The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 11, July 1907 - April, 1908 Page: 169

                                
General John Thomson Mason.

the City of Mexico at this time, addressed to "Don Lucas Alaman,
Secretary of State and of Dispatch," and endorsed: "Memorial,
Presented to the Secretary of State of Mexico, on the subject of the
grants of Burnet, Vehlein and Zavala by J. T. M., March, 1832."
It is an able legal argument designed to prove-what had been
denied by the enemies of the company-that the right to introduce
settlers within the limits of their grants could lawfully be con-
veyed by the empresarios, Burnet, Vehlein and Zavala to their
trustees, General Mason signing himself "Agent for the Empresa-
rios and their associates." There followed then a correspondence,
which is also preserved, between General Mason, "Agent of the Gal-
veston Bay and Texas Land Company and General Teran, the
Land Commissioner of the Federal Mexican Government, for the
colonization of Texas." According to the instructions of the com-
pany, General Mason had sought an interview with General Terdnt
and these letters passed between them soon after. The first from
General Mason is dated "Hacienda del Cojo, State of Taumalipas,
May 28, 1832." General Terin's reply, of which a translation is
given, is dated "Headquarters, Buena Vista del Cojo, May 29,
1832." General Mason's rejoinder, May 30, and a second letter
from General Terin of the same date closed the correspondence.
In General Mason's second letter he expressed his gratification at
the opinion General Teran had enunciated "that the right of the
Empresarios Burnet, Vehlein and Zavala to proceed in the coloni-
zation of their grants is unquestionable, and that no obstacle will
be presented to the introduction of families by themselves or attor-
nies, provided they conform in all respects to the law of the 6th of
April, 1830." Other points upon which General Mason solicited
the views of the Land Commissioner were to be determined only,
wrote General Teran, by the Governor of the State of Coahuila
and Texas. And General Terdn's last word as to the status of the
company was not altogether satisfactory: "My respectable sir: I
reply to your note answering mine of yesterday, the expression
that Messrs. Burnet, Vehlein and Zavala reserve their rights as
Empresarios to colonize under the contracts made by them with
the Governor of the State, does not in any manner comprehend
the company which they formed in New York; for the transactions
'See Filisola, Memorias para  la Hitoria de la Guerra de Tejas, 1 235.

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