The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-01

when a naval force was despatched
by the United States government to
break up the settlement. In 1919 the
long controversy between the United
States and Spain in regard to the
Texan boundary was terminated by
the establishment of the Sabine as
the boundary line. This treaty Occa-
stoned much dissatisfaction on the
part of the western and southwestern
states Mr.. Clay and other prominent
men opposed it. A revolutionary ex-
petition was organized at Natchez the
same year, under the command of DR..
James Long, a Tennesseean, which
penetrated as far as Nacogdoches and
established provisional government
there, and the leader went to Calves
ton island to secure the cooperation
of Lafitte; but while he was absent
his force was routed and cut to pieces
by the royalist troops. In a second
expedition Long took possession of La
Bahia without difficulty; but, though
Mexico had become Independent I'M
der Iturbide, he and his followers were
taken prisoners and sent to the city
of Mexico, where after brief impris-
onment he was set at liberty, but was
almost Immediately assassinated, in
1922. Texas at this time was almost
wholly deserted, the settlement at
Galveston almost entirely abandoned,
and the few inhabitants at other
points reduced to poverty by the civil
war. III 1920 Moses Austin, then re-
siding in Missouri, received from the
Spanish authorities of Mexico a grant
of lands in Texas He died before he
was able to avail himself of it, and his
son, Stephen F. Austin, received a
confirmation of the grant in 1928, hay
ing already in the beginning of 1922
conducted a considerable number of
colonists to the site he had selected in
the vicinity of the present county of
Austin. The colony increased rapidly
and Austin obtained permission to
bring in 500 more families (hiS first
grant was for 300). Others also fol
lowed in the establishment of colonies
in the same vicinity. The Mexican
constitution, adopted in 1924, united
COahuila, hitherto a separate province
with Texas in a single state, and the
congress of the united state placed a
Mexican as commandment of the de
partment of Texas. The injustice of
this commandant toward the Ameri-
can citizens, especially those attached
to the colony OF Hayden Edwards,
created difficulty; and an appeal be
ing made to the governor of state, who
was also a Mexican, he without trial
or examination annulled Edwards
grant and ordered his expulsion from
the state. Edwards and his colonists
attempted unsuccessfuIly to effect a
revolution; and in January, 1927, they
were compelled TO retreat into the
United States. In 1880 Bustamante,
who had seized the dictatorship of
Mexico, issued decree fOrbidding the
people of the United States to enter
Texas as colonists, and suspending all
colony contracts which interferred
with this prohibition. In 1889 the
Texans sustained the pyO1152cian1iep-
TO of Vera Cruz in favor Of the consti-
tuition, and in opposition to the rule
of BUstamante, and defeated force
under Col. Piedras, who favored the
dictator. In 1888 the American settlers
now numbering over 10000, held &
convention, determined to separate
themselves from Coahuila, and pre-
pared a state constitution and an adj
dress to the general government, Of
which Santa Anna was now the head,
requesting admission as a separate
state into the republic Col. S. F.
Austin went to Mexico to present the
request of the memorialists. He was
unsuccessful, and was detained in
Mexico till September, 1885, but in
1884 procured the revocation of the
decree of Bustamante prohibiting the
admission of colonists from the United
States, and several other favorable
concessions. Santa Anna sought to
amuse Austin and the Texans with
promises Of allowing them a separate
state government till he could occupy
the country with his troops. The
government of the state of COahuiia
and Texas having been overthrow,
committees of safety were established,
the first being appointed at meeting
at Nina NOW BaStrop,) May II, 1885.
The first battle or rather skirmish,
was fought near Gonzales, Oct ?.
Other battles followed. Goliad was
captured by the Texans on Oct. 0, and
the battle of Conception, near San
Antonio, was fought on the 2Sth.
On Nov. 8, the Consultation, u body
composed of delegates from the munic
qualities, met at San Felipe de Austin
and proceeded to the organization of
q provisional government. Henry
Smith was elected governor and J.W.
Robinson lieutenant governor, and a