1

Mr. Ramón Músquiz,

Matamoros, June 26, 1832

Dear Chief and Friend:

I have just learned through Mr. Guerra that you have gone to visit the colonies, and particularly the point of Anahuac, for the purpose of adjusting the misunderstandings there. This news has given me great pleasure, and I do not doubt that you will arrange everything without the least difficulty, for I am sure that you, as Chief of the Department, will act as such and will reestablish the lawful and constitutional authority of the state, which has been interrupted and trampled under foot with the imprisonment of Madero and the destruction, by military order, of the *Ayuntamiento* of Liberty. At present there is no legitimate civil authority over Liberty, for one cannot and should not recognize the *Ayuntamiento* of Anahuac as legitimate because its creation was illegal: it emanated from the order of a military chief who had no authority to establish an *Ayuntamiento*, hence all the evils. I believe that there should be an *Ayuntamiento* at Anahuac, but it should be legitimate; therefore it should be established by the authorities of the State, and not by the military, which has nothing to do with such a case.

You have it in your power to arrange everything. Let the authority and dignity of the State be maintained, cost what it may, but all it will cost is an order from you and

2

it will be done. The civilians will support the State, and
at present the military will offer no opposition. Military
despotism is already on the decline, and civil power is
beginning to lift its head.

There are 9 ships off this river. They say they belong
to Santa Anna's Party, in which case they will take posses-
sion of this plaza without resistance, so it seems, for
there are no forces to oppose them. May it be God's will
that he not go to Texas and disturb the people there. They
do not need Santa Anna there to settle things. All they
need is the Chief of the Department with the Constitution in
his hand, and nothing more.

I am afraid of the retail law in the part which attacks
the rights of *naturalized* citizens. Insofar as it touches
those who are wholly foreigners and who are not naturalized,
nobody will offer any opposition or say a word because it
does not attack any right guaranteed by the Constitution,
but it is not the same with naturalized citizens. I am
greatly disturbed over this point. It is extremely delicate
because that law is unconstitutional and illegal, and conse-
quently the people have a right to resist it. This truth is
certain and unquestionable.

I am leaving tomorrow for Saltillo, where I hope to
have a letter from you telling me what I can do to support
your measures. A commissioner should be appointed for the
eastern part of my colony with the same powers that Madero

3

had, and also with the power to call upon the civilians to
sustain him against attacks from the military power or other
insults.

I remain your friend,

S. F. Austin

[Rubric]