Navidad, August 9, 1836

BRGR. GEN. T. J. RUSK

Dr Sir—

I met Dr. Archer and Mr. Wharton at this place— They showed me your letter to the secretary of War and instructions to them, as to the contemplated movement of the army against Matamoros— Archer requested me to return with them so as to combine all our efforts in support of this measure and I shall do so—

It was my intention to have visited you before this, but hearing that the enemy had Made no move from Matamoros I remained at my brother in laws to obtain a few days rest and recruit my health—

Dr Archer and Many others whose opinions I feel bound to respect, insisted that I should be a candidate for President at the September elections— Mr. W. H. Wharton was also of the number who requested it. My name is accordingly before the people— I have consented to this for only one reason, which is that I believe I can be of material service in procuring the annexation of Texas to the U. S. should the people here wish it, as I have no doubt they do.

As is usual in such cases, there no doubt are many erronious reports in circulation—I have heard two— One that I am interested in the land speculations of Williams and others when they were at Monclova— This is utterly false—I never have been, am not, and never will be interested in those speculations, directly nor indirectly, and no one in Texas is more opposed to them than I am, and this I say in the nature of a rule of Action, so far as one can be formed from my knowledge of the subject, for the fact is that I never have fully understood it, untill within a few days, and I do not know that I understand it all yet, for these events all took place in my absence.

The other report is that I have been the means of saving General Santa Anna. That man was saved by Gen. Sam. Houston, as you know better than I do, and was used by him to procure the Armistice, or arrangement of 22d. April by which I am told orders were issued by Santa Anna to Filisola—he was also saved by the Cabinet of Texas subsequently, and treaties made with him. I disapprove of all these measures-The first I think was almost ruinous to Texas for it saved the balance of the Mexican Army, and the other I think was wrong in principle, and more so in the mode or manner of using Santa Anna

If the principle was adopted at all of using Santa Anna for the public good of Texas, on the basis of saving his life, the only use that could or ought to have been made of him in my opinion was with the U. S. Govt, and not by an armistice or a treaty— An application from Santa Anna to that Govt, to mediate between Mexico and Texas, on the basis of a recognition of the independence of the latter, in all probability would have led to a correspondence on the subject between the U. S. Govt, and that of Mexico— If Santa Anna's friends or party had remained in power, they would no doubt have come to an arrangement through the Mediation of the U. S.— If his party had lost their influence, no good would have resulted, and we should still have kept Santa Anna a close prisoner, and all the bad effects of attempting to liberate him by the treaty with him would have been avoided— I expressed this opinion to Mr Burnet and other members of the Govt, and asked whether Santa Anna had written to the U. S. Govt.— The answer was that he had not I was at Colombia a few days afterwards and saw Santa Anna,—he said much about his desire to procure the mediation of the U. S.— I told him that no mediation would be accepted by Texas, except on the basis of a recognition of our independence— he said that was the basis on which he acted and proposed to write to Gen. Jackson— I replyed that he ought to do so, and to state in his letter his firm and full conviction that Mexico could not continue the war with Texas etc—

It is certainly clear that no harm can grow out of this letter, and admitting that no good results, as to Mexico, it will evidently do good to Texas in public estimation, elsewhere, by showing to the world that the proud despot of Mexico, acknowledges that the physical force and resources of Texas are Sufficient to sustain herself, and that he has yielded the point.

As to whether Santa Anna is sincere or not, every one will doubt or disbelieve, and justly so, As regards his promises or declarations made to the Govt, or people of Texas;—but, very few will believe that he would attempt to make -a tool of Gen. Jackson by telling him lies under his own signature—The Moral effect therefore of Santa Anna's letter to Gen. Jackson must be in favor of Texas, because it will be considered as a confession by our principal enemy, that Texas has the power to sustain herself— I wrote to Gen Jackson—my object was to try and get the intervention of the U. S. and to have Texas annexed to the U. S.

This is all I have done in this matter, and such have been the motives which influenced me— They are pure and disinterested. I could derive no benifit, but on the contrary I knew that it would injure me even to see Santa Anna— I disregarded that injury because I saw that it was possible to do good to Texas, and impossible to do harm by Santa Anna's letter to Gen. Jackson— If a man who is governed by these kind of motives is to receive the curses of those he is laboring to serve, then I should say that purity of intention and disinterestedness have lost their moral influence. I never did approve of the principle that was adopted as to Santa Anna when he was first taken I think he merited death, and that the country ought not to have been compromised to save him, nor do I approve of the acts of the Cabinet in this, and other things, but I would not on that account do any thing to overturn our civil govt. I will always resist such an attempt so far as I can— As a Texian I have no sympathies for Santa Anna, and every possible cause to hate him. My sympathies are all for the people of Texas and I have labored faithfully to serve them regardless of myself or popularity as the past and also this Santa Anna's letter proves. I shall return to Velasco and cooperate all I can to carry into effect the plan of campaign which has been adopted In doing this I shall also be slandered because it will be used against me by those who are opposed to the Matamoras expedition, and also because it will retard my visit to the Army and the false reports which have been circulated against me will remain uncontradicted, except by this letter which I must beg the favor of you to communicate to Generals Green and F. Huston and to the officers and men so far as you can conveniently—

I am also very anxious to see you, the friendship we formed in time of my ill health before Bexar, is I assure you unabated on my part and strengthened rather than diminished by absence— I feel truly grateful to you for the services you have rendered Texas

S. F. Austin