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6 THE WAR IN TEXAS.
from any district containing a large native po- obviate the objections that were anticipated on
pulation could be carried into effect, their the score of informality in the proceedings,
views of political, aggrandizement would be hie Convention had instructed its agent to put
thwarted, and it would also be impossible to in the special plea that other States had precarry
out their schemes of slaveholding, or else the other causes
This doctrine was promulgated throughout the of objection to the Texas Constitution, were
Texas country, and embraced by a considerable considered of themselves sufficietit for the reportion
(perhaps a majority) of the colonists, jection of the application.
who were mostly from our slaveholding States, On learning the fate ef their proposition,
and easily induced to believe that their pecu- the clamors and complaints of the movement
niary interests would be eventually promoted party in Texas, were loud and general. To
by the change, as proposed. Many of the stib- preserve his popularity with that party, Ausstantial
settlers, however. were opposed to the tin was said to have acted very insolently
measure at the lime. The most of those who towards the Federal authorities.- A little
had taken lands, and honestly engaged in im- difficulty, at least, occurred between them;
proving them, evinced no desire for its speedy which, however, was soon adjusted. But
adoption, as the burthen of supporting a finding that he could not then obtain the sancState
government must fall with its heaviest tion ot Congress, to the measure of establishing
weight on them; and being, generally, persons a State Government for Texas, separate from
in middling or low circumstances, and having Coahuila, he wrote to the Ayuntamiento
but recently established themselves in business (Council) of the municipality of San Antonio
there, they would be scarcely able to bear it. de Bexar, recommending an immediate organ'he
office-seekers were principally men ot ization, for the purpose. It is also believed
little or no capital; engaged in no business that he recommended the same thing to the
enterprises; wou;d be subject to slight tax- oihermulmicipalitiesin Texas. Amajorityofthe
ation, if any; and of course, they had nothing Ayuntamiento of Beiar were native Mexicans;
to lose, but every thing to gain, from the suc- and they were indisposed to second the rash
cess of the proposed measure. And by their proposition of Austin and the reckless proceedclamorous
efforts, with the aid of the specula- ings of some of the other colonists. Instead
tors and extensive slave proprietors, they thereof, that body passed resolutions severely
succeeded at length in calling a Convention, censuring this act of Austin, and sent an
to draft a State Constitution for Texas, in the official statement of the whole proceedings to
early part of the year 1833. the Governor of Coahuila