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HISTORY OF TEXAS COLONIZATION.
.4
designs; and against the latter, for his illdigested
and unfortunate measures. But not
feeling themselves yet strong enough to cope
with the disposable force of the nation, (the
native inhabitants, even in Texas, were almost
unanimously opposed to their disorganizing
schemes,) they endeavored to suppress their
feelings as much as possible, and the tranquilli.
ty of the country remained undisturbed. The
trial of Austin was protracted, and he continued
in durance a period of nearly two years.
Some excitement was produced among the
Mexicans by the aforementioned turbulent
proceedings of the Texas colonists: but as the
latter did not at this per iod appear disposed to
push their measures to fuirther extremes, the
excitement at length died away, and friendly
feelings towards the foreigners were again entertained
by the natives generally. The law
enacted by the general Congress, in 1830,
prohibiting the migration of citizens of the
United States to Texas, was repealed in 1833;
and the colonists were again ad,i,itted, upon
the same liberal terms as before. The Legislature
of the State of Coahuila and it also enacted
that no persons in theState should be molested
on account of their religious profession, be it
what it might. The adjoining State of Tamaulipas,
likewise guaranteed the freedom of
religious opinion by law ; and the popular
newspaper press, throughout the republic,
ze.lously advocated a change in the Federal
Constitution, by which the free exercise of
public worship, by all denominations of
Christian professors, should be permanently
secure(l.
But the spirit of " nullification " had found
its way into the Mexican confederacy. It pervaded
several of the " sovereign, independent
States;" and occasional attempts at insurrection
in various places, were the consequence. This
still prevented the Federal government from
taking efficient measures to enforce the laws
in Texas; and the introduction of slaves," the
unauthorized speculating in lands, and every
species of smuggling a,nd contrabadxl trading
went on as before mentioned. It was currently
reported and generally believed, that even
some of the individuals at the head of the
State government of Coahuila and the rejection, by the Mexican
government of the proposition to cede tile
territory in question to the United States, I:ad
no other effect than tempoly to frustrate
their operations and occasion a modification of
their arrangements. A vast combination was
then entered into (though not formally organ.
ized) the ramifications of which may be traced
through a great portion of the United States,
and some of the British colonies, as well as
the Anglo-American settlements in nearly all
the north-eastern parts of Mexico. Its imme-.
diate object now is the establishment of an
" Independent" government in Texas, to promote
its grand ulterior designs.
As I have said before, the gleat land-specu.
lators, in New York and elsewhere, (co isisting
of individuals and companies) have coveresl
wilh their "grants" almost the whole area of
the unsettled parts of Coahuila and no hope is entertained that the
general Congress will further tolerate such
unlimited schemes of swindling speculation, as
they have heretofore facilitated.-The most
strenuous exertions are therefore made to
throw a population into Texas, that will favor
* Even while the Convention, before alluded to, was
in sesion, a slave-trader boldly landed a cargo of slaves
in Texas, from Africa, via Cuba. This was such a bakefaced
violation of the laws of Mexico, and the treaties
with other nations, that the Conivention feit the necessity
of passing a formal censure upon the conduct of the
slaver. Tet some of the members warmly o,posed it!
and nothing was done to punish the " pirate, although
it was publicly known that lie was for a length of time in
the country, making sale of his slaves, not far distant
from where the Convention met. A short time thereafter,
another similar cargo was introdueed, and disposed
of with like imnpunity.