Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-22

ieember % 1895. two months and seven
4ear davs after these two October letters
and addressed to members of the counch
in an earnest argument against lndepen-
deuce, he says:
osThe true policy for Texas is to call
convention, amend the declaration Oh inc
7th Of November last by declaring IeAas
a state of the Mexican confederacy' anu
on the basis laid down in the htth anu
other articles of said declaration OF tue
18th of November form constitution anu
organize a permanent goVefhihenO %
Every possible aid should be given 10 the
(Mexican) federal party in the interior
All that is necessary IS tor
us not to do anything that VIII cothpei
the federal party to turn against u.s. anu
if thew call on US for aid, let 1t De given
as auxiliary aid, and on no other fool-
800 1t is all very well
and right to show to the world that Texas
has inst and equitable grounds to declare
independence, but it is putting the olu
settlers in great danger, for it Will turn
all the parties in Mexico against us. IL
will bring back war to our doors, Wmch Is
now tar from us, and 1t will compel the
men of propertv in Texas to give up nan
or all to support standing army OF SUI
fcIent magnitude to contend Win I'LL
Mexico united.
His letter to Royal, written three days
later and on the eve of his departure Ior
the United States, is much stronger III
the expression of his views and feelings
! and both letters display strong feelings
AGAINST the friends and especially the
leaders of the party of independence.
Austin was consistently in favor OF
! forming Texas into Mexican state from
the conventions of 1882 and 1855 untH
this his last Texas letter of December 70,
1885. At one time, While detalhed III
Mexico he lost hope, and on August 20,
1884, in private letter TO MS DroIIeI-
in-Iaw in Texas, said: CT hope the state
ouestion is dead and will so remain.
Rut that was in moment of depression
and Dossibly intended for the eye of his
taller. In all this his patriotic deVotlop
10 Texas stands unchallenged. He .soflly
differed with other patriots as tqBnat
was best. Robert f. Lee primarily was
opposed to secession, but his meMofy is
none the less dear to those VINO favored
1t. ~
When did Austin change his views and
declare for independence? His @cWH
words answer fully and explicitly ll g
letter written to Gen. Houston from NSas
orleans, January Z, 1886, four daysfaktel
reaching that city land only thirteen gay
after his last Texas letter. AmongEaE tH
else explaining his previous couEse, u
says: ~
ga question of vital Importance is ye
to be decided by Texas, which Is decla'
, ration of independence. When L LEI
! Texas 7 thought it was premature to sti
this question and that we ought to b
, very cautious of taking any step tina
= would make the Texas war purely ma
tional war, which would unite all par
, ties against us, instead of it being
, marty war, which would secure to us tn
aid of the federal party.
These are Governor Austin 8 own ut
9 terances on four solemn occasions ate
/ his two short private notes Of October .
These show plainly what he meant an
what kind of war he referred to in thos
= hurried private notes. Shall he o
n nIaced in history where he consistent
+ placed himself? Other and grand me
n advocated independence, while he op
nosed If. but ultimately all united in tn
common cause Hence, while he is style
n the father of Texas in an carrier an
= DroDer sense, he cannot IN any rlghtIl
a sense be styled the father OF Texas lnoe
q pendence, for by his own words ne We
N not and never declared for it till he s
= | wrote Gen. HOUSTON anu 1iiCh lAo - y -
# same reasons that had actuated its frienC
n for several months previously; with tn
v difference, that at last he had lost
n confidence of aid from the Federal part
n Of Mexico, while the advocates OF moe
n Depdeuce had none in the beginning.
= The Doint at issue Is simply historic
"a fact. in nowise involving the PATRIOTS
of Gen. Austin. BY his own languaE
). and acts | have shown what the fact wa
N Respectfully, JOHN HENRY BRoYSSSs