The law of April 6 in the part to which I refer should be amended by the National Congress. This is very important.

Article 11 of the Law of April 6 has paralyzed the progress of the country and is leaving it extremely exposed to being filled with Indians and bad people who will come in without heeding the law.

Another unfortunate thing about Davis is that he lacks strength of character to despise gossipers, whether he is a native or a foreign or a Mexican. Some of the prisoners curse him as a military despot, and some of the latter are very unjustly suspicious of him because he is not a native Mexican. This should all be looked upon with contempt without paying any attention to it. The native employee, and more particularly a military man, who opens his ears to the reports of spies and secret offices of officious pretended friends is always an unhappy wretch, filled with suspicions and in a bad humor, and in the end he will be despised and distrusted by everyone. Davis is an honest man and will do what he considers to be his duty, no matter what it costs, but it seems that he does not have enough tact. He could have won the good will and support of all the inhabitants, but perhaps this might have been lost for him from another quarter--suspicions of the Government. In short, his situation is delicate and unfortunate.

[Endorsed:] Copy of letter to Manuel Mier y Teran 1832

I hope that you will not take offense at the great frankness and clarity with which I speak about the military power. Upon this point I have never hesitated to express my opinion and I hope not to be accused of everything that can be called military despotism, the germ of disorders, of revolutions, of slavery, and the ruin of free governments and free people. I firmly believe that as long as the army is not reduced and the military force is not removed, no peace, no stability, liberty, and no progress can be expected in Mexico. This and religious toleration are two changes which are needed in Mexico, and the man who makes effects them will deserve to be called the Washington of Mexico, and impartial history will place him among the great heroes and benefactors of today the world. Ah! My friend, what a crown of glory it would have been for you whose name already belongs to history since as a defender of liberty, of your country independence since the first epoch of the Revolution. Yes, this is a crown which a Republican might and should desire. I believe that the party which has risen up against the Administration is very poorly named the Santa Anna Party. It should be called the Federal Democratic Republican Party, against the first static party and for justice of military law, on the option that It seems that they have used Santa Anna for lack of another chief and for another reason, and this has given his name to the party, which seems foolish to me

2

because it gives the party a personal character when it
should be based on principles without respect to persons.

This party is composed of the majority of the public and
sooners or later it will embrace the great mass of the
nation and will triumph, as it has done in the North, in
England, and in France in different forms and under differ-
ent names, England and France and I do not doubt that
finally it will triumph throughout Europe and the Americas.

This is the natural order of things. Water runs down hill, and man enters from a natural state into civilization and the sciences, from slavery to liberty, advancing step by step. These are natural laws which sometimes are very late and slow in their operation but certain in their results. I decided to go from here to Saltillo. I arrived very tired from the heat, the drouth, and the inconveniences attendant upon traveling through thinly settled country. So did Mr. Mason, who embarked abandoned the idea of going through Texas and left yesterday to embark in the Schooner Texas bound directly for New York. I shall return to Texas in October, and I believe that in April or May of the coming year I shall go to visit my native land. It has been about 12 years since I set foot there. Mr. Mason asked me to present his respects to you. I am leaving in three or four days for Saltillo to breathe the fresh mountain air. I remain your very attentive