MAP OF TEXAS
With Parts of the Adjoining States
COMPILED BY STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
PUBLISHED by H. S. TANNER PHILADELPHIA
1835
High-resolution Version
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The Mexicans can hardly be blamed for their lack of confidence. They had just shaken off the yoke7 of Spain; and they saw the Americans—people of a different race, speaking a different tongue, strong, energetic, and masterful—drawing daily nearer to the Rio Grande River. They saw this alien people settling upon rich and productive lands, but paying no taxes; giving nominal8 allegiance to the Mexican government, but taking no interest in her political affairs. Added to this uneasiness was a growing hatred9 of the United States, which wished to annex10 Texas and had already offered to buy the province. Mexico resolved to crush this rising power.
The Americans, on their side, were restless. They did not desire absolute independence; but they wished for a separate state within the Mexican Republic. They therefore, for political as well as for personal reasons, resented the change of capital.
Still further changes were at hand. Bustamente (Boos-ta-men′tā), a cruel and overbearing man, who became President of Mexico in 1830, on taking his seat issued a set of laws forbidding Americans either to locate in Texas or to trade with her people. In place of colonists from the United States, criminals and disabled soldiers from Mexico were to settle the country. The introduction of slaves was prohibited; taxes were put upon almost everything in daily use; customhouses were established for the collection of these duties; armed troops were quartered in different places at the expense of the colonists; and military rules were enforced.
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It is needless to say that these laws were not obeyed. Texas was like a nest of angry hornets whose center of action was at San Felipe; a buzz of indignation filled the air; meetings were everywhere held to protest against the injustice11 and tyranny of Mexico.
The excitement was increased by the arrest and imprisonment12 of some Texans (1832) by Colonel Juan Davis Bradburn, an American in command of the Mexican Fort Anahuac (An-ah′wak) on Galveston Bay. Among these were William B. Travis (the future hero of the Alamo) and Patrick Jack13. William Jack, a brother of the latter, called a meeting at San Felipe, where it was determined14 to resort to arms, if necessary, for the release of the prisoners, whose offense15 was trifling16.
The state of feeling was clearly shown by the number of men who declared themselves ready to join in attacking Bradburn in his fort. The affair, however, was settled without bloodshed. Colonel Piedras, the Mexican commandant at Nacogdoches, hastened to Fort Anahuac. There, after an investigation17 of the case, he released the prisoners and placed Bradburn himself under arrest.
In the meantime a fight had taken place between the Mexican garrison18 at Fort Velasco, at the mouth of the Brazos River, and one hundred and twelve Texans, who had been aroused by the tyranny of Bradburn. Not one of these Texans had ever before been in a battle; their coolness and bravery under fire gave them the measure of their own power. They were victorious19. Colonel Dominic Ugartechea (U-gar-tā-chā′a), the commandant of the fort, whose personal courage won the admiration20 of the Texans, surrendered, with a loss of thirty-five killed and thirteen wounded. Of the Texans seven were killed and twenty-seven wounded.
These encounters increased the public excitement to frenzy21. But the excitement was suddenly allayed22 by news from Mexico. The patriot23 Santa Anna had “pronounced” (declared) against Bustamente.
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Santa Anna at this time was looked upon in his own country as a patriot; he had been a leader during the war with the Spanish royalists, and active in deposing24 Iturbide (Ee-toor-bee′dā) (1822) when that officer had crowned himself Emperor of Mexico. He had always professed25 great love for the Texas colonists; and now his bold stand against Bustamente gave assurance that the rights of the colonists would thenceforth be respected. The Texans were wild with enthusiasm, and they gladly pledged their support to Santa Anna, the “generous and high-minded patriot.”
Santa Anna was elected President of Mexico. His disposition26 towards Texas continued so friendly that it seemed a good time to make an appeal to his government for a separation of the state of Texas from Coahuila.
A convention met at San Felipe in April, 1833. Delegates were present from all the districts. The streets of the little town on the Brazos echoed under the tread of men who were afterwards to write their names in the Republic’s book of gold. Sam Houston, the future hero of San Jacinto, was present as a delegate; David G. Burnet, who was to become the first President of the Republic of Texas; Erasmo Seguin; William H. Wharton; Branch T. Archer27; and Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas.
A constitution was framed, and a memorial was written to the general government, asking for separation from Coahuila and the repeal28 of Bustamente’s odious29 decrees.
Austin carried these papers to the Mexican congress. His breast swelled30 with hope as he drew near the city of Mexico and the “high-minded patriot” Santa Anna.
Santa Anna.
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But the Vice-President, Gomez Farias, had no time to listen to so trifling a thing as a memorial from Texas colonists. As for President Santa Anna, he was shut up in his country-house (Manga de Clavo) laying plans for overthrowing31 the Mexican constitution and making himself dictator.
Sick at heart over his vain attempts to get a hearing from the government, Austin started home. But a letter which he had written to Texas, advising the people to organize a separate state without further appeal to Mexico, had been sent back to Farias as a treasonable document. Austin was arrested at Saltillo, taken back to the city of Mexico, and put in prison, where he remained for nearly two years. A part of that time he was in solitary32 confinement33.
During his imprisonment he kept a diary. He says of himself on one of these loose pencil-written leaves: “In my first exploring trip in Texas, in 1821, I had a very good old man with me, who had been raised on the frontier, and was a very good hunter. We had not been many days in the wilderness34 before he told me: ‘You are too impatient to make a hunter.’ Scarce a day passed that he did not say to me: ‘You are too impatient—you wish to go too fast.’ Before my trip was ended I saw the benefit of his maxim35, and I determined to adopt it as a rule in settling the colony which I was then about to commence in Texas.... I believe the greatest error I ever committed was in departing from that rule as I did in the city of Mexico in October, 1833. I lost patience at the delays in getting the business of Texas dispatched, and in a moment of impatience36 wrote an imprudent, and perhaps an intemperate37, letter to the council at San Antonio.” “How happy,” he says in another place, “how happy I could have been on a farm, ... free from all the cares and difficulties that now surround me. But I thought it was my duty to obey the call of the people and go to Mexico as their agent.”
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In October, 1834, he was admitted to a conference with Santa Anna, who promised to “meditate maturely” the repeal of some of Bustamente’s laws. He expressed so much love for Texas that Austin wrote to his people in a burst of thankfulness, “All is going well.” But he was himself still detained, and it was not until September, 1835, that he was allowed to return to Texas.
The Texans, despite Austin’s letter of assurance, knew that all was not going well. They were, in fact, so convinced that all was going ill that they met in the different towns and organized committees of safety for protection against the Indians (who had become very troublesome), and to take charge of all public matters. At a meeting held in San Felipe October 1, 1834, it was openly proposed to make Texas a separate state without the consent of Mexico. But this step was for a time postponed38.
The next year the situation was still more gloomy. Santa Anna’s congress passed a decree disarming39 all Texans. General Martin Perfecto de Cos was ordered from Mexico to Texas with a body of five hundred soldiers to enforce the decree, and to punish those who had refused to obey, not the just laws of the Mexican Republic, but the tyrannical edicts of Bustamente and Santa Anna.
At the same time a courier was arrested with dispatches from Ugartechea at San Antonio to the commandant at Anahuac. These dispatches were opened and read at San Felipe. They stated that a strong force would soon reach Anahuac from Mexico.
These things caused great uneasiness and indignation. Another meeting was held in San Felipe. Among those who addressed the people there assembled was R. M. Williamson (called three-legged Willie, because of his carrying a crutch). He counseled resistance. “Our country, our property, our liberty, and our lives,” he said, “are all involved in the present contest between the states and the military.”
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In the midst of the excitement Austin reached home. He was welcomed almost as one given up by the tomb.
It was determined to hold a general consultation40 to consider the dangers threatening Texas.
The word “consultation” was used instead of “convention” to avoid exciting the jealousy41 of the government. A convention in Mexico was often followed by a revolution.
A call was issued by Austin for the election of delegates, and the time and place of meeting were fixed for October 16 at San Felipe.
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1
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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colonists
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| n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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3
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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plazas
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| n.（尤指西班牙语城镇的）露天广场( plaza的名词复数 )；购物中心 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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7
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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8
nominal
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| adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的 | |
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9
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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10
annex
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| vt.兼并，吞并；n.附属建筑物 | |
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11
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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12
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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13
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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14
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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15
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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16
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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17
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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18
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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19
victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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20
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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21
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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22
allayed
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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24
deposing
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| v.罢免( depose的现在分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证 | |
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25
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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26
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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27
archer
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| n.射手，弓箭手 | |
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28
repeal
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| n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消 | |
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29
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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30
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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31
overthrowing
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| v.打倒，推翻( overthrow的现在分词 )；使终止 | |
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32
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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34
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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35
maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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36
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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intemperate
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| adj.无节制的，放纵的 | |
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38
postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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39
disarming
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| adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒 | |
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40
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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41
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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