[This hitherto unpublished private diary appears in The Quarterly by the kind permission of Col. Guy M. Bryan, who, as all old Texans know, is a nephew of Stephen F. Austin. It follows closely a copy in possession of Colonel Bryan made by his brother, Moses Austin Bryan, from the original, which was written by Austin in pencil in a small blank book that he managed to conceal when he was searched at the time of his incarceration. The matter at the end refers to a project which Austin succeeded in accomplishing while he was in Mexico, and which was in fact the establishment of the first public mail route between the Mexican Republic and the United States. This matter is written without a date on the back of the last page of the copy.
Col. Bryan says that Austin's criticism of the Catholic church should be taken as referring not to the church in general, but to the form of Catholicism then prevailing in Mexico.
The italicized title given below is written in ink on the cover of the MS., except the explanatory words, “private” and “before confinement and,” which are added by Col. Bryan. Under this title on the MS. are penciled the words: “Three months in the ex-Inquisition ¬ allowed to speak to any one, one year in the Prison of the Acordada, and the balance of the time with the City of Mexico for his limits, under bond, and was finally released without trial under a general amnesty law passed by the Congress.” This title and the penciled addition would appear to be original with Moses Austin Bryan.—Editor Quarterly.]
Private Diary of Genl. S. F. Austin before confinement and while confined in the Ex-inquisition city of Mexico, 1833 &1834 &1835.
I left Mexico on the 10th Decr., 1833 in a coach in company with Don Luis de la Rosa, deputy in the general congress, Don Octavian de la Rosa, &Don Migual Orteaga.
The 1st day at Tampantla 5 Leagues.
Decr. 11th at Huihuitoca 12 “.
Decr. 12th “ Tula 12 “.
Decr. 13th “ Arroyo Sarco 13 “.
Decr. 14th “ San Juan del Rio 14 “.
San Juan del Rio. Very long street; Don Luis and myself went to take a walk, every thing very dull—a church built in 1683 with a new front of the Corinthian order, at the expense, as the padre told us, of a famous robber &assassin, who had been the terror of the country—he was taken at last—he employed the money which he had robbed in building the front of the church—he received civil pardon &spiritual absolution; &went to heaven, so said the padre—&he knew, because the tradition was not old, about 50 years.
Dec. 15, at Queretaro—(14 Leagues) A city of convents &churches, with some very good private houses.—The convent of Santa Clara (for nuns) is the largest, it is said, in the Republic, &the richest. The inside of the church is excessively loaded with costly ornaments, all of the most ancient gothic stile, worthy emblem of such a monster, of the past century—One is astonished at seeing these monuments of the barbarity &ignorance of the 10th and 12th centuries, preserved with so much care in the 19th century, &in a Republic. Marry women with God. How ridiculous.—To break the commandment of God himself, &to go contrary to his intent in creating women, in order to please God in consequence.
16th Dec. We remained at Queretaro.—We visited the convents—these are many and very large. In that of 1 Cruz there is a large orchard well watered—It has a large fountain constructed by a marquis who has perpetuated his fame &piety by a statute of himself of his own size, which stands in the centre of the fountain on a base of stone—He is habited in the old fashion. There are extensive baths convenient to the fountain, constructed by the same marquis.—How much sweat &tears from the Indian slaves, must the money have cost, which the marquis employed in the construction of this fountain and baths? But he received absolution from the monks &went to heaven.
In the orchard there are many very pretty cypress trees. I collected seeds from them to carry to Texas.—They shewed me some of these trees planted by the hands of the Rev. father Morfit, who had been a monk in this convent, &a missionary at Nacogdoches in Texas. This monk is very famous, for he has been a second Moses. At Nacogdoches all the springs went dry, &he went out with images of the saints &necessary apparatus to perform miracles. He struck a blow with a rod of iron on a rock, which stands on the bank of the creek La Nana, in Nacogdoches, &immediately a stream of water gushed out, sufficient to supply the inhabitants with water to drink. This miracle was canonized in Rome, and a print or engraving of the fact was made in order to perpetuate it.—This same padre, when he left Nacogdoches for Bexar, lost a baggage mule, which a Tiger killed; and in the morning as soon as the padre knew it, he made the Tiger come and kneel at his feet, and then he was harnessed &loaded with the baggage of the dead mule, which he carried to Bexar, &then having received a pardon for having killed the mule, was sent back to the desert. All this is true, because several old women told it to me in Nacogdoches &Bexar, and we ought not to suppose that Rome would order an engraving to be made of a miracle of the water, only to deceive credulous people.
In Queretaro the sweet potatoes are very rich, the best I have ever tasted. Sweetmeats are very good &exceedingly cheap.—In the convent of Santa Clara are sold large quantities of sweet-meats of infinite kinds &qualities—Ah woman, what inadequate shadows are these sweet-meats made by that hands, compared to the tranquil pleasure which ye ought to dispense, by occupying that rank in society &in the world, which the God of nature gave ye, &which the barbarous &avaricious cunning of Rome has deprived ye.
This city is very well supplied with water of good quality, brought by an aqueduct from the mountain in front of the city. It passes a valley on arches, which are very well constructed, &are about 60 or 70 feet high. The aqueduct is about half a league long. It is a useful work, worthy of Paris or any city in the world.
In the public square there is a large fountain of hewn stone, very convenient &beautiful—The water rises to the second story in the houses situated in the lowest part of the town.—There is a story respecting this work, which has been affirmed to me as correct. That two rich men in a moment of conviviality, speaking of the practicability of bringing water from the mountain in front, one said that it was practicable, &the other affirmed that it was impossible, &offered to build a fountain in the public square of solid gold, if the other would bring the water. Upon this the 1st admitted the challenge, &they both mutually obligated themselves to the execution, by an act legally passed. He that offered to bring the water, completed the work &made the aqueduct &arches above mentioned. But he spent his fortune &ruined himself.—The other then refused to make the fountain of gold, a law suit was commenced, &in fine he was compelled to make it of hewn stone, and to conduct the water through all the streets of the city, in which he also expended his fortune &ruined himself. In this case wine rendered a very great service to the human race, because it caused those two rich men to employ their fortunes for the benefit of the people, instead of giving them (as very probably they would have done) to convents.
The streets of Queretaro are irregular, of various width &crooked or serpentine—it is situated on the side of a hill.—The potatoes of this place are famed for their sweetness, when roasted they appear to be sweetmeats.—If it were practicable, as is said, to open a Road for carriages from this city to the head of navigation Panuco river, it would increase very fast, &in a little time would be opulent, modernized &free from prejudice. Because it would be the depot for all the Bajio, &a great commerce would be carried on in domestic &foreign produce.—It would be in fine, the centre of commerce of a fertile &extensive Territory—After that, various manufactures could be established here to great advantage, by making use of the convents for that purpose, &by giving employment to many vicious inhabitants, who now appear to live, God knows how, as they have no ostensible occupation.
The Tavern at which we staid in front of the convent of Santa Clara, is a very large &well built house of two stories.—It is very convenient, having a fountain of water, warm and cold baths, very good rooms, but without a single bedstead or cot. All the furniture of one of the best rooms, consisted of two or three common chairs &a very ill made table.—It is said that the stage company of Mexico, is endeavoring to purchase the house for a tavern, &will furnish it after civilized fashion.—
(17th Decr.) 14 Leagues to Celaya, a Town of about 4000 inhabitants. The public square is surrounded by arches, as is the case in most of the towns of the Bajio. It contains some very good buildings of hewn stone. The church of the convent of the Carmelite monks is exceedingly magnificent, of modern construction. The interior is adorned with Ionic columns, ¬ so loaded with ornaments and statues as the gothic churches, but much more handsome &agreeable to the eye. The architect was an Indian, a native of the place, who died in August of the cholera. He studied architecture by himself, and made his own models of wood. He had great natural talent, &his death is a loss to his country.
How many other Indians would there be of as much or even more talent, if their education were cultivated? The convent is large, very well built, 160 years old, rich in estates &rents, it has two monks!
There is also a very large convent of San Francisco. We went in &walked all over the building, without seeing a single soul. It contains two or three friars. There are accommodations for more than 200.
There is also a large convent of San Augustine well constructed. The Indian architect who built the church in the convent of the Carmen, was erecting a new steeple for the church of this convent, of a new or mixed architecture, different from any that I have seen before, after his own ideas. He had it half finished when he died.
Besides these convents, there is several chapels &a parochial church. If all this money had been employed in opening a carriage Road from Queretaro to the river Panuco, how different would have been the situation of the Bajio with respect to its commerce &improvements.—What a pity that Rome did not set down as a dogma, that the man who should leave his property to open roads, canals, to establish schools, foment agriculture &the arts, should go straight to heaven as soon as dead.—The Mahometans were conquerors & desolators by a paragraph of the Koran. Rome could have made the Catholics the civilizers and patrons of the arts with the same facility.—All that was wanting, was an edict of the Council of Trent, or of any other Council, or a bull of the Pope.
At dusk, Don Migual suddenly entered the room, &told us that the Robbers were scheming with the coachman to rob us on the following day. All the company became alarmed, and Don Luis determined to go to the political chief, and ask him for an escort. I was opposed to it. I did not believe the story about the robbers. They replied that I was not acquainted with the country or the people, that it was full of robbers. I said that it appeared impossible that there should be so many robbers, in a country that abounded so much in churches. Ah my friend said D— these churches have only served to demoralize the people!!!! And for this parents have broken the ties of nature, &trampled on the most amiable &delicate sentiments of humanity &civilization, disinheriting their children, in order to construct convents &churches, that only served to demoralize and corrupt the people. And with all this, there are Mexicans who desire to perpetuate this monster, the influence and power of the clergy.—Even the late administration of Bustamente was desirous of governing the nation by the mitre &monastic superstition, credulity, &ignorance, instead of governing by intelligence &common sense.
Don Luis went to see the political chief, &agreed with him for an escort of one sergeant &five militia, at .... 2 rials a day for each man, &on the following day we set out in great state; coach, &six soldiers on horseback, as an escort with their lances &red flags.
(18th Decr. 1833) 12 Leagues to Salamanca.—We arrived early &went to visit the convent of the Augustinos, a very large building of very solid construction of stone &mortar. It occupies a whole block on the public square, &has behind it the river Salamanca at 200 paces distant. The building including the church, has 156 varas in length, &135 in width, &has two court yards. The first has portals on the four sides, sustained by very solid pillars of stone well cut, joined together by arches, under each one of which there is a large painting or picture representing some miracle or passage in the life of San Augustine. The edifice is two stories high. The other court yard is very large &gives light to the cells of the friars that surround it. This enormous building is abandoned, for there are only two monks who occupy a room in the large court-yard in the first story—in the second there is not a single soul.—The whole republic is full of these edifices, &many of the best plantation lands, &an innumerable quantity of houses, &even palaces in the cities, belong to these monuments of ignorance of the past generation, &of the cunning &avarice of Rome.—It appears incredible that it is possible for mankind to have been so deceived to such a pitch, as to make them believe that they could purge themselves of the sins of this life, by giving their wealth &property to maintain a set of monks in idleness, &every kind of immorality, &even of crime, which was committed under the cloak of religion. Parents have left their children in want and misery, in order to give their riches to friars to fatten on in their wickedness, while the sons being thus robbed of their inheritance, have given themselves up to vice, &probably to robbery, in order to live, receiving absolution from the same monks, that enjoyed their inheritance.—Rome! Rome! until the Mexican people shake off thy superstitions &wicked sects, they can neither be a republican, nor a moral people.
(19th Dec.) To Silao 14 Leagues.
(20“ “.) “ Leon 15 “.
The Bajio. A great valley which extends from Queretaro to Lagos, about 100 Leagues long &from 10 to 12 wide. It contains the towns of Celaya, Salamanca, Silao, Leon, Lagos, &several villages. The city of Guanaxuato is on the mountain 5 Leagues from Silao.—This valley is excessively fertile, and sufficiently populated. It has a dull aspect, because its natural beauty &fertility is not attested by industry &art. It abounds in churches &convents, &in times gone by, in friars, the most of whom have disappeared in the political revolutions, leaving the people heirs to their idle superstitions &corrupt habits.—There are a great many robbers.—
In the Bajio, the labours of the fields &factories are done principally by the Indians. The character &natural disposition of this people appear to be very good. They are industrious, humble, patient, &docile. They speak in their native, or original language, &still preserve some of their ancient customs. They also speak in Spanish, (badly however) &have acquired some modern habits. But not of the best kind. They are very fanatical &superstitious. As regards this subject, perhaps the only change that they have undergone, is from the adoration of coarse &ugly images of stone, to that of pretty, well made images of wood richly clad.—It is difficult to say whether they belong to the past or present times, they may be called shades of antiquity, with some modern spots. They are naturally well disposed, &talented, &if their education were cultivated, they would undoubtedly be equal to the whites, more docile &very good citizens.—The great mass of the Mexican Republic is composed of this class.—They are not at this time capable of governing themselves, &consequently badly prepared to become republicans.—In fine, most of their customs and ideas are repugnant to the principles of the sistem adopted by the nation. This is a very great evil which has to be remedied before the republic may be said to be solidly established.—because this form of governments has to be ...... 3 &sustained by the general good will &opinion. But if there be no will or opinion permanent &established, how is the evil to be cured? By education &example, the first by well regulated schools, &the 2nd by means of foreign population engrafted, thus combining everything which is most essential to instruct; (viz.) Theory &example.—The substantial and palpable practice of virtues, of industry, &of habits, civilized, useful &republican.—Schools might be established, by appropriating the property of the clergy &example might be obtained by the emigration of foreigners, increasing at the same time the population &wealth &wealth of the Republic. Therefore the two cardinal points on which the Government should fix their attention, are, education &emigration.—Already stages &taverns have been established between Vera Cruz &Mexico by foreigners.—This has been a kind of school, inasmuch as the Mexicans have learned by example the manner &the advantages.—The result is, that they are going to run stages by Mexicans, from Mexico to Zacatecas &San Luis, &so progressing throughout the whole country where the roads are passable, establishing also Taverns at convenient points.—This is a very great step towards civilizing the country, &uniting the states with each other, because when transportation is easy there will be frequent comunication, &intercourse of interests &friendship between remote points, which will be so many other links to cement the Union. — There is a very great obstacle to any sistem of education, or of emigration, which has to be removed before much progress can be made by this means — which is religious intolerance.—This restricts the sphere of education, &tends to perpetuate superstitious customs &ideas on one side, &prevents foreign emigration on the other, and it has to be, during the existence of an insurmountable counterpoise which debilitates the march of the nation in improvements, if it does not entirely ..... 4 it.
In this town (Leon) there are factories of saddlery &tanneries, there are also some of cotton cloth of a coarse kind. Whence comes the cotton? Will it be credited that it comes from Coahuila, &even from Texas, by way of San Luis Potosi &Tampico? Nevertheless thus it is.—There is no part of the republic, nor can there be of the world, more adapted to the cultivation of cotton than the Bajio.—The planters could raise it for $3 00 $00 per cwt, free from seed, &of a superior quality. But in place of this, it is purchased in distant countries from $7 to $10 a hundred. Texas which ten years since was a wilderness, inhabited only by Savages, now supplies the Bajio with cotton, (about 400 Leagues distant,) a country naturally more fertile, and a better climate for cotton than Texas.—Where it has been possible to expend innumerable millions of dollars in the fabrication of wonderful edifices for the clergy, but not a dollar for public education, or for the fomentation of agriculture, arts &manufactures.—There is a school or college recently established here which promises well. There is a castle or tower constructed by Augustin de Iturbide in the year 1815, at that time commander General under the government of the King.—The object of the castle was to defend the town from the insurgents. It appears to me that it is entirely useless as a defense for the town from attacks from outside. But it is sufficient to hold the town in awe &subjection.
There are many rumours of robbers. So that Don Luis is determined to have as far as Lagos the same escort that we brought from Celaya. This escort is composed of militia who are paid 13 rials for each man daily. What a sad &pitiable condition of the most fertile, lovely &populated part of the republic, where travellers may not Journey with safety without an escort of armed men.—The people of Leon appear very bigoted, no cheerfulness, or sociability, every house appears to be a convent. Their extreme devotion caused me to remark to Don Luis, is it possible that robbers can exist in the midst of so much piety? Ah! my friend, he replied, this piety is one of the cloaks tainted with corruption, that we have inherited from the Spaniards, this manifest superstition is a cloak that we have to shake off before we can make any rapid progress in improvement.
(21st Decr. 1833) To Lagos 12 Leagues. This town is situated upon a rivulet, near which are some lakes from which it derives its name. It is near the foot of the mountain, &here terminates the Bajio.—The lands in the vicinity are very fertile. The church is the highest I have seen, of arabic gothic architecture. It contains a convent of Capuchin nuns, an order more rigid than any other.— Don Luis related to me a sad story of a pretty girl that took the veil when very young.—It appears to me that man must cease to be man, to approve of these prisons, where the most precious part of the works of the Almighty are incarcerated.—All the Bajio has just suffered two great calamities, civil war &the cholera morbus. In some places one half of the population are said to have died.—The road from Queretaro is excellent, very level &but few stones except on a hill this side of Leon.
The fort called Sombrero so renowned in the revolutionary war, is situated between Leon &Lagos, on a little round hill on the left of the road.—The fort of San Gregorio may also be seen from Leon on the left of the road, more distant than the other.
The great obstacle to the improvement of the interior of the republic, is the want of roads to transport produce to the coast for exportation. But it appears to me that this obstacle may in a great measure, be removed, at least so far as regards the Bajio.—I have already said that the country is level as far as Queretaro, and I understand that from Queretaro it is not difficult to open a carriage road to the last navigable point of the river Panuco, which disembogues at Tampico. If this be true, it is clear that the obstacle is not insurmountable; with capitalists &enterprising men this obstacle would in a very little time, be removed.—And then the Bajio, instead of receiving cotton from Texas, would export large quantities to Europe, as also sugar, &would supply the coast with wheat, &other grain. A country without any other exports than gold &silver, can never be anything else than dependent on other nations, without advancing in agriculture any more than what may be necessary for home consumption. Such a country in fine is nothing but a nation of miners, getting out gold to enrich foreign nations.—At Lagos, Don Luis met his friends who had brought a coach for him from Aguas Calientes; &on the 22nd I took leave of this good friend &virtuous, intelligent patriot.—He is one of the most philanthropical men, &the greatest enthusiast for the welfare &felicity of his country that I have known, &the most disinterested and industrious. 22nd Decr. 15 Leagues to Matanzas.—Alone with my servant, I took the road to San Luis Potosi, &expected to overtake there Genl. Pedro Lemus, commander general of the internal States of the East, who was going to Monterey. It was my intention to go by Cienaga de Matapara in order to purchase a good horse of those raised at that place, which are said to be of the best kind in the republic. But on arriving at the Hacienda, called Instancias Grande, I abandoned the idea, as it was so much out of the way, &having remained a short time at Instancias, I passed the night at Matanzas, very fatigued as it was the first day since the month of May that I had been on horseback.—The general aspect of the country today was mountainous &sterile—nothing of much interest.
23rd. I slept at Gallina, 16 Leagues, a Hacienda belonging to the Marquis del Jaral. It did not appear to me very fertile—more adapted to raising stock than for farming purposes.
Decr. 24th 1833 I arrived at San Luis (15 Leagues from ..... 5 of Gallina) a little after sunset, &stoped at the tavern de San Antonio, where I met Mr. Maurice Hebenstricke, a merchant from Matamoros. I arrived very tired but less than the former day, rather worse for a bad headache.—
25th. I remained in San Luis Potosi. Mr. Oregis a partner of Dall's came to see me, also Mr. Cayetana Rubio from whom I received the $100 on the draft from W. S. Parrott. I bought a horse for $20, in order to put part of the load, that was on the mule, my servant Jerman was riding, so as to travel faster that I might overtake Genl. Lemus, who had left the day previous. I bought a blanket for 20 rials.—I went to the house of the commandant Genl to enquire for Genl Lemus, &in the office a person told me that he had left for Monterey on the 23rd.
All the streets leading to the public square were still fortified with bulwarks, constructed during the siege.
The city appeared to be growing. It could be, &some day will be the depot for the produce of the neighboring country, for the commerce which will extend itself from Tampico by way of the river Panuco, &by a road from the highest navigable point on the river. A work which in a more civilized &favored country, would be concluded in a year; But here it will be a work of many years, &perhaps of half a century. Texas cotton is here worth $30 a hundred, in N. Orleans $10.
Dec 26th 1833 B 6 Leagues.
“ 27th “ Laborcilla (near to Charcas) 20 “.
“ 28th “ Guadalupe Carnizero 16 “.
“ 29th “ Vanegas 15 “.
“ 30th “ Salado 14 “.
“ 31th “ Rancho Jesus Maria 15 “.
January 1st 1834 Agua Nueva 12 “.
“ 2nd “ Saltillo at 3 in the afternoon. 9 “.
On “ 3rd “ I was arrested by Genl Lemus by orders from the Secretary of War dated in Mexico 21st December.
The Genl treated me with the greatest attention &delicacy for which I am, &always will be grateful.
On the 4th we left Saltillo.—I traveled in the coach with the Genl and his family.—We slept at Los Muertos.—The weather was very cold, the wind being very strong from the north.—
On the 5th we arrived at la Rinconada.
“ “ 6 “ Monterey.—I was put in a very convenient &clean room, with a guard at the door.—My servant went out &came in when he pleased, &thus everything was furnished me, nothing was wanted but liberty.—On the 7th Horatio Alsberry came to see me.—I wrote to don Luis de la Rosa, to senator Raphael Llanos, to the governor of the State of Coahuila &Texas, to José Maria Viesca, to the chief of the department of Bexar, to Francisco Ruiz, to the Ayuntamiento of Austin, sending them, &to the governor &to the chief of the department a copy of the answer of the minister concerning the petition of Texas to be a state.—
I sent a copy of my letter to the Ayuntamiento of Austin, to the governor &to the Chief of Department.
I wrote to Williams &to Perry &to D. W. Smith Matamoros. I sent him a demand against the commisariat to collect 796.6 that Williams paid to the troops of Ugartechea &57.3 belonging to James Ross, also a letter to D. J. Toler concerning the draft of Reynolds against Hebenstricke, instructing Smith to collect the whole of it, &to send the first to Williams, &the draft to W. S. Parrott in Mexico.
Monterey 20th January 1834. I drew on D. W. Smith for $100 (of Matamoros) which I received from V.... 7 for my expenses to Mexico, &left on this day. We slept at Santa Catarina.—21st at los muertos, the weather bad, with rain &hail.
22nd at Saltillo
23rd Tanque de la Vaca
24th Ventasa
25th Salado
26th Vanegas
27th Guadalupe Carra
28th Charcas
29th Hidionda
30th Garrabatya
31st San Luis
February 1st 1834 Remained at San Luis
2nd Rodriguez
3rd San Bartola
4 Francas—It rained the whole day
5 Atotoxilco. (S...... 8 a river)
6 Cerritos—a rancho
7 Queretaro
8 Id
9 San Juan del Rio
10 Arroyo Sarco
11 Tula
12 Gua[n]titlan
13 Mexico, where I was put in the inquisition, shut up in the dark dungeon No. 15 ¬ allowed communication with any one.
14th Feb. 1834.—I heard cannon which were fired at intervals all day as funeral honors to Guerrero who was shot on the 14th Feb 1831.—
15th The visit of the prison today.—I was permited to walk with a centinel in a yard, alone, to take exercise.—I asked for books, but was not permited to have any.—
In the dungeon No 15 Ex-inquisition 18th Feb 1834.
Lieutenant Col José Maria Bermuda notified me that my judge &attorney general were appointed. He lives in Santa Ines Street No. 1.
19th the attorney came for me to sign an act.
20th.—In order to understand the affairs of Texas, &to explain them perfectly, it is only necessary to ascertain some very simple points.
1st What means are most resorted to, to move &influence the actions of mankind.—It is interest.
2nd Is it, or not, the interest of Texas to seperate herself, even if she were at liberty to do so? No, certainly it is not.
Is it, or not, the interest of the U. States of the North to acquire Texas? It is not, because she would extend her territory too much, &what is worse, she would annex a large district, which would have no interest in common with the rest of the republic. All the rivers of Texas take their rise in Texas, at but little distance from each other, and do not enter the Territories of the north, so as to form bonds of union, as does the river Mississippi with Louisiana &other states adjacent. There is no market in the North for the produce of Texas, &there is in Mexico. Texas is more distant from the city of Washington than from the city of Mexico.—As regards the commerce with Europe, the Mexican flag is equal to that of the North.—What then is the true interest of Texas? It is to have a local government to cement &strengthen its union with Mexico instead of weakening or breaking it. What Texas wants, is an organization of a local government, &it is of little consequence whether it be part of Coahuila or as a separate state or Territory, provided the organization be a suitable one.—
She is at this time suffering in the departments of, 1st Justice, 2nd colonization, 3rd Indian, 4th Police, &internal improvements, in fine in every department.
22nd Feb 1834 Nothing more of the attorney since the 19th. What a horrible punishment is solitary confinement, shut up in a dungeon with scarcely light enough to distinguish anything.—If I were a criminal it would be another thing, but I am not one.—I have been ensnared &precipitated, but my intentions were pure and correct.—I desired to cement the Union of Texas with Mexico, &to promote the welfare &advancement of my adopted country, by populating the Northern &Eastern frontier. I have been impatient, and have allowed myself to be compromised and ensnared by the political events of last year, &by the excitement caused by them in Texas.—I do not see how I could have avoided what has passed in Texas; my conscience acquits me of anything wrong, except impatience &imprudence, I am in no sense criminal. A public agent should sacrifice himself, life &property, should it become necessary in order to carry out the views of his constituents. I perhaps have followed this rule to an extreme.
Sunday 23rd Feb. 1838. 9
Philanthrophy is but another name for trouble. I have laboured with pure intentions to benefit others, &especially to advance &improve my adopted country; &what have I gained? Enemies, persecution, imprisonment, accused of ingratitude to Mexico, which is the most unjust of all accusations that can possibly be brought against me.—If I have been ungrateful to any one, it is to myself &family, for I have neglected my &their interests &happiness to labor for others.—My poor sister who removed to the wilderness of Texas with her large family owing to my solicitations, &left a comfortable home &a large circle of warm &kind friends.—My poor sister, how much is she now suffering on my account.—How happy I could have been on a farm alongside of my brother-in-law far from all the cares &difficulties that now surround me.—But I thought it was my duty to obey the call of the people, &go to Mexico as their agent.—I have sacrificed myself to serve them, &in all probability the only return I shall receive, will be abuse &ingratitude.
It is horrible that I should have lived to find myself on the verge of misanthropy, soured &disgusted with mankind. My difficulties have proceeded from an excess of zeal to serve others, but I shall be calumniated by them, Although I have loved the whole human family with the most unbounded enthusiasm &confidence.—I have been impatient, and consequently imprudent, but not criminal in anything. My conscience is clear, but that will not save me from calumny &misconstruction. Nature gave me too much sensibility &too yealding a disposition, too ready to listen to, &be influenced by those who I believed were friends &honest men, and too sensible &tender at their censure or discontent.—The heart of a public man should be made of cold &hard materials, ¬ of the fine &delicate chords of sensibility.—He should be impervious to momentary impulse passion or impatience.—I am naturally impatient, &irritable.
23rd Feb. Mr. Bermudor came to notify me that my cause was taken from him, &that he was no longer my attorney.
I was visited by Padre Muldoon, who had with great difficulty obtained this privilege. He was alllowed to speak to me only in Spanish in presence of the Commandant of the prison, manifesting his friendship &c. I permitted him to make a bargain with some Tavern keeper for my meals, which he did, &sent me wine &cheese, he promised to send me books.
24th I received my food according to Muldoon's promise, but no books. I supposed he has not been permitted to send them.—Time drags on heavily.
25th The new attorney general came to notify me of his appointment. He did not leave his name or residence.
27th Feb.—Theory &practice have clearly demonstrated that the Mexican Republic will not make rapid progress, until she has other exports than gold &silver, because these metals disappear immediately to pay for the imports, and what is worse, agriculture &the arts do not flourish, &very many useful laborers without employment deliver themselves up to vices &to idleness.—It is necessary to stimulate agriculture &the exportation of its products.—On the coast where the transportation to the ports is not distant or costly, nothing more is wanted but labor, population, &capital well directed in the cultivation of the land.—In the interior there is a sufficient population, but without being well directed—&transportation is difficult &costly, as it always must be, on backs of beasts of burthen, and untill they improve &open roads for wagons, instead of roads for mules.—Nature has pointed out the ports for exportation, Vera Cruz, Tampico &Matamoros are the most important.—
There are but few navigable rivers, but up to this time no use or profit has been derived from those which are navigable.—The river Alvarado is navigable for a considerable distance in the interier, and may be very useful for the exports of an extensive &fertile country.—From the head of navigation on this river, wagon roads might be opened to the States of Puebla &Oaxaca, &the produce could be exported at a trifling expense, to that which is paid at this time.—Thus Alvarado would be a depot, &thence the produce would be carried to Vera Cruz by steamboats &schooners.—The capability of this river for navigation is not yet known, &it is worthy the attention of government to send experienced engineers to examine &explore it, also the best routes for carriage roads to the interior.
The river Panuco is another which will one day be very important to the most interesting part of the republic.—It is I say worthy the earliest attention of the government to examine the capability of this river for navigation, and the practicability of roads from the head of navigation to Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, &Mexico through the plains of Apam.
With a good road to Queretaro all the Bajio of the rich State of Guanaxuato would have great facilities to export the products of agriculture.
The Rio Grande is another important channel, &in time of high water, would serve to export the produce as far as Chihuahua.
In the South there is the river of Guaracualco &of Tabasco navigable.—Also on the coast of the Pacific there are some rivers which are navigable, or susceptible of important improvements.
The idea that the interior of Mexico is without resources for transportation to the coast, is erroneous, as experience will one day demonstrate. They ought to dedicate themselves to opening roads on McAdam's plan, from Mexico to Vera-Cruz—from the same to Acapulco, to San Luis Potosi through Queretaro to the head of navigation on Panuco river, &from that point to Queretaro &San Luis, extending the former to as far as Guadalaxara, &the latter to Zacatecas.
Roads from the head of navigation on Alvarado river as far as Puebla &Oaxaca. All these roads should be carriage roads, &when finished, they should proceed to open lateral roads to intersect the principal ones.
A road from the ports of Texas to the paso del Norte &New Mexico with the object of attracting the commerce of $2000000 annually, to the ports &territory of the republic, which now comes from Missouri. This commerce would be a very strong chain to bind Texas to the federation, &all the expenses &c erogated by the merchants for the transportation of merchandize would be made in the Mexican territory, &would result to the benefit of the Mexicans.
March 2nd 1834.—I obtained today a book—a tale called yes &no—Muldoon failed in his promise to send me books—I prefer bread &water with books, to the best of eating without them.—In a dungeon, the mind &thoughts require aliment more than the body.
March 4th. Four dollars were paid to me for my support, the only money I have received since my entrance.—
13th At half past ten at night there was a very severe earth quake.
March 15th At six in the morning an earth quake more severe than the other.
March 16th Sunday.
I received “l'histoire de Philippe 2nd roi d'Espagne” an unnaturalized brute—a devil—a monster—in fine as much as can be expressed or imagined of evil, of hypocrisy, &of cruelty.—He was a blind, obedient and faithful servant of Rome—that mother of executioners, assasins, robbers &tyrants who have desolated the civilized world, filling it with mourning, terror, &ruin, °rading mankind far below the level of brutes.
A Lion protects its offspring, but Philip the 2nd, Catholic King of Spain is the executioner of his own son, the unfortunate Don Carlos; who was delivered by his most Christian father's own hands to the Inquisitors, and by these Holy agents of Rome, condemned to death.
The brute of a father said to the Inquisitors—`Have no regard to the rank which the prince holds in the State; do your duty, &know that zeal for religion has stifled all paternal love in me.'
At the moment of signing the sentence of death against his son, he said, directing himself to God, `You know Lord I have no other motive than sustaining your interests, &the glory of your Holy name.'
Is it possible to believe that mankind have been able to look upon such beasts, as the representatives of God on the earth! Kings &rulers—executioners of innocent children—Robbers, all by divine providence, &to sustain the interests &Glory of God! The massacre at Saint Bartholomy on the 24th August 1572 in France, in which more than 70,000 Frenchmen perished, treacherously assassinated by order of the King, Charles IX, was an act very worthy of Rome &very characteristic of the kind of piety which governed the councils of the conclave of Saint Peter.
People of Mexico! can you throw a glance at the history of Rome, without feeling a pity for your ancestors, &without shaking off at once that religious yoke which has held, &to this day holds you enslaved? Can ye contemplate this edifice—this Inquisition—and call to your memories what has passed within its walls under the name of religion, without shuddering at the past, and making an effort in favour of religious toleration, so that ye may secure your liberties &safety for the future?
The Inquisition was established in Mexico &in Lima by Philip 2nd in 1573, and the first auto da fe in Mexico was in 1574.
March 17th I walked for half an hour in the court where they tell me the autos-da-fe were held—that is, where they burned the unfortunate, whom policy or robbery assassinated under the name of religion.—Fanaticism furnishes a cloak for everything, and is the same with all nations &religions.—Elizabeth, protestant queen of England, sacrificed her relation, Mary of Scotland, to prevent a catholic sovereign ascending the throne, and at the time of the unhappy queen's head being taken off they shouted, “Thus perish the enemies of the religion of Christ.” All this was a cloak, & nothing more, because the crime of Mary consisted in being beautiful, &beloved by every one, and Elizabeth made use of the cloak of religion &policy to cover her own envy, &to gratify it.—At the same time Philip 2nd was kindling the fires of the Autos-da-fe under the pretext of religion, in order to rob, &to sustain his despotic power.
March 19th For the national aggrandizement of the Mexican Republic, are required
1st Religious toleration
2nd Foreign emigration
3rd Protection of agriculture, in order to have a surplus of agricultural products, so as to pay for importations &thus avoid the export of the entire products of the mines, which at this time is leaving the country for the purchase of foreign merchandize.
4th The improvement of the navigation of all the rivers, and the opening of carriage roads from the last navigable point on them, to the interior.
5th The establishment of manufactories—but this ought to be the last step in the national progress.—Manufactories ought to be established after agriculture, &with a dense population.—Without these bases they can neither be useful nor profitable, except by force of restrictions, privileges &monopolies, which are always prejudicial to the people or the great mass of the nation.
March 20th. This day I was notified by a person from the commandant general that I must return the $20 that I had received, because I ought to receive my daily allowance from another quarter—but he did not say from what quarter or authority.
I returned the $20.—Recd. March 4th $4.
“. “ 9th $4
“. “ 12th $4
“. “ 16 $4
“. “ 20th $4
$20
This day I also sent away my servant, Medina &ceased to receive my meals from Offutt's
22nd Sergeant Augustin Gonzalez presented himself in my dungeon on the part of the commandant of the place, Don Domingo Sarmiento, requested the loan of thirty dollars, which I lent to the said commandant.
I also lent ten to the said Sergeant Gonzalez.
Expenses
'To Medina $4.
Book 1
Barber (chili) 0.3½
13th March Medina 6.
Washerwoman .3
20 Medina 5.
22 Lent to the Commandant 30
“ “ Sergeant 10
Bro't forward from daily expenses, to 26th March 17.9½
Table &chair 2.
From 26th March to 3rd April 6.00
4th April. I returned to the person who has paid me, the $20 which I had received from him. He awoke me from a profound sleep.
April 4th 1834.—I received $18 dollars from Don Victor Blanco lent.—Expenses from 3rd to 11th April...... $4.7
11th April I commenced receiving my breakfast &dinner from Mr Offutt No 7 Tiburcio Street.
12th April—It would be an injury to the U. States of the north, to unite Texas to themselves, or to see it made a state of the Mexican federation.
1st Because it would be extending too much territory of that Republic, receiving within its limits a country which is entirely isolated from all the other states, by its geographical situation, &by all the interests of agriculture, manufactures &commerce.
2nd Because Texas as a state, would flourish with rapidity, &would extend the planting of cotton throughout that country, &thence along the whole coast of the Mexican Gulf to so great a degree, that it would tend to reduce the price of that product in the European markets. It would also extend the manufacture of cotton cloth.—The evident result of this would be to injure all the states south of Virginia, whose chief produce &almost the only one which is valuable, is cotton.—The Sugar &Rice of the Mexican States on the Gulf of Mexico, would also compete with the Sugar of Louisiana, &the Rice of Georgia &Carolina.—
On the other hand, the progress of Texas would promote the power of the Mexican Nation to a great degree, by the increase of their physical force, their agriculture, their manufactures, &of which is of more importance than all, their exports of produce, avoiding thereby the extraction of metals from the mines.—The erection of Texas to a State of the Mexican Republic in very few years would cause a moral change of the greatest importance in favour of the Mexican States, &to the prejudice of the U. States of the north, &would even have an influence in the markets of Europe by reducing the price of cotton, and by the gradual increase of manufactories in the Mexican Territory.—
April 13th—In my first exploring trip in Texas in 1821 I had a very good old man with me, who had been raised on the frontiers, and was a first rate hunter.—We had not been many days in the wilderness before he told me “you are too impatient to make a hunter.” Scarcely a day passed that he did not say to me “You are too impatient—you wish to go too fast. I was so once but fifty years experience has learnt me that there is nothing in this world like patience.” Before my trip was ended I saw the benefit of his maxim and I determined to adopt it as a rule in settling the colony which I was then about to commence in Texas. Some have accused me of adhering to this rule and to a system of conciliation and mildness, with too much obstinacy—I do not think I have, tho' perhaps I am not a competent judge—I can however say, that I believe the greatest error I ever committed was in departing from that rule as I did in the city of Mexico in October 1833—I lost patience at the delays in getting the business of the people of Texas despatched and in a moment of impatience wrote an imprudent and perhaps an intemperate letter to the Ayuntamiento of Bexar dated 2nd of October 1833—I can say with truth that a combination of circumstances occurred about that time to make me impatient &my intentions were pure &patriotic as a Mexican citizen, for I had every reason to believe that the people of Texas would not suffer the month of November to pass without organizing a local government, and in that event, it is very evident that it would have been much better to organize by a harmonious consultation of the respective local civil authorities of the municipalities called Ayuntamientos, than by a popular commotion, without the intervention of any recognised legal existing authority.
The circumstances of the case, and the purity of my motives are certainly worthy of consideration—
Texas when I left in 1833 was almost in a state of nature as to its local government—it was in danger of anarchy on the one hand, and of being destroyed by the uncivilized and hostile Indians on the other—these things oppressed me and I may have lost patience—
“The inestimable value of the liberty of the press would not be known, if it were not evident, that with it nothing is to be feared from any arbitrary power.”
Political evils of society are like bad habits in individuals easy to cure in their birth or origin, but very difficult when they have taken deep root.—The political evils of Texas are in their birth, and easy to cure by a proper organization of the local government—
“People in office do more wrong by the foolish things they say, than by the foolish acts they commit.”—So said Terray, minister of Louis 15th, on the accession of Louis 16th
The fable of Prometheus, whose heart was devoured every day by a vulture, being renewed at night for the horrible feast of the day following, represents the imaginary sufferings of mankind— We arise in the morning filled with projects, desires and occupations which destroy our felicity, like the vulture eating the heart of Prometheus—
At night we throw ourselves into bed tired out and miserable, solely that our natures may recover strength to sustain the miseries of the following day—What madness! what folly it is, to permit our thoughts to be converted into the vulture of Prometheus! how to avoid it? Limiting ourselves to what is necessary, to what is substantial, and enjoying life as it comes, without thinking or troubling ourselves about that which we do not possess, or which does not concern us, nor about what may happen hereafter—Very well, according to this man would become a being mentally torpid, that would only exist to breathe, eat and sleep—an animal. Well, what remedy is there then? The remedy is found in conducting ourselves justly, prudently and rationally between an extreme of cares, and an extreme of torpidity—What rule is there to ascertain this? When we find ourselves restless and the head or passions excited for any project or idea, to analize it, applying to it these questions. Is it just, is it practicable, is it necessary—what benefit will result to our fellow men or to ourselves—what may be the immediate or future consequences of it? Well, according to this we should never act mentally or physically unless justice, reason and judgement, previous examination and mature analysis should qualify as just, practicable, necessary &c whatever we think of doing—and we should never act with impatience, impulse or passion—Yes, so it is. And how many men act thus? very few—perhaps none. Unfortunately the duty &the acts of mankind in general are like the religion of Rome, in theory divine, in practice infernal. How can this be said of a religion whose foundation is perfect harmony, a union of principles, &of action? Because the history and conduct of Rome demonstrate it, from the time her first Bishop usurped from the other Bishops the right of governing their respective dioceses as to spiritual matters. The power of the pope originated from usurpation, and not from divine creation &in order not to deviate from the principles of its origin the pontiffs have gone on usurping and robbing from that time to the present, adding temporal or regal powers, as if it were possible that God, or divine and spiritual things, could be divine, perfect, pure &immortal; and at the same time human, imperfect, corrupt, tangible, sensual &mortal, thus uniting a contradiction which is palpable, monstrous and subversive of the foundation of the religion of Christ—which foundation is purity. How can purity exist in unity with the passions, interests &corruptions of temporal or human things? That which is pure, perfect, &immortal, cannot be united with that which is impure, imperfect, &mortal, &form a compound body, thing, or essence, without changing its nature or original principles; as for example, white can not be mixed with black, &always remain white; nevertheless mankind have seen the pure white of the religion of Christ mixed by Rome with the black passions, &human things without being aware that in this union the white has disappeared &the black has predominated.—What blindness, what prejudice, what ignorance! Those who are in favour of religious intolerance, and of the temporal power of the clergy, have not analized their thoughts by the rule before mentioned, nor by any other rule, except by that of their private interest, of despotism, injustice, robbery &usurpation, or by ignorance unworthy of civilized men.
In the dungeon 20th April 1834 10
April 26th 1834 I obtained two volumes of the “Oeuvres de Platon traduites par Victor Cousin”.
27th April. Political philosophy—
The people, or I should say the patriots of Mexico conceived, put in execution, &are perfecting the most difficult, grand &noble work, which has been known &seen in the world since the days of Adam—the establishment of a sistem of government popular, liberal, &free, in a country where the customs &opinions of the people are diametrically opposed &repugnant to such a sistem, a work more worthy divine power, than of human debility. Political writers have set it down as a dogma or axiom that in the formation of Governments a natural course of things should be followed—what they call the natural course of things, is that Government, should be constructed, according to the customs prejudices and existing ideas of the great mass of the people, &that it would be unnatural, forcible &dangerous to attempt to regulate or accomodate these customs, prejudices &ideas to a system to which the people were repugnant &opposed. Up to this time we have seen mankind, who had to organize themselves, follow the natural course spoken of by the political writers or philosophers, and Mexico alone has the glory of having demonstrated the contrary, and of proving that the genuine principles of liberty &of truth are of divine origin, and as such are stronger than the customs and erroneous ideas which are of human origin, &therefore that the first principles are of more value, even in the abstract, than the second, notwithstanding the last are rooted and fortified by the practice of centuries. The United States of the North have the glory of having demonstrated, the practicability &advantage of a popular system for a people whose customs &opinions were prepared beforehand, for that system. This was a grand step which excited the admiration of the civilized world, &caused the thrones &gothic institutions of Europe to tremble. Mexico has the glory of having done much more &has gone beyond the people of the north in having demonstrated that the principles of truth &liberty in the abstract, or of themselves are essentially more strong than the prejudices &erroneous customs, &that the latter may be destroyed notwithstanding the force which they derive, from the practice of centuries, or from the veneration which their great antiquity may attract for them.
What a flattering lesson is this for oppressed nations, &how fearful a one for the tyrants of Europe: they, with the Pope (falsely called the most holy) at their head sustain that their power is of divine origin &that it is necessary to exercise it on the people because they cannot govern themselves, it may be, as some say, because they are naturally degraded &cannot pass above the level of slaves; or it may be, as others say, because their manners &customs are so bad that they cannot enjoy freedom without injury to themselves, like children with a penknife. Mexico answers this, denying that despotism &usurpation have such a divine origin, on the contrary, that their origin is human &therefore must yield to that which is truly divine or to principles of Liberty &truth.
These principles find a sympathy, a reception and a natural &instinctive or spontaneous protection in that part of man which has equally a divine origin, that is to say in the soul; because both spring from the same source, which is divine &consequently stronger than human inventions &things &must prevail.
If this power of kings &of other despots is of divine origin it should not perish or be weakened because otherwise we must admit that the works of providence are mortal &perishable.
April 29. Today padre Muldoon came to visit me by permission of President Santana, &so I knew that the president had returned to Mexico six days ago—I did not know it before— I know nothing of what passes outside, no one is allowed to speak to me, nor am I with anybody I am incomunicadisimo. What a system of jurisprudence is this of confining those accused or suspected without permitting them to take any steps to make manifest their innocence or to procure proofs for their trial, they can neither consult with counsel, lawyer, friend or anybody— I do not know of what I am accused how can I prepare my defence? perhaps, I will have to send to Texas for proofs of my innocence, how can I do so, being shut up—&incommunicated. This system may be in conformity with law, but I am ignorant of which law—or of what rights the party accused has, but it is very certain that such a system is in no wise in conformity with justice, reason or common sense.
Mail from Nacogdoches to river Sabine at Gains ferry every two weeks, 20 leagues distant.
This mail ought to arrive from the Sabine at Nacogdoches the day before the mail leaves that place for Bexar. I recommend James Gains as postmaster on the Sabine. He is a Mexican citizen since the year 1820 married to a Mexican &understands the English and Spanish languages, &has a house &property on the river Sabine sufficient to live with comfort.
The mail from the U. S. of the North arrives at the Sabine in front of Gains house, so that it will be very easy to change the correspondence at that point, and so establish a communication by mail from all places in Mexico with every place in the United States of the North. For the said exchange all that is necessary is that the government of the north should be advised through their charge here, of the desire of this Govt to change the correspondence on the Sabine.
The postage on letters &papers on each side should be paid to the line, &after passing should pay such postage as is required by the laws of the respective republics.
2. Number obliterated. See p. 191
3. Word obliterated.
4. Word indecipherable.
5. Word obliterated.
6. Remainder of word and number obliterated.
7. Indecipherable.
8. Indecipherable.
9. This date is an evident slip of the copyist's pen.
10. This date evidently refers back.
How to cite:
"THE “PRISON JOURNAL” OF STEPHEN F. AUSTIN ", Volume 002, Number 3, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 183 - 210. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v002/n3/article_1.html
[Accessed Mon Dec 1 17:55:59 CST 2008]
