The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
22
THE WAR IN TEXAS.
have a hand in it;-yet its active promoters are
principally citizens of the United States.
The Republic of Mexico, from the period
.f its organization, eviiiced the utmost liberality
towards foreig'ners in granting permission
to colonize its vacant lands, until that libera.
lity, and the confidence reposed in their friendly
disposition, were grossly abused, particularly
by those who proceeded from our own
country. Of the immense tracts of land
designated for colonization, in the various
contracts entered into with the difflerent
-' Empresarios," those granted to Zavala, Veh,
lein, and Burnet, were united and transferred
to a company in New York, called the "* Galvezton
Bay. and Texas Land Company."
This Association was fully organized on the
16th of October, 1830. The following named
persons were appointed as l)irectors, viz:
Lynde Catlin, William G. Buicknor, George
Griswold, Barney Corse, John Hagerty, Dudley
Seldon, and Stephen Whitney. The following
were also chosen as trustees, viz:
Anthony Dey, George Curtis, W. H. Sumner.
It is believed, however, that some of these
subsequently declined acting, and others were
appointed in their places. The contract entered
into by the Government with Zavala,
was concludled on the 12th of March 1829;
with Vehlein, 21st December, 1826, and a
second on the 11th October, 1828; with
Burnet, 22d December, 1826. The grants to
Dominguez, and Wilson x years,
and on the express condition of settling a specified
number of families, they dealt largely in
their "stock," and sold immense quantities of
"scrip," insomuch that an immense amount of
money has no doubt been realized by themwhile
very few settlers (in many of the grants
none) have been introduced. By obtaining
from the government an extension of the time
stipulated for the fiulfilment of contracts made
with the Empresarios, they have been enabled
to continue and increase their operations upon
a grand scale. Thousands in various parts of
the United States have purchased the scrip
issued by them, and are interested, of course,
in the adoption of measures to legalize their
claims. This can never be done, however,
while the laws are in force, under which the
colonization privileges were obtained. When
these companies were first organized, some
honorable men engaged in their speculations,
that were, doubtless, actuated by honest motives:
but many have since joined in the
scheme, who are reckless of all principle except
that of money-making. The "scrip"
being transferable, a large portion -of it has
fallen into the hands of needy adventurers,
who likewise are willirg to encourage any
measures that may seem calculated to promote
their immediate pecuniary interests.
To show more clearly how utterly at variance
were these measures with the regulations
adopted by the government for the settlement
of the country, I here copy the Law enacted
by the State Legislature, prescribing the terms
upon which foreigners were permitted to colonize
the vacant lands in Texas.-I believe
this law has never before been published,
at length, in the United States-at least I have
not hitherto seen a translation of it in print.
A reference to it will be useful, as well to eltucidate
the liberal views and propositions of
the government, as to exhibit the dishonest
practices of slaveholders and land-jobbers,
who have parcelled out the territory among
themselves and their associate adventurers.
Although the law, here quoted, is not the first
that was enacted to encourage the colonization
of the Texas Country, it is nearly the same as
the one originally promulgated-being merely
a revision of the statute, with a few trifling
alterations in details, without changing its general
features or principles.
COLONIZATION LAW OF COAHUILA