The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 14, July 1910 - April, 1911 Page: 29
348 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Reminiscences of Henry Smith.
then seemed to be, without notice or commerce, that her hardy
pioneers, by working their own soil, and ranging their own forrests,
if they could not procure all the epicurean delicacies, and shine
forth in fine trappings, that they could at least, from their own
industry, abundantly produce all the substantial, and many of the
real luxuries of life independent of all other countries. Super-
added to this she possessed an extent of sea coast, indented with
many fine harbors bays and inlets, and pierced with many fine
navigable Rivers extending far back into the interior of the coun-
try; so that it required no great streach of imagination to plainly
see that Texas ere long was not only calculated from her peculiar
juxtaposition to become a land of agriculture but of commerce of
science and of laws-and would ultimately serve as a kind of en-
trepot to eradicate by degrees the gross errors and fast bound
superstitions which now enshrouds the whole Mexican Republic.
After a few years the character of the country became by degrees
better known abroad, and emmigration from the various parts of
the world began to set in more rapidly and its commerce increased
in an equal ratio. The country now being open and all the hazards
and asperities removed-the bone-pickers began by degrees to make
their appearance, such as land jobbers, agents, proxies, company
agents, swindlers for themselves and others etc etc until the coun-
try by degrees became infested on every side. It was not who
should have this league, or that league, but who should have this
or that colony. Cupidity on the part of the land speculators and
swindlers continued to show itself in a greater or less degree, while
deep rooted jealousy evinced itself on the part of the Government,
by the passage of the law of the 6 of April 1830 prohibiting the
further introduction of colonists from the United States of the
North, of which more will be said hereafter.
As before observed, the settlers of Texas at the time of my ar-
rival were few and much scattered. All appeared to be well con-
tented and satisfied with their lot. Universal hospitality and
friendship seemed to prevail throughout the whole country, and
continued so for several years oweing no doubt, in a great degree
to their mutual dependence on each other for protection. The
Empresario then possessed the sole governing power over the colo-
nists, who established, for the time being, a set of colonial laws for
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 14, July 1910 - April, 1911, periodical, 1911; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101054/m1/37/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.