Pine Bluff, [Texas] 18 Decbr. 1832
Col. S F. Austin
Dear Sir. your friendly communication of the 20th of November
last has been recd and duly considered, and here I must acknoledge
myself under many obligations for the pains you have taken to
convince me of the propriety of the course you have advised. But
your reasoning appears to me some what deficient. " Our political
machinery with that of the whole Mexican nation," you suggest " is
quite disjointed " I am not aware of the disolution of the State
Government and if dangers threaten it, it is our duty as faithful
citizens to preserve that govt, which affords us protection so long
as it is worthy of support, you say that you are a " Mexican Citizen
and as such have endeavoured to do your duty faithfully, and will
continue to do so while you keep your senses and can do any thing "
Why then advise me to violate my duty, by the performance of an
act expressly prohibited by law, and which you as a "Mexican
Citizen?" in obedeance to your duty as such, could not, and I presume
would not perform, You say the late " convention terminated very
hapiply, it tranquilized, harmonized, and united all—very important
results in troubled times " Be it so, I am hapy to hear it, But there
was nothing to harmonize and tranquiliza The people of Texas
were at that time, for ought that I know perfectly tranquil, perhaps
more so than they are at present, The Political Chief in particular
in his official communication of the 7th of Novbr last addressed to
the Ayunto of Austin, of which I have a copy, expresses himself in
terms which cannot be mistaken whereby he disapproves in
argumentative and pathetic language the measure taken by that
" harmonizing " Convention. In this jurisdiction the people (unless
I am very much mistaken) are not content with the course marked
out by the San Felipe Convention, so far as we have been verbally
informed of their resolutions, for I must acknoledge that our worthy
conventioners have not served us with a copy of these important
rules of action which (it is suggested) we aught implicitly to obey,
" any law to the contrary not withstanding "
You say that your standing " Moto has been fidelity to Mexico "
that you have been " faithful to that Moto " you believe that it has
always been, and now is, the standing Moto of all the people of
Texas " and I believe it too. and I believe further, that if all the
people of Texas were consulted, and made to understand the subject
in its proper light, and then the main Question put. Shall we obey
the laws of the Country we have adopted, or shall we not obey them,
and yeald obedeance to the Junto of San Filepe? I believe Sir
that you would find an over whelming Majority in the affirmative.
The question proposed is the true question which unavoidably
results from your communication. The communication from the
Political Chief and copies of law there with inclosed is conclusive
evidence (if evidence is necessary to prove that 2, and 2, make 4)
that by yealding obediance to the law we must disobey the
resolutions of the convention where they contravene the law, and if they
injoin no more than the law had preveously provided for, then they
are wholly useless— You say the basis you go upon "is that the
good sense of the people will make them do right?? and again " give
them a little time and they will do right." and I go on the same
basis nearly, but reather a little further. I would say if it were
necessary that " the people " have done no wrong, that they need not
that little time as you have suggested, to make them do right, but
that the errors (if any) has been commited by their Delegates in
the San Felipe convention, and now to cover their retreat from an
untenable position you would advise me and the people of Trinity
to commit ourselves, to lessen the responsibility of our delegates, and
in order to opperate on our fears we are told the people will not
submit to "Direct opposition" that it "excites them" and that
an excited people like an excited individual are dangerous—This, it
must be confessed is strange language to come from a gentleman
so prudent, and so sincere, as I have heretofore found you, and so
fond of social intercourse and perfect union—but if it is intended
for any thing more than a Bugbear, as I really understand it, I shall
rely upon the a good sense of the people " as you have it, no doubt
purely, ad captandem Vulgus, yet as it is a precious coin from your
own Mint you will surely allow me to give it circulation. But
who is it that has directly contradicted the will of the people and
thereby incurred the danger you anticipate, If you allude to me,
you are very much mistaken, for the people of this jurisdiction to
whom I consider myself responsible for my official acts, perfectly
concur with me in opinion, (To wit) to perform any act either
judicial, or extra-judicial in organizing the Militia according to the
new System is deemed to be an infringement of the law of the state,
and the fact that the Political Chief, has by a special mandate
interdicted the whole of the proceeding of that convention as being
unauthorised, illegal, and an attempt against the Sovreignty of
State, is ipso facto, sufficient to prevent us from recognizing the
proceeding of that convention as having any Vallidety or binding
force—
True it is, that the people of Trinity in conformity to the
official communication from the Alcaldes of your jurisdiction, did
cooperate in the formation of the convention, But our delegates,
while in convention, exercised a power that was never delegated
to them, neither in express terms, nor by implication, But
suppose we had have delegated to them all the power, severally, and
collectively that we might have exercised in our own proper
persons, Still that power exercised to its utmost extent, would have
been far insufficient for the purpose of legislation nor do I
suppose that the members of the convention thought that their
resolutions would supercede law—yet according to your strange
system of reasoning, it would seem that these very resolutions are at
least equal to a Statute passed in due form by the legislative
authority of the State, and that we ought to organize the civil
Militia of this jurisdiction according to the Dictum of a voluntary
association of men, Without a shadow of law or constitutional
right to give vallidety to their proceedings.
But we have gotten into a difficulty, and it is our business to get
out of it, in the safest manner, and as you have been my occational
and prudent adviser for many years I feel it my duty to give every
assistance in my power to evert the danger you anticipate (To wit)
disunion Which in my humble opinion is only to be effected by a
prudent course, a strict adhearance to our duty. If we have
imprudently adopted any course likely to bring us in Collision with
the Mexican govt, let us abandon it, and apoligize for the blunder,
This is more wise and more honourable, than an obstinat adhearence
to error, beside we have nothing to gain by a civil war, but every
thing to loose.
Remember your excellent Moto, fidelity to Mexico Remember
the resolutions of the people of the jurisdiction of Austin in favour
of the plan of Vera Cruze— remember the resolutions of the
Ayuntamento of Liberty on the same subject in which the people
of Austin and the people of Liberty were in perfect unison by
these solemn declarations, Our fortunes, our lives, and most sacred
honours, stand pledged for our fedelity, These declarations have
gone fourth to the world and are now spread on the Journals of
our native country, of Mexico, and perhaps of urope, shall we
now give ourselves the lie. and call the world to witness our want
of veracity, by a willful and open violation of the law that we have
thus publickly and solemnly promised to obey, No Sir, the good
sense of the people (as you have repeatedly and emphatically
expressed it) will prevent it. And if ever we are driven to the
dreadful alternative of civil war it will not be by a voluntary act of the
people, But by shortsighted, aspiring ambitious politicians, who
through their zeal for popular distinction have, or may mistake
their own imbecile policy for that of the public will. The public
will can be nothing more than the disire of each individual to
promote his own private hapiness conjointly with that of the whole
society, or body politic The interest of the whole society being
obligatory on each of its members. Can it be to the interest of Texas
to disolye the legal political bands that unite us as one society?
Will not the violation of one law with impunity lead to the violation
of another? and will not a continuation of this course lead to
another disregard of all law? save that of physical force-—perfect
and direful Anarchy—humanity is shocked at the idea. "He who
without reason exposes the people to the horror and miseries of civil
war where they might enjoy an honourable and salutary peace,
what guilt does he incur, or reather what a series of crimes does he
commit? The slaughter of men, the pillage and devastation of
provinces are his crimes he is accountable to god, and responsible
to man for every person that is killed." But my worthy friend,
this severe sentence is not pointd at you, nor no other man by those
who would wilfully involve these infant colones and once holy and
tranquil people in the miseries of civil War. No Sir, I would
reather beleive that you are labouring under real, or imagenary
duress than to believe that you were serious when you request to
" let the organization go on by the election of officers as ordered by
the convention " and to " trust to time and reason to correct etc?"
and thereby urge me to betray my trust and violate the sacred
obligation of the oath I have taken as an officer of this State, and for
What? because the convention in the plentitude of unorthorized
power had imprudently adopted a measure which was wrong, ab
initio, and I must therefore, caray it into effect in this Jurisdiction, as
being the only person duly authorised to legalize an illegal act;
Permit me to inform you Sir, that I do not know of five men in
this Munesepalety favourable to the plan you have so warmly
espoused and if I was to order the election it would be disregarded
there would be no organization. This is my opinion, but if I am
mistaken or have neglected my duty—a few days will bring another
Alcalde into office and he will correct the blunder if any has been
commited.
Jno. A. Williams [Rubric]