Matagorda Jan. 20th 1833.

Colo. Stephen F. Austin,

Sir, Your letter of the 14th inst., was handed me late, last evening. Of the letter which you mention, as having been written from La Bahia, I know nothing; never having seen, or heard, of such a letter, till I perused yours from San Felipe, of the date above quoted. As to the letter from this place, of which you speak, as having seen at La Bahia, and which you say you "burnt;" unless it was one written by myself, signed by me, and no one else, addressed to Mess. Leving, Morehouse, and other Americans, resident, as transient, in that place, I must also remark, that I know nothing. If it was my letter which you saw, and which you "burnt," as it was addressed to all the americans there, it became, as soon as received by them, their common property, and if they thought proper to destroy it, the act of doing so, furnishes no just cause of complaint on my part.

I have only to regret, that, as it may be called in question at a future day, and that, as the letter itself, in such event, would be more true to the motives of its author, better evidence of its tendency to prevent, or to promote discord, than the confused, or the perverted recollection of fallible and mutable man, its preservation, without doing an injury to any one, might have served hereafter, as a shield to the writer, against the iliberal and censorious attacks of more than one man, in times of high excitement.

The letter was ocasioned in part only, by the threat and visitation of the pretended collector of Goliad, to this town, for the avowed purpose, of collecting duties, searching for, and seizing goods, said to be deposited in the warehouses of this place.

It was occasioned principally, by an occurrence which transpired previous to the communication of that threat.

The rights of an American citizen—of one who had violated no law;—rights, the protection of which, had been solemnly guarranted by treaty—had been invaded, insulted, spit upon, and contemptuously trampled in the mud. In doing this, the rites—the sacred rites, of even savage hospitality, had been denied and insultingly refused. Divested of his arms—his papers—travelling apparel; forcible possession taken of his horse, and thus deprived, for a time, of the means of transporting himself to any christian habitation— oppressed by disease; weak, and emaciated, suffering the paroxism of a fever, he was thus detained for hours in the open prairie, in a state of painful suspense which none can know who have not felt it; and which, it is sincerely hoped, may never never again be felt, even by a barbarian, in a land professing Christianity, and calling itself civilized. Treated as an indian, and told that he was one, put in charge of beings, far less humane than the Arab of America, he was made to suffer the double torment of present deprivation and Misery, and a threatening prospect of the future, if possible, still More alarming.

These are some of the amiable proceedings, these are a part of the tantalizing and disgraceful doings of Men, calling themselves officers of the law, and guardians of the public interest.

Oh, liberty! Oh, humanity! Oh, pity!! When, and why, did the thunder sleep? Why was it reserved, why permitted, a "law- despising," unprincipled, and merciless banditti, thus to outrage, a pupil, of the school of Washington ?

But to proceed—My object in writing to the Americans in Goliad, was, to let them, and through them, the selfstyled authorities of that place, know the determination, the unanimous, the individual, and the collective determination, of the people here, in case of an attempt. by them, to carry their threat into execution. I thought, that, by doing so, the effusion of blood, Might be prevented.

Furthermore—the convention, considering there was no adequate power in that body, or elsewhere in the county, as we were then situated, to interfere with the cargo, consented, and recommended to tax the flag only; Not pretending to extend their authority beyond the collection of the tonage duty.

This was the basis, or foundation of the resolution taken by the people here; and if an observance of any part, or portion of the proceedings of the convention, was either lawful or innocent, then their proceedings were lawful, were innocent, were patriotic!

Ira Ingram [Rubric]