account of all expenses, and also of the amount receivedand if he has not received the amount disbursed, he is entitled to receive the balance due to him when the Ferry is surrendered to the State.

Spanish Language.

By Art. 26 of Instruction to Commissioners, by the Act of the Legislature of Coahuila and Texas, of the 4th September, 1827, all public instruments, titles, or other documents issued by the Commissioner, shall be written in Spanish ; the memorials, report, and decrees of the Colonists, or Empresarios, on any subject whatever, shall be written in the same language, whether they are to be transmitted to Government or preserved in the archives of the colony.

Mexican Families.

By Art. 7 of the Act of the Mexican Congress, of the 6th April, 1830, Mexican Families who may voluntarily desire to become Colonists, shall be conveyed free of expense, subsisted during the first year, and receive a grant of land and the necessary implements of husbandry. They must conform to the laws of Colonization of the Federation and State in which they are settled.

Convicts removed to New Colonies.

By Arts. 5 and 6 of the Law of the Mexican Republic, of the 6th of April, 1830, Government may cause such number of convicts, destined for Vera Cruz and other places, as it may deem proper to be conducted to the colonies it may establish, to be employed in constructing fortifications, public buildings, and roads, which the respective Commissions may deem necessary, and at the expiration of service the convicts shall be furnished with land, if they desire to become colonists, subsistence for one year, and implements of husbandry: Government will pay the expense of such families as may desire to accompany them.

Government to appoint Agents to visit New Colonies.

By Art. 3 of the Laws of Mexico, of the 6th April, 1830, the Government shall appoint one or more Commissioners to visit the Colonies of the frontier States; to contract with the Legislatures of those States for the purchase, by the nation, of lands for the establishment of New Colonies

of Mexicans and Foreigners; to make arrangements for the security of the Republic within the Colonies already established; to watch over the exact compliance of the contracts on the entrance of new colonists, and to investigate how far the contracts already made have been complied with.

Foreigners.

By Art. 7 of the Law of the Mexican Republic, of the 18th of August, 1824, until after the year 1840 the General Congress shall not prohibit the entrance of any foreigner, as a colonist, unless imperious circumstances should require it, with respect to the individuals of a particular nation.

By Art. 8 of the same Law, Government, without prejudicing the objects of this law, shall take such precautionary measures as it may deem expedient for the security of the confederation, as respects the foreigners who come to colonize.

Government authorised to expend 500,000 dollars for

Fortifications.

By Art. 14 of the Law of Mexico, of the 6th of April, 1830, the Government is authorised to expend five hundred thousand dollars on the construction of fortifications and public buildings on the frontier, in the transportation of convicts and Mexican families to the new colonies, in the subsistence of such during one year, in implements of husbandry, transportation of troops, and premiums to agriculturists who may distinguish themselves in the colonies, and for the general purpose contemplated by the foregoing articles. The twentieth part of duties received on coarse cotton goods shall be employed to encourage cotton manufactories, by purchasing looms, machinery, &c., by furnishing small sums to aid in their establishment, to be apportioned among the States where this branch of industry exists, to be placed at the disposition of the Minister of Marine.

Executive can grant Lands to the Military.

By Art. 10 of the Law of Mexico, of the 18th of August, 1824, the military, who, in virtue of the offer made on the 27th March, 1821, have a right to lands, shall be attended to, by the States, in conformity to the diplomas which are issued to that effect by the Supreme Executive Power; and

by Art. 11 of the same Act, in virtue of the last article, and taking into consideration the probability of life, if the Supreme Executive Power should deem it expedient to alienate any portion of lands in favour of any officer, civil or military, of the Federation, it can do so from the vacant lands of the territories.

Public Works.

Art. 44 of the Law of Coahuila and Texas, of the 24th March, 1825. For the opening and improving of Roads, and other Public Works, in Texas, the Government will transmit to the chief of that department the individuals who in other parts of the State may have been sentenced to public works as vagrants, or for other crimes; and as soon as their term of condemnation has expired, they can unite themselves as settlers and obtain lands, if within the opinion of the Political Chief their reformation has made them worthy of such favour, without whose certificate they shall not be admitted.

Special Exemptions.

Law of Coahuila and Texas, 13th January, 1829, provides that until twelve years after possession, the lands acquired by virtue of the colonization laws, whether they be the general lands of the nation or particular lands of the state, by national or foreign colonists, or empresarios, shall not be subject to the payment of debts contracted previous to the acquisition of said lands, whatever may be the origin of said debts. After the expiry of twelve years, although the empresarios and colonists are open to the demand of such debts, they are not obliged to pay them with said lands, farming utensils, or instruments of their trade or merchandise.

Mode of Application.

By a Decree of the Congress of Coahuila and Texas, dated the 27th of March, 1831, it is decreed that any person petitioning Government for land, or using documents requiring stamped paper, must apply by himself or by proxy in order to secure the fees to Government, otherwise his application will receive no attention.

488

APPENDIX.-No. IV.

DECLARATION

OF THE

PEOPLE OF TEXAS,

AND

PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT,

PROCLAIMED AND ADOPTED IN

GENERAL CONVENTION,

HELD AT SAN FELIPE DE AUSTIN, NOVEMBER 3, 1835.

Declaration of the People of Texas in General Convention assembled.

WHEREAS General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and other military chieftains have, by force of arms, overthrown the federal institutions of Mexico, and dissolved the social compact which existed between Texas and the other members of the Mexican Confederacy: now, the good People of Texas, availing themselves of their natural rights,

SOLEMNLY DECLARE

1st. That they have taken up arms in defence of their rights and liberties, which were threatened by the encroachments of military despots, and in defence of the Republican Principles of the Federal Constitution of Mexico of eighteen hundred and twenty-four.

2nd. That Texas is no longer, morally or civilly, bound by the Compact of Union; yet, stimulated by the generosity and sympathy common to a free people, they offer their support and assistance to such of the members of the

Mexican Confederacy as will take up arms against military despotism.

3rd. That they do not acknowledge that the present authorities of the nominal Mexican Republic have the right to govern within the limits of Texas.

4th. That they will not cease to carry on war against the said authorities, whilst their troops are within the limits of Texas.

5th. That they hold it to be their right during the disorganization of the Federal System, and the reign of despotism, to withdraw from the Union, to establish an independent Government, or to adopt such measures as they may deem best calculated to protect their rights and liberties; but that they will continue faithful to the Mexican Government so long as that nation is governed by the Constitution. and laws that were formed for the government of the Political Association.

6th. That Texas is responsible for the expenses of her armies now in the field.

7th. That the public faith of Texas is pledged for the payment of any debts contracted by her agents.

8th. That she will reward by donations in land all who volunteer their services in her present struggle, and receive them as citizens.

These DECLARATIONS we solemnly avow to the world, and call GOD to witness their truth and sincerity; and invoke defeat and disgrace upon our heads, should we prove guilty of duplicity.

Plan and Powers of the Provisional Government of Texas.

ARTICLE I.

That there shall be, and there is hereby created, a Provisional Government for Texas, which shall consist of a Governor, a Lieutenant-Governor, and a General Council, to be elected from this body, one member from each municipality, by the majority of each separate delegation present; and the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor shall be elected by this body,

ARTICLE II.

The Lieutenant-Governor shall be President of the Coun