The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937 Page: 330
348 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
colony. He had consistently refused to hand over the papers in
his possession to the committee appointed by the Council. An
order was passed making it the duty of Governor Smith to have
Steel arrested and brought before the Council on a charge of
contempt.3 Steel was evidently convinced that the Provisional Gov-
ernment intended to take charge of the various archives, and
December 17, appeared before the Council and apologized for his
actions. He had refused to deliver his files, he stated, due to
a misunderstanding, and not out of any disrespect for the gov-
ernment. This apology was accepted, and he was honorably dis-
charged.4
There was placed before the Council, December 3, a communi-
cation from the committee of safety at Nacogdoches requesting
that land commissioners continue to issue titles for lands sur-
veyed prior to November 1. The request was referred to the com-
mittee on state and judiciary, and the following day Barrett
reported that the General Council had no authority whatever to
grant the request as the Consultation had ordered that all persons
interested in the location of lands cease their operations."
Additional petitions were received from Nacogdoches, and on
December 8, the committee made a second report. They were still
positive that the General Council had no authority to open the
land offices. They thought, however, that when the Council came
into possession of all papers it might be proper to complete "all
titles to land made for settlers on survey, returned before the
passing" of the organic law."
In spite of these statements by the Council, interested parties
continued to petition that the land offices be opened. Sterling C.
Robertson addressed the Council in a letter of December 18, con-
cerning the land offices in his colony. He stated that he was
bringing families to Texas, and should like for them to receive
their titles.' In answer to this request the committee on state
and judiciary reported an ordinance for perfecting titles to actual
settlers. This ordinance was ordered to lie on the table, and De-
"Ibid., I, 947.
'Ibid., I, 677.
5Ibid., I, 617, 621.
lIbid., I, 640.
7Sterling C. Robertson to the President and Council, December 18, 1835.
Governor and Council Papers, 1835, Texas State Library.330
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937, periodical, 1937; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101099/m1/358/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.