Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-02-12

re Probably not. 4 have been and this was
how it happened. When a very young man, !
found myself one fine morning possessor Of Texas
land-scrip-that is 10 say, certificate Of the Gal
weston Bay and Texas Land Company in which
it was stated, that in consideration of the sum of
one thousand dollars, duly paid and delivered by
Mr.. Edward Rivers into the hands OF the cashier
Of the company he, the said Edward Rivers, was
become entitled TO ten thousand acres Of Texan
land, to be selected by himself or those he should
appoint under the sole condition Of not infringing
on the property or rights Of the holders Of previous
y given certificates
Ten thousand acres Of the finest land in the
world, and under heaven compared 10 which,
our Maryland sky-bright as 1t IS appears dull and
foggy II was a tempting bait too good one
not 20 be caught al By many in those times Of
speculation and accordingly our free and en-
lighlened citizens bought and sold their millions Of
Texan acres Just as readily as they did their
thousands Of towns and villages in Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois and Michigan, and their tens of thousand
of shares in banks aud railways. 1t vas specua-
tive fever, which has since we may hope, been
in some degree cured At any rate, the remedies
applied have been tolerably severe.
had not escaped the contagion and, having
got the land paper thought | should like 10
see it IN dirty acres; so, in company with friend
who had similar venture embarked at Baltimore
on board the Catcher schooner, and after three
The grassy shores of this bay into which the
river Brazos emptes ITSELF rise so little above the
surface OF the water, to which they bear strong
resemblance in color, that il would be difficult
10 discover them, 1t not for three stunted
trees growing on the western extremity Of long
lzard.shaped island that stretches nearly sixty miles
across the bay, and conceals the mouth of the
river.
Proceeding along the shore, we came to block
house situated behind small tongue OF land pro-
ieeilng into the river and decorated with the flag
OF the Mexican republic, waving in all its glory
from the roof A, that PERIOD this was the only
building of which Galveston harbor could boast
II served as custom house and as barracks for
the garrison, also the residence Of the director of
customs, and Of the civil and military nendant, as
headquarters Of the officer commanding, and more
over, as hotel, and wine and spirit store Alongside
the board which was depicted a sort Of hero
glyphc, intended for the Mexican eagle, hung
bottle doing duty as sign, and the republican
banner threw its protecting shadow over an an
nouncement of-"Brandy, Whskey, and Accom-.
mediation for Man and Beast"
As we approached the house, we saw the whole
garrison assembled before the door. II consisted
of a dozen dwarfsh, spindle-shanked Mexican
soldiers. none Of them big or half so strong as
American boys of fifteen, and whom should have
backed single Kentucky woodsman, armed with
dTlulng Wnip 10 nave uTNen 10 the lOur WlnQS
Of heaven. These heroes all sported tremendous
boards, whiskers, and mustaches, and had habit
Of knitting their brows, in the endeavor, as we
supposed, 10 look fierce and formidable. They
were crowding round table OF rough panks
and playing game Of cards in which they so
deeply engrossed that they took no notice of our
approach. Their officer, however, came out Of
the house to meet us.
We took three days TO sail up the river Brazos
a.. r n - II
The only objection TO the place was that in the
wet season was all under water but the Brazor-
overlooked this little incony enence, in consid-
Grafton of the inexhaustble ffutfnness Of the soil
1t was the beginning Of March when we arrived,
and yet there already abundance Of new
potatoes, beans, peas, and artchokes, all of the
finest sorts and most delicious flavor.
At Braxoria, my friends and myself had the sat-
isfacton of learning that land-certihcates, for
which we had each paid thousand dollars, were
worth exactly nothing-just much waste paper,
in short-unless we chose to conform 10 a condi-
tion TO which our worthy friends, the Galveston
Bay and Texas Land Company had never made
the smallest allusion.
II appeared that in the year 1924 the Mexican
Congress had passed act for the encouragement
of emigration from the United States to Texas. In
consequence Of this act, an agreement was entered
into with contractors, empresdreos, as they call
a certain number of settlres into Texas within
given time and without any expense 10 the Mexican
government. On the other hand, the Mexican gov
eminent engaged TO furnish land to these emf
grants, at the rate of FIVE square leagues to every
hundred families but to this agreement con-
dtion was attached and il was that all settlers
should be, or become, Roman Catholics. Failing
this, the validity of their claims to the land not
recognized, and they were liable 10 be turned out
any day at the point Of the bayonet
This information threw us into no small perplex-
ity |. was clear that we had been duped, COM
petely bubbled by the rascally Land Company +;
that as heretics, the Mexican government would
have nothing TO say to u.s. and that unless chose
to become converts TO the Romish Church, we
might whistle for our acres, and light our pipes with
the certificate. Our Yankee friends at Brazoria,
however, laughed at our dilemma, and told us that
we were only in the same plight as hundreds Of our
countrymen. who had come TO Texas in total igno.
rance Of this condition, but who had not the less
taken possession of their land and settled there /;
that they themselves were amongst the number and
that although was Just as likely they would turn
negroes as Roman Catholics, they had no idea Of
being turned out of their houses and plantations
that at any rate, il the Mexcans tried il, they had
their rifles with Them and shouldbe apt they reckon
ed to burn powder before they allowed themselves TO
be kicked off such an almighty fine piece of SOIL
So, after while we began to think, that as we had
paid our money and come SO far, we might do as
others had done before usoccupy our land and wait
the course Of events. The next day we each bought
a horse or mustang, as they call them there, which
animals we're selling at Brazoris for next to nothing,