Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/43

Rh Indians prowling about their towns. On the 17th of January, 1821, Moses Austin, a citizen of the United States, obtained permission from the supreme government of the eastern internal provinces of New Spain, to settle in Texas with a colony of his countrymen; and in December of the same year, his son, Stephen F. Austin, arrived on the river Brazos with the first settlers from the United States. These colonists, and those who afterwards joined them, have often been termed "speculators and adventurers;" but the same language might be applied, with nearly, if not quite as much propriety, to nine-tenths of the inhabitants of the valley of the Mississippi and its tributaries. Their energy and activity contrasted most favorably with the indolent habits and snail-like progress of the Spanish inhabitants, and in a few years changed the Whole aspect of the country.

The Spanish population of Texas, it must be admitted, were not, at first, well disposed to the American settlers; but the importance of strengthening themselves against the Indian depredators on their northern frontier, and, subsequently, against the efforts of Spain to reconquer her revolted provinces, led to the adoption of measures designed to encourage and promote immigration from the United States, and from other countries. On the 4th of January, 1823, the Mexican Congress passed a national colonization law, which was approved by the Emperor Iturbide, and on the 18th of February following, a decree was issued authorizing Austin to proceed with his settlement. After the abdication and overthrow of the emperor, this decree was confirmed by the first executive council, in accordance with the special directions of Congress. The federal constitution of Mexico, similar to that of