Texas Almanac, 1939-1940 Page: 62
[514] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
62 THE TEXAS ALMANAC-1939.
and Austin was given new grants, and
the bounds of his colony extended. More
than 1,000 land titles were issued to Aus-
tin in the next decade and population of
his colony grew to upwards of 5,000.
Under the empresario system of colo-
nization, by which an agent contracted
with the government for settlement and
management of a tract of land, coloniza-
tions of Texas proceeded rapidly, and
a number of grants were made to Amer-
icans.
Austin was the most successful of the
empresarios, but there were a number of
others that were fairly successful. Green
De Witt, also of Missouri, obtained a
grant and introduced several hundred
families west of the Colorado, founding
the town of Gonzales in 1825. Another
empresario was Hayden Edwards who re-
ceived a grant for the settling of 800
families around Nacogdoches. Other
American empresarios were Benjamin
Milam, Gen. James Wilkinson, Robert
Leftwich, David Burnet and the firm of
McMullen and McGloin. There were
also several Mexican empresarios, no-
tably Martin De Leon who settled a
number of families on the Guadalupe,
founding Guadalupe-Victoria, the pres-
ent Victoria. Lorenzo de Zavala was
another Mexican empresario who was to
play an important part in the later his-
tory of Texas.
Although none of these enterprises was
as successful as that of the astute and
industrious Austin, there was rapid
growth of population and by 1836 Texas
had probably 35,000 to 50,000 white in-
habitants.
THE TEXAS REVOLUTION.
The swift course of events between
1821 and 1836 which brought, first, a
flood of Anglo-American immigration
pouring into Texas with approval of
Mexican authorities, and then precipi-
tated revolt which threw off Mexican
sovereignty, has raised an issue among
historians, and the good faith of the
American colonists in Texas has not al-
ways been permitted to go without ques-
tibn.
The Texas Revolution came, in the
light of usual historical development,
rather naturally and logically. The Tex-
as of that day was a land of indefinite
boundaries on the border line between
Latin and Anglo-Americans. The thing
that many historians overlook when dis-
cussing the merits of Texas' case is the
fact that Mexico itself had only recently
thrown off its Spanish yoke, and, in its
new-found independence, entered a pe-
riod of confusion with few parallels.
Mexican history of the 1821-36 period
was a series of revolutions which made
consistent policy in any matter impos-
sible. The matter of a colonial policy inTexas was a political issue among the
warring factions at the Mexican seat of
government.
Furthermore, Texas was geographical-
ly isolated from the center of Mexican
commercial and political control. Mexico
City was 800 miles distant from Texas
and a vast wilderness lay between the
latter and the nearest Mexican cities of
importance. On the other hand, it was
easy to direct Texas commerce toward
the near-by and friendly United States,
either overland or through the conven-
ient port of New Orleans. A wise colo-
nial policy on the part of Mexico might
have overcome these difficulties; cer-
tainly it would have long postponed the
crisis that did arise after a brief interval
of colonization.
Unwise Mexican Policy.
There is sufficient material in the rec-
ord to show that most of the early colo-
nists came to Texas in good faith and
were willing to become permanently citi-
zens of the Republic of Mexico. Certain-
ly Stephen F. Austin did everything pos-
sible to maintain the status under which
he had contracted to bring settlers to
Texas. Most of his colonists seem to
have been with him in sentiment, at
least, in the earlier stages of the grow-
ing controversy when wise statesman-
ship at Mexico City might have changed
permanently the course of historical de-
velopment in the region between the
Red and Rio Grande.
However, it must be said that there
were those Americans who came to Tex-
as looking backward. Possibly there was
no actual conspiracy to wrest Texas from
Mexico, but there were some who were
not adverse to adding oil to any flame of
discontent. The Mexican National Gov-
ernment unwisely did much to fan the
flame.
Fredonian Rebellion.
Unfortunately, several incidents arose
to heighten suspicions at Mexico City. As
early as the latter part of 1826, trouble
arose between American and Mexican
settlers at Nacogdoches. Hayden Ed-
wards had been given a grant at Nacog-
doches, where Gil Ybarbaornd his fol-
lowers had lived for several decades.
Mexican authorities at San Antonio de-
cided in favor of the Mexican settlers.
Edwards organized the Republic of Fre-
donia and declared Texas independent of
Mexico. Though Edwards was quickly
driven out, his action was cause of dis-
quiet at Mexico City.
As a result of this and other develop-
ments, the liberal colonization policy was
reversed. In 1829 a decree was issued
freeing slaves, which brought protest
from American settlers in Texas who
were largely cotton growers from the
slave states of the South. This difficulty
was settled by revocation of the procla-
mation. It was followed immediately,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book 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 Book.
Texas Almanac, 1939-1940, book, 1939; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117163/m1/64/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.