The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 247
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The Government of Austin's Colony, 1821-1831
peeled to serve more than one year in three. They were subject
to the ayuntamiento, and might attend its sessions voluntarily or
on summons, having a voice but no vote in its deliberations. The
duties of the comisario were to take the census of his precinct,
keep a record of the families moving into it and of the places
from which they came, assist tax collectors, execute the orders of
his superiors, arrest disturbers of the peace and preserve public
tranquillity, and report "idle and vicious persons" to the alcalde."6
In addition, he was invested with minor judicial authority similar
to that of the alcalde or of a justice of the peace.37 The duties
of precinct sin dico are described merely as being the same in his
sphere as those of the sindico of the ayuntamiento."5
We are fortunate in having the minutes of the ayuntamiento
of San Felip.e for the first four years of its existence-from Feb-
ruary 12, 1828, to January 3, 18329--and in being able to see
therein the Anglo-American adapting himself to Spanish local in-
stitutions. The first returns showed Thomas M. Duke elected
alcalde over Austin's candidate, Ira Ingram, by a vote of 121 to
111. Thomas Davis: and Humphrey Jackson were elected regi-
dores and Rawson Alley sindico. Austin had called attention to
the necessity of frequent meetings, and urged the choice of mem-
bers within convenient distance of San Felipe,o0 but Duke lived ten
and Jackson thirty leagues from the capital.9' The result could
be easily foreseen. After regular meetings, for less than two
months the ayuntamiento adjourned to, meet no more, if we are
to judge from the absence of minutes, until time to canvass the
next election returns in December. It performed but two acts of
any consequence. One was to. frame a municipal ordinance de-
fining its own duties, functions, and rules of order, and outlin-
ing a plan of taxation for local needs; and the other was the adop-
tion of a memorial to the Legislature to legalize labor contracts
with servants whom the Constitution forbade immigrants to bring
6"Decree No. 37, Chapter VII, as oited in note 77, above.
"8Decree No. 23, in Gammel, Laws of Texas, I, 192.
88Decree No. 37, Art. 158.
89Beginning publication in this issue of THE QUARTERLY, p. 299.
"Austin to. Bell, January 1, 1828. Austin Papers.
01Minutes of the ayuntamiento, IMarch 14, 1828.247
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/253/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.