The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913 Page: 392
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392 The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
He was eminently qualified for the task, and from this time until
his death in 1832, every important act of the government in rela-
tion to Texas is directly traceable to him, except the emancipation
decree of September 15, 1829, and, as was shown above, there are
grounds for believing that the immediate withdrawal of that was
due to his influence. Consequently, it is necessary to follow in
detail the history of TerAn's connection with Texas, beginning
with his appointment as chief of the boundary commission.
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to find a copy of Terdn's
instructions, and hence the statement that the inspection of the
colonies was a prime object of his mission is inferential. First,
a word as to the need of such an inspection. It was only a few
months since the Fredonian rebellion. In June of 1827 Colonel
Piedras had been stationed at Nacogdoches with three hundred
says: "The efforts of General Teran to save the district of Texas to the
nation were tremendous, and when the military command fell to him,
through the removal of General Bustamante, he disciplined the colonies
with effective vigor. One of our revolutions destroyed the fruit of his
valiant labors and sent him to his death, to the sorrow of all patriotic
citizens." The revolution referred to was that by which Santa Anna
deposed Bustamante, and Tornel is wholly correct in his assertion that it
was this revolution that destroyed Teran's work in Texas.
As to Terfn's ability and personality, Filisola quotes Dr. Mora as fol-
lows: "Terfn was a scholar who was worthy of a distinguished place in
the Paris Academy of Sciences, and furthermore he was a man of the
highest distinction with regard to integrity of conduct, social qualifica-
tions, polish of manner, and even personal appearance; he fought always
in the cause of independence, and this with honor, purity of purpose,
intelligence and ability, during a period when examples of these virtues
were rare enough, and examples of their opposing vices woefully frequent.
In his political faith he was a progressive. ... . Tertn had ambition,
but being honorable enough to realize that such should not be satisfied
at the price of civil war, he abandoned such a field to the vulgarly am-
bitious. But when his country's cause was endangered by Spanish inva-
sion, he hastened to the field of battle, where he won the laurels of a vic-
tory due almost entirely to his efforts and genius. Neither the rebellion
of Acordada, nor that of Jalapa, nor any which followed, gained his ap-
proval; to all he refused his services, remaining at all times loyal to the
recognized government, firm in the conviction that civil wars, only by
exception, are a means of political progress." I have found nothing in
Terfin's public or private correspondence to contradict this estimate of
him. The "recognized government" did not of necessity mean to him
constitutional government, apparently, but there is ample evidence that
he believed in honest, strong government, whether by a strict adherence
to the Constitution of 1824, or by the right of individual capacity. No
other view can be taken of his unswerving support of Bustamante. It has
generally been reported that, in despair over the defeat of his command
by the Santa Anna forces, he died at Padilla by his own hand in July,
1832. Filisola refuses to accept this version, declaring that Terfn was
assassinated by an emissary of Santa Anna.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913, periodical, 1913; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101058/m1/400/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.