[Answer of the Alcalde John Austin to the foregoing official letter]

I have recd, your official letter dated 16 of the present month, and in reply have the honor to inform you that a committee appointed by the inhabitants of this town will present to you copies of the acts and resolutions heretofore adopted and the documents as to the past occurrances, which will explain to you the principles that have governed us up to this time—. These documents contain our true sentiments, and will serve as an answer to your official letter to me dated the 16 of this month

The enemies of Texas, the enemies of the enterprising men who have devoted their time and labor to improve a country that was never before trod by civilised man, have taken pains, and are continually doing it, to attribute to us a disposition to separate from the Mexican confederation— We have never entertaind, and have not any such intention or desire, We are Mexicans by adoption, we are the same in heart and will so remain

If the laws have granted to us the honorable title of citizens, we wish that that title should be respected, and that the authorities established by the constitution of the State, shall govern us. We are farmers and not soldiers and therefore desire that the military commandants shall not enterfere with us at all—

Since 1830 we have been pretty much governed militarily, and in so despotic a manner, that we were finally driven to arms to restrain within their limits the military subalterns of the general govt.

We have not insulted the flag of our adopted country, as has been falsly stated by our enemies, but on the contrary we have defended and sustained its true dignity and attacked those who have outraged it by using it as a pretext for their encroachments upon the constitution and sovereignty of the state of coahuila and Texas, and as a cover for their baseness and personal crimes. The commandant of fort velasco acted under the orders of the commandant of Anahuac Col Juan Davis Bradburn who was his superior. An investigation into the conduct of this officer at anahuac will inform you fully of the details of many despotic and arbitrary acts—He refused to respect the authorities or the constitution of the state of coahuila and Texas, or to adhere to the plan of vera Cruz which we had adopted. He was sustaind by the commandant of Nacogodoches Col Piedras, y [and] by that of fort velasco Lent. Col Ugartechea, and consequently we were compelled to oppose them all. We attacked Fort velasco on the 27 of last month with 112 farmers hastily collected without disciplin and badly armd, and after an obstinate and bloody engagement of 7 hours it capitulated on the terms expressed in the enclosed copy of the capitulation every article, of which has been strictly complyed with on our part, besides furnishing him with the provisions he needed for his troops—I herewith furnish you with a return of the killed and wounded on both sides as nearly as can be ascertained

This sir is what has passed I hope it will be sufficient to convince you that these inhabitants have not manifested any other desire or intention than to unite with Genl Santana to procure the establishment of peace in the republic under the shield of the constitution, laws, and that soverignty of the states shall be respected—

It is a matter of pride and congratulation to me, that you have come to this place to see with your own eyes the rectitude of our sentiments, and that it has afford[ed] us the opportunity of presenting to you our respects and the assurances of our hearty cooperation in the great and glorious cause which is so nobly advocated by our distinguisd Commander in chief Genl Santana—God and Liberty Brazoria 18 July 1832

John Austin