The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 73, July 1969 - April, 1970 Page: 394
605 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Saltillo August 28th 1825
Dear Sir
Immediately after my arival in this [place] I maid the enquieries
relitive to the lands or the cituation of the Spanish grants in the provins
of Texas. Its the opinion of the Baron de Bastrop' that it would be very
deficult to perchais aney large amount of those claims that would be
valuable at present. The most valuable of those grants is in the hands
of persons in goo[d] sircumstanses and they are not disposed to sell
except at the fool [full] value.
As it respects the claimes or grants that remains in the Archives at
San Antonia he is of the opinion that they cannot be disposed of until
the Stait gives sufficient notis for those claments to come forward if
ther is aney in existance. If Mr. Barington is still disposed to maik large
purchaises in this provins I would recommend him to pass through this
provins and get acquainted with this Baron Bastrop. He has been a
long time in this country and o[w]nes large grants of the best land in
the country and is disposed to sell. I would alwais recommend the per-
chaiser to visit the land previous to making a perchais. At present the
country is in rather a unpleasant situation on account of the Comanche
Indians who has again commenst their Savaige wars on the frontier
inhabitants of this Stait. They have murderd severil families laterly &
stole maney horses etc. I have been in the frontiers of Texas for some
time and have observd that the Stait of Lousianna have lost a grait
maney slaives that have taken refuge in this Republick of Mexico. The
evill arising from this to the oaners [owners] and such citizens as may
hereafter be in the saim situation is obvious, and as Texas forms a pro-
tection at all times as well as the territory of new Leone and Tami-
lepas and in short all frontier bordering on the U.S. are apt and posibly
inosently to admit not only slaves but every class of depridators and
refugees. It farther appears that maney parts of this country rather en-
courag and harbour such delinquents or refugees and outlaws as abscond
from our country to this, not being able to live under one of the best
governments existing. I am sorry to trouble you with those remarks on
the subject but being well aware of your capasity to forsee the evil
that will arise, not only to this country but also to those colonies that
are forming from the U.S.
You will pardon the remarks I offer to your consideration wishing to
sugest if posible some resiprocal araingement to be maid betweene this
republick and the U.S. by which such slaves might be securd in the
hands of some ofiser as would return them to their o[w]ners, and such
outlaws as is the duty of all to detect might receive such punishment
as our just laws proscribe. The U.S. have so fair as I know ever heldout
'Baron Felipe Enrique Neri de Bastrop settled in San Antonio as early as 18o6. His
support facilitated the awarding of the empresario contract to Austin and his encourage-
ment of migration to Texas was continuous. In 1825, when Milam wrote this letter,
Baron de Bastrop was the representative of B6xar to the state of Coahuila y Texas.
Eugene C. Barker, The Life of Stephen F. Austin: Founder of Texas, 1793-1836 (Austin,
1925), 129.394
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 73, July 1969 - April, 1970, periodical, 1970; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117147/m1/430/?rotate=270: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.