Bexar 4th Oct 1835
Stephen F. Austin Esqr-
My worthy friend,
I have just received your letter of the 15th ult. and am glad to learn your
happy arrival at S Felipe; the more so, as I believe that your presence,
and the direct influence, which as a good Mexican you should exercise in
the affairs of Texas, will cause them to be managed with the skill and
circumspection required by the present delicate circumstances, which have
been rendered important by the excitements of the enemies of order, whose
proceedings with which I believe you are well acquainted, have induced
the supreme Government, who abounds in resources, to adopt measures fit
to procure a permanent and firm peace in that interesting part of the
Republic, without leaving unfinished— crimes and abominations. In the
understanding therefore that you are well acquainted with the events that
have happened previous to your arrival. I shall only give a sketch of the
principal ones, that you may be convinced of the necessity and justice of
the measures which have caused so much alarm and given rise to sinister
interpretations.
You cannot be ignorant of the outrage committed at Anahuac against
the detachment placed there under the orders of Capt. Antonio Tenorio, of
which the force was so small as to be barely sufficient to fulfil its object of
preventing the smuggling, which to the notorious prejudice of the national
revenue and with such frequency was carrying on at Galveston measures
which ought not to have caused the Colonist to entertain apprehensions of
another nature. Neither can you be ignorant that when the State
Legislature was dissolved, those who are discontented with the present
Government, or rather, the parties interested in the Decree for alienating 400
leagues of Texas, proceeded to the interior (Texas) there propagating
alarming reports for the purpose of kindling the torch of discord and in
a direct manner bringing about in San Felipe [rebellion] against public
faith and all right, the intercepting opening and publishing of the official
and very confidential correspondence addressed to said Capt. Tenorio,
after having arrested, molested outraging the soldiers who were the bearers.
If such proceeding were to remain unpunished, it would be believed that
the Mexican Nation is unjust, or perhaps that she wanted force and energy
sufficient to make herself respected. She therefore considered herself in
the necessity of proving the contrary and of adopting with regard to the
delinquents and only with regard to them, measures, which by no means
made connexion with the good and peaceable inhabitants of Texas. This
has been repeatedly manifested to them by myself and the Commandant
General to the political Chiefs of Nacogdoches and Brazos although
unhappily without effect, on the contrary it appears that such manifestations
have been viewed with contempt, without viewing the Mexicans are
patient of suffering, but valient, full of honor and capable of making their
Government be respected then the Commandant General suspended the
march of troops in order to do away with apprehension and show that he
had no distrust of the good sentiments of the Colonists provided the
delinquents were delivered up for trials by the competent authority, fresh
motive occurs for supposing that there exists strong intention of provoking a
disastrous war, which it is important in time to prevent. When the
authorities of Gonzales were repulsed by this Political Chief to deliver the piece
of artillery lying there, as it had been lent to the "empresario" of that
Colony by my predecessor and it belongs to this military jurisdiction,
those authorities not only refuse to deliver it up but say they will give it
up to force only. Such conduct placed me under the necessity of sending
a party of 100 men to exact their delivery and I gave orders to the
Commander to send a new communication to the Alcalde of Gonzales,
manifesting to him the injustice of wishing to detain an article which does not
belong to that municipality, and that if against expectation he did not
deliver up the gun, the said commandant was then to employ force, Either
from fear or malice, the Alcalde of Gonzales aware that it was an outrage
to arrest the corporal and soldiers who were the first bearers of the
communication from the political Chief, caused the inhabitants residing on
this side of the river to leave their houses, allarmed the Citizens and in
order to impede the passage of the troops withdrew to the other side the
ferry in canoes, so that when the commander of the party arrived on the
banks of the river he was met by that obstacal, Notwithstanding which,
he solicited an interview—with the Alcalde but in vain altho he was
informed that within three hours he would come, not being in town, when
that time expired the next Regidor made his appearance and made known
that he had to consult with the Political Chief of the Brazos and without
his sanction he could not, nor would not deliver up the cannon, I was
informed of this occurrence and then ordered the commandant of the party
to withdraw, in the belief that on the political Chiefs answer the gun would
be delivered up, so far from that however, the inhabitants of the town
acting on the wrong belief that the troops retired thro fear came out, pass the
river and committing the outrage of attacking the party and intimating
surrender to the Commandant. A report was made to me of that event and
that besides the Citizens of Gonzales 300 men from San Felipe had collected
and as I did not wish to see that small force compromitted, I ordered it to
withdraw, and shall march tomorrow
with the knowledge of the
Commandant General with a force of every discription of arms, sufficient to
prove that the Mexicans can never suffer themselves to be insulted.
There are in the Colony some individuals, who, like yourself know me
to be frank in my proceedings, and also that I possess the character and
energy characteristic of my country. I may therefore assure you that if
you make use of your influence with the political Chief to have the gun
delivered up to me, wherever it may meet me, from that spot I will return
immediately, if not I will act militarily and the consequence will be a war
declared by the Colonists, which shall be maintained by the Government
of the nation with corresponding dignity.
I know you are right to complain of Thompsons proceedings, which I
do not approve much less as they are arbitrary, and having no authority
for acting in such a manner but some sacrifice is requisite in favor of
peace, which, if it disappear from Texas, will be caused only by the
oposition of the colonists to what is just, and I am convinced of your good
sentiments in favor of your adopted Country, notwithstanding your
sufferings and have not doubt that in favour of this country you will continue
to make fresh sacrifices and cooperate effectually in removing the evils
which threaten, for which important purpose you may rec[k]on upon me
for the use of my influence with the Supreme Government and with the
Commandant General, and I can assure you if peace should be sincerely
established and unalterably so, the introduction of troops into those
departments will be dispensed with,
I am your friend likewise a friend to the Colonist, if I have been
sometimes obliged to fight with them, it was an absolute fulfilment of my duty,
but in personalities I have always treated them like a Gentleman, both
before and after fighting with them, I have observed the same conduct
with as many as have entered into this city, where they still remain,
notwithstanding they have not behaved well in Gonzales towards the
Mexicans.
In a P. S. to your letter which I now answer you say you enclose a
paper, which I have not received, I know that the said paper is in
circulation in your department, and that in it you strongly recommend peace
and due gratitude to the Supreme Government avail yourself of some
opportunity for forwarding it to me and in the mean while
I remain your attached Friend etc
Domingo de Ugartechea
A true copy of the original, which I certify Bexar 4th Oct 1835