troops. 3. The laws that governed Texas were in a foreign language. 4. The courts and officers were six hundred miles distant; hence months and sometimes years passed before a trial could be obtained.*

Commissioners.-Stephen F. Austin, W. H. Wharton, and J. B. Miller were appointed commissioners to carry the memorial to Mexico and press the claims of Texas. Austin alone went.

Austin's Imprisonment-When, in the spring of 1833, Austin reached the capital, he found that city, as usual, disturbed by a revolution. He stated his cause, but was told that the President and his officers had more important subjects to consider. Texas must bide her time. After months of weary waiting, Austin, in despair, wrote his people (October 2, 1833) to form themselves in a separate State without Mexico's consent, for Texas had no chance of obtaining any thing from the Mexican officials.

*The following short extract will show the style and spirit of the Memorial. Speaking of the condition of Texas, it reads: "Bexar is still exposed to the depredation of her ancient enemies, the insolent, vindictive, faithless Comanches. Her citizens are still massacred, their cattle destroyed or driven away, and their very habitations threatened. Her schools are neglected, her churches desolate ; the sounds of human industry are almost hushed, and the voice of gladness and festivity turned into lamentations by the disheartening evils which surround her defenseless population. . . We believe if Texas were admitted to the Union as a separate State, she would soon figure as a brilliant star in the Mexican constellation, and would shed a new splendor around the illustrious city of Montezuma. .... England never aspired to the "dominion of the seas," until she had united the hardiness of Scotland and the gallantry of Ireland to her native prowess. And Mexico may yet realize the period when the descendants of the Montezumas will rejoice that their coalition with the successors of Fernando Cortes has been strengthened by the adoption into their national family of a people drawn by their own gratuitous hospitality from the land of Washington and freedom,"

In December he started home. His letter was seized and read by an officer, who, thinking it treasonable, sent it to President Farias.*

When Austin reached Saltillo (säl teel' yō), he was arrested as a traitor and taken back to Mexico, where he was kept a prisoner for nineteen months. Fifteen months of that time he was kept in solitary confinement, not allowed even writing materials. He asked again and again for a trial, but in vain.†

Santa Anna and Austin.-In May, 1834, Santa Anna re-assumed his duties as President, and in October called a council to hear Austin's plea for Texas. Austin's earnest eloquence won from the President promises to repeal the decree forbidding Americans to emigrate to Texas, to establish a regular mail system, and to station four thousand soldiers at Bexar (bā har') for the protection of the country. With these favors Texas, he said, must be content, nor should she dare even dream of separation from Coahuila until Mexico desired. Austin was still kept

* Santa Anna had for the time turned over the government to his VicePresident, Farias, and was devoting himself to forming schemes for making himself absolute ruler.

↑ Dewers, one of Austin's colonists, writes: "We have been considering how we might liberate Austin. We decided at one time to send two or three men to Mexico, with a petition for his release; if we failed in this way, we thought we would send on an armed force and release him in that way. We are deter mined to free him if at the risk of our lives. Austin is bound to us by many and strong ties, and we can not bear that he should suffer. He is our empresario, the one who settled us here, a friend to whom we have looked for counsel in war and peace. He has cared for us as a father cares for his children; he has endured with us trials and hardships. We are determined he shall be free." The cooler heads among the colonists persuaded the Texans to take no step toward freeing Austin, till they heard from him.

a prisoner; why, no one could tell, though many inquiries were made by his anxious friends in Texas.

Santa Anna's Schemes.-For some time Santa Anna had been planning to throw off his mask of devotion to his country and claim unlimited power. Early in 1834, he saw he could bring both the Church and the army to

his support; though he had a short time before been the open enemy of the Church, he now became an earnest friend. A revolution ensued. Santa Anna was successful; he became in a measure absolute ruler of Mexico.

Being keen enough to see that Texas was settled by a superior class of men, and wishing to have them on his side, he called the council mentioned in the last topic. It is supposed that he held Austin as a hostage for the good behavior of the Texans. During 1835, he continued the work that was to destroy the free Republic of Mexico. He had a Congress elected that had no will but his own. Under his orders it commanded the Legislatures of various Mexican States to dissolve. Most of the States obeyed. When one resisted, Santa Anna hurled upon the inhabitants his cruel soldiers, who killed, burned, and plundered to their hearts' content.

IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF TEXAS REVOLUTION.

Hearing that Texas was not disposed to yield to his power, Santa Anna decided to crush this dangerous spirit of revolution. His first attempt to carry out these plans proved to be the spark that was needed to set ablaze the smoldering fires of the Texas Revolution.

THE YEAR 1835.

Committees of Safety.-Early in this year, the colonists held meetings and appointed Committees of Safety, that were to take charge of public matters and keep the different sections of the State informed as to what was going on. They also declared themselves in favor of a separation from Coahuila, with or without Mexico's consent. They made arrangements for a general consultation of

delegates sent from all parts of Texas. They did not, however, renounce their allegiance to Mexico; they only demanded justice at her hands.

General Cos.-In September, Santa Anna sent into Texas some four hundred additional troops, under command of General Cos. The general and his men took every occasion to proclaim their mission in the following terms: "General Cos, with his troops, intends to overrun Texas, establish custom-houses and detachments of his army where he thinks proper, to disarm the people, drive out all Americans who have come to Texas since 1830, and to punish those who have insulted the supreme government of Mexico and refused obedience to its laws." The Texans made a solemn vow that, with God's help, General Cos should find that American freemen would never submit to such tyranny.

Austin's Return.—About this time, Austin, having been released, returned to his home, after an absence of more than two years. His reception was such as to have touched the coldest heart. Old friends gathered about him; tears and sobs mingled with the smiles of welcome. Austin was deeply moved. All turned to him for advice. He approved their Committees of Safety and the plan for a general consultation.* Up to this date the Texans had

* In a speech made to a large crowd that had come to welcome him, Austin said: "My friends, I can truly say that no one has been, or is now, more anxious than myself to keep trouble away from this country. No one has been, or is now, more faithful to his duty as a Mexican citizen. But how can I, or any one, remain indifferent when our rights, our all appear to be in jeopardy? It is impossible. The crisis is such, that something must be done, and that without