The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928 Page: 321
390 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Empresario Contracts for the Colonization of Texas 321
Robertson's version of the same story is very different.18 Ac-
cording to his story, he, having had some difficulty in settling
the Nashville colony because of the Law of April 6, 1830, en-
gaged Austin, who was leaving for Saltillo, to adjust the matter
for him. He also requested Austin to obtain an extension of the
contract for the company or a new contract in favor of Robert-
son. Robertson claimed that Austin instead of presenting the
facts in the case, had
. . . falsely represented to the government that no exertions
had been made to settle the colony, that no families had been
introduced, and that the company had abandoned its rights; and
in this manner he entrapped the government into a new contract,
which . .. it made with him and his partner, Mr. Williams.
Robertson claimed that one hundred families had been intro-
duced before the passage of the Law of April 6, 1830. If that
were the case the colony should have been considered established
by the same law. The government would then have had no right
to cancel the contract before 1834.19 It could have been possible
that Robertson was ready to petition the government for a com-
missioner to issue titles when the Law of April 6, 1830, was
passed. Austin said it was a well known fact that during the
six years of the contract nothing was done by the company to
settle the colony, except to send out an exploring agent.20 As
to whom the colony rightfully belonged was based on whether
or not the one hundred families were introduced before April 6,
1830. If they had been introduced, Austin misrepresented things
to the government and thereby obtained the colony. This is still
a mooted question.21 The evidence examined seems to tend to
support Austin's claims. However, other Robertson documents
are said to exist which are not available and which might throw
more light on the question.22
"'Notice by Sterling C. Robertson, July 2, 1834. Austin Papers.
"Abstract of Original Titles of Record in the General Land Office.
'20Translation of Empresario Contracts, 236.
"2For a very minute examination of this question, showing beyond rea-
sonable doubt that Robertson could not have introduced a hundred fam-
ilies prior to April 6, 1830, see Barker, The Life of Stephen F. Austin,
Chapter XI, particularly pages 348-354.--E. C. B.
22They are in the possession of Mrs. Cone Johnson of Tyler, Texas, a
descendant of Sterling C. Robertson. Mrs. Johnson has died since this
study was written.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928, periodical, 1928; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101088/m1/345/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.