The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 252
434 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Southwestern, Iistorical Quarterly
of Austin and then of the ayuntamiento of San Felipe. The. ma-
chinery of local government in frontier societies is likely under
the most favorable conditions to work jerkily, with much grum-
bling and protesting, reflecting the characteristics of the com-
munity. The normal "North American frontier republican" is
impatient of the restraints and formalities of law; and here the
natural difficulties of local administration were aggravated by the
obstacle of language and the colonist's inability to inform him-
self of the laws. It, nevertheless, seems plain from the documents
that actual government in Austin's colony conformed with note-
worthy fidelity to the Constitution and the laws. Perhaps this
was due in part to the fact that in its essentials, the system did
not differ greatly from that with which the colonists were already
familiar, but it was also due in no small measure to, Austin's pow-
erful influence and unremitting oversight. "Upon the whole,"
wrote a recent settler from Missouri in 1832, "I beleave we get
along full as well as the inhabitants of territories in the United
States, beleave the laws here are as well administered as they are
in ArkaLnsas and perhaps better, and equally as well as they were
when I first went to Missouri."'05o'5J. F. Perry to Grady, July 12, 1832. Austin Papers.
252
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
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/m1/258/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.