The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-01

Q"What dld they do them
A.-Tley declared tbolf Independence {
The Mexican republic divided the whole {
Texas among themselves, glying tho ~
dlaus already IN the country aud who nigh
come into II, oil the country north ola lin
little above ~Nacogdoches extending TO th
Rio Grande, and TO the whites all south
that line, and establishing slavery In bot
sections.
Q.-Vho signed the declaration Of indie
pcndenca cnd territorial apportlonmentY !.
A.-Huydcn Edwards and Harmon j
Mayo. IN the part OF the whites, and Rick
ard Fields and John Dunn Hunter, ON tn
part of the Indians.
Q.-What did they do next?
A.-Assuming the name OF "Freedo
nians,'' they organized a Legislative council
of which Martin Farmer, for whom Parme
county was named, was president.
.Q.-What was the fate OF the Freedo
mans?
A.-They had miscalculated on aid from
the Austin ~colonists, and as Bean, who wa
Indian agent at Fort Teran, had succeeded II
p%ersuading the Indians to break their faitl
they were without numbers sufficient
to maintain themselves. Richard Field'
and John Dunn Hunter remained faithful
but were murdered by their own tribe fol-
their fidelity. Learning of the spproach o.
a Mexican force from San Antonio, which
was joined by . company OF Austin's colo
nists for the suppression ofthe F~reedonlans
Edwards and his men retired across the Sa-
FREEDMAN war, the first effort Of the
Americans for the independence of Texas.
Q.-ln the meantime how was Austin'i
colony faring?
A.-As well as could be expected. The
town of San Felipe de Austin, on the
Brazos river, had been built, where the pub
lie officials dwelt, and Baron de Bastrop,
having been appointed commissioner to is
u to them their land titles, the %colonists
net with no difficulties in obtaining their
certificates.
Q.-What did the prosperity Of Austin's
colony lead to?
Alt attracted so much attention to
Texas that from April 18th, 1924, to Feb
ruary 10Th, 1880, contracts for intro
ducing colonists were granted to
wioh, SO: Green De Witt, 100; Stephen r.
Austin, GOO additional; Martin DeLeon, l91;
BENJAMIN r. Milan, 200; Arthur G. Wabell,
400; Stephen J. Wilson, 200; Joseph Vehe-
lin d Co., 400; David G. Burnet, 300; John
l.. Woodbury., 200; John Cameron, 800; Ex-
tor q Wilson, 100; John ~Dominguez, 200;
Lorenzo de Zavalla, 500; and Thomas j.
Chambers and J. A. Padilla. 800.
NJ SE0 NIL tl6ao COuIl Avs CAIIlcu Out !
A.-By NO means. Austin came nearer
succeeding than any of them and intro
dnsed more families into the country than
all the others combined. A few families
were introduced by some of these contract
ors, and II 1884 Sterling G. Robertson, who
had previously attempted to form a colony
without success because Of some mis-
understanding with the Mexican gov-
and was successful in establishing
his colony. McMullen and McGlome also
introduced an Irish colony in San Patricio
county.
Q.-To what has the granting of SO many
colonization privileges led2
A.-To no little litigation in settling land
titles. Every one of these contractors or
empresarios, as the Mexicans called them,
had a scope of country specified for the
location of their colonies, the bounds of
many Of which were very indefinite, and
they all, or nearly all, claimed title, whether
they brought any colonists into the coun-
try or not.
Q.-What was the nature Of the govern
ment of Texas after the establishment of
the Mexican republic?
Alt was what we may call a personal
government. The head Of the government
was a governor appointed by the govern
ment of Mexico, with his residence at San
Antonio. This was from 1922 to 1924, when
in the latter year a new constitution was
adopted and Texas was attached to the
state of Coshuila, with Saltillo as the
capital, where the governor resided. These
executive at the City of Mexico, but sub
ordinate to the military commandment at
Monterey.
The colony Of Austin for many years en-
joyed, undisturbed, all the rights assured
Them in the contract of colonization, and
for six years they were not required to pay
Not only was each colonist's grant
land a liberal one, but If, after location,
it did not suit him he was allowed
to lift the patent and locate it elsewhere.
Austin was the civil and military
ruler of the colony, and Samuel NJ. VIII
liams the secretary.
Q.-What were the duties of the land
commissioner?
A.-Tbis officer was provided for under
The general colonization laws of Mexico, en-
acted IN 1922, and his duties were to issue |
land titles, TO establish ferries to organize
new alcalde districts, to induct, the officers
into tlir positions to lay of towns and with
The enpresarios TO exercise q general super
of the colonies.
Q.-How many alcalde districts were
here in Austin's colony?
A.-Two were established in 1922, those
If the Brazos and the Colorado and in 1927
hey had increased 10 seven
Q.-Whatn new proceeding was established
IL fs2S?
A.-All the alcaldes met there three times
year and held a general court called an
Ayuntamiento.
Q.-What new Office was created in TeNas2
A.-Aiter Texas was attached to Goa
lula il was practically without q governor,
wing to its great distance, and in 1896 the
,ffice of political chief was created, and
Manuel de Sancedo appointed to the posi-
ion. wv. power was both civil and mill
airy, and was absolute, as he could suspend
he functions of all civil officers, arrest and
mprison any person he might suspect OF
reasonable purpose and could call out and
the militia.
Q.-What occurred.in 1882
A.-Two departments were formed In
Texas divided by the dividing ridge between
be San Jacinto and Trinity rivers. with
'acogdoc1es the capital of the eastern and
AN Antonio Of the western department.
uan N. seguin was political chief Of the
Testern and Henry RIM Of the eastern.
any changes made the next
ear7
A.-Stil another department was created,
hat Of the Drazos, with San Felipe de Aus
10 as the capital, ofwhich Henry Smith and
ames Il. Miller were each for a term politi-
chief. Afer these three departmen ts
ere created q law was passed establishing
supreme court and a district court
! each department. T. Jefferson Chambers (
as appointed judge Of the supreme court, {
ut never organized, and of the district I
Durts ID. g. Burnet, of the Brazos district, !
the only Judge who ever organized and
,clu q rern. :,
DIN what body was the lav,m.k'n. |,
'ower during this period vested.
An the congress Of Coahpila and
lexas a Representative body, ths members {,
which were elected by electors chosen Nv /
ne people-something after the n In I
Ehich we elect n president.
0 his congress? =
A-Ihe candidate must be a native or IL 4
~ neilVe, must have an annual iucoms q
Sli0g OF be worth $500.
0-Nas Texas fairiF Represented IN this