tonnage duties— The law respecting the liability of tonnage duties on a vessel or vessels of a foreign nation or under a foreign flag is so clear as not to need comment. Knowing as I do the desires of Genl Teran, whose authority extends over all the Custom houses from Tampico to the Sabine to afford every facility and convenience that he can to the settlers and inhabitants of this colony, and that the permission of vessels to enter into the Brasos River as tributary to the port of Galveston is founded in his desire to benefit the Colony, I do most sincerely hope that every Capt and owner of a vessel trading to that place will comply with the law and pay the Tonnage money. Should the Govt find that vessels entering the Brasos River do not comply with the laws no doubt exists in my mind that they will totally prohibit the entrance of all vessels— The tonnage money must be paid and unless those who trade to the Brasos River wish to deprive themselves of the benefits of the trade they must obey the Laws— I entertain a perfect belief of yr disposition to do justice in the discharge of your duties in which I have only to add be purdent yet firm in the compliance of the instructions you have recd from yr superior officer Col. Bradburn— I shall put a notice in the next paper on the subject of yr apointment— Tendering you mv considerations of respect etc

10 March 1831 SMW W D D