The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905 Page: 145
xiii, 358 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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De Witt's Colony.
with their countrymen of Austin's colony, but they were too far
removed from the storm center, the San Felipe district, to share
the sentiments of the war party whose headquarters were there.
Moreover they well realized that, in case of open hostilities with
Mexico, Gonzales would probably be the first point of attack.
Understanding little about the rupture that they in a vague way
knew was taking place between the colonists and the Mexican
government, and preferring for reasons of their own to remain un-
involved, they often found difficulty in determining the best
course to pursue. With this situation in mind, most of their actions
during this period, though some of them may still appear inconsist-
ent or vacillating, become intelligible.
The presence of the military left by Terin irritated the Texan
colonists, and in 1832 resulted in serious disturbances at Anahuac,
Velasco, and Nacogdoches. But there was as yet no thought of a
break with Mexico, and the ayuntamientos of Texas satisfactorily
explained this friction on the ground of loyalty to Santa Anna,
who for the sake of the Mexican constitution, as he then claimed,
was attempting to overthrow Bustamante. In order still better to
define their position the colonists called a convention at San Felipe,
October 1, 1832. Although their object was to declare in most
positive terms their allegiance to Mexico, they took advantage of
the occasion to ask for a redress of certain existing grievances.
Among other things they requested a repeal of that provision of
the law of April 6, 1830, which prohibited further immigration
from the United States, and drew up a memorial asking for a sep-
aration of Texas and Coahuila. But, on account of the opposition
that this convention called forth from the Mexican authorities,
this memorial was never presented.
In December Bustamante was overthrown and the colonists, be-
lieving that Santa Anna, now in power, would favor their desire
for a separate state government, called another convention, April
1, 1833, and framed a state constitution, which was sent to Mex-
ico for approval.
In Mexico, however, Santa Anna was busy with plans of his
own for acquiring absolute power, and the separation of Coahuila
and Texas did not accord with these plans. Before the end of
1835, he had triumphed in other parts of Mexico, and he thdn
began to turn his attention more exclusively to Texas. Already,
in January of this year, Captain Tenorio had been sent with a
few troops to support the collector at Anahuac in enforcing the
payment of duties. Many of the colonists believed this was only
a part of Santa Anna's general scheme to centralize the govern-145
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905, periodical, 1905; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101033/m1/147/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.