I found some of the emigrants disappointed, discontented and unhappy;
and I met one man on his return to the land from whence he came. He
was from Tennessee, had moved into Texas with his family and a small
portion of his goods in a wagon; but they all did not like the country
so well as the one they had left, and unanimously agreed to return. It
was a tedious and expensive journey, but not altogether useless. It
will teach them more highly to prize their own country, neighborhood
and privileges, and induce them to spend the remainder of their days
with contented minds.
Before a man with a family makes up his mind to emigrate to a new,
unsettled and distant country, he ought well to consider of the
subject. Emigration, like matrimony, ought to be fully considered; as
a bad move in this particular, is attended by many evils, and cannot
well be remedied. In the first place, it is the best way to "let well
enough alone." If an individual be well settled in life, has profitable
employment, well supports himself and family and gains a little every
year, dwells in an agreeable neighborhood, has the privilege of sending
his children to school, and of attending public worship, why should
he wish to remove? Why should he wish to go into the wilderness,
endure the fatigues of a long journey, and the many hardships and
deprivations, necessarily attendant upon a removal to the most favored
spot in the new world? This life is too short and uncertain to be spent
in making doubtful experiments. It is wise, to live where we can be the
most useful and happy ourselves, and where we have the fairest prospect
of rendering others so, with whom we are connected.
But the young man who has no lucrative employment, and the married man
who has to labor hard to gain a scanty subsistence for himself and
family, would do well to go to the rich prairies of the south or west.
He ought to be careful not to be too much elated with the prospect
before him, for disappointment, fatigue and suffering most assuredly
await him. It is not "a light thing" to travel with a family of goods
two or three thousand miles.--He ought to accustom his mind to dwell
upon hardship and suffering, before he commences his journey. Young
says--
"Our only lesson is to learn to suffer;
And he who knows not that, was born for nothing."
But on his arrival at his location in the new world, however fine, rich
and elegant the situation may be, he will feel disappointed and sad.
This is perfectly natural; and although some may have too much pride to
acknowledge it, yet they all have a strangeness of feeling pervading
their breasts, that is sometimes painful in the extreme. Perhaps
the emigrant had never before travelled far from the smoke of his
father's dwelling, and had spent his life hitherto in the neighborhood
where he was born, and where his early and innocent attachments were
formed. He now finds himself in a new country, far away from the
ever-to-be-remembered scenes of his childhood, and he looks abroad upon
the world around him, in sadness of heart; for it is a world, however
beautiful it may be, that is a stranger to him, and with which he has
no sympathy. Not to feel, under such circumstances as these, indicates
something more or less than man. And this strange, lonely feeling is
hardly softened down and mitigated, by the well known fact, that his
new location is far superior to the one he has left. The inhabitants
of Nantucket are proverbially attached to that island of sand, and
are discontented and unhappy in the most fertile towns and beautiful
villages on the continent.
The emigrant ought to think of all these things, before he leaves
his native village. But when he has become located in the new world,
it will not do to shrink back and despond. He must brace himself to
the task before him, and cheer up his family, who in fact need some
cheering, for exchanging a well built house and pleasant associates,
for the rude log hut and wild beasts of the forests. They will all
soon become acquainted with the new world and form new associations.
A well built house will shortly take the place of the rude cabin, and
emigrants will settle near them, to whom they will become attached.
The rich fields will produce an abundant harvest, and large herds of
cattle will be seen feeding on the luxuriant grass. He will soon gain a
competency, live at ease, and become contented and happy.
The inhabitants have a strong belief that Texas will at some future
day become one of the United States; but I think this, extremely
doubtful. It is more probable, that it will in time become an
independent sovereignty. It is now one of the Mexican States, and
the seat of the general government is in the city of Mexico. The
confederacy is composed of quite a number of States, and Texas sends
its due proportion of representatives to the general Congress, to
make laws for the whole. These States have never been well agreed in
their form of government, or in the men for rulers. Revolutions, and
counter-revolutions, have been the order of the day at the seat of the
general government; but Texas is too much settled by Americans, and is
too far removed from these intestine commotions to be much affected by
them.
Col. Stephen F. Austin, to whom the first colony was granted, and
who has been the indefatigable pioneer in the settlement of Texas,
has generally been its representative in the general government. In
the spring of 1834, he was at the seat of government, but so great
were the divisions that little business could be done. He considered
the country in a state of revolution, and wrote home to a friend of
his, that he believed Texas had better take care of itself and form a
government of its own. This friend proved treacherous, enclosed his
letter to the President, and sent it to the city of Mexico. It was
received just after Col. Austin had left the city on his return home.
He was pursued, arrested, brought back and put in prison. He was for
awhile kept in close confinement; and then, let out on his giving bonds
to confine himself to the limits of the city. When I was in Texas, it
was believed, he would shortly be liberated, and was daily expected
home; but I have since learned, that he was not liberated until some
months after my return.
It requires not the gift of prophecy to tell what the end of these
things will be. Texas will become tired of belonging to such a
discordant confederacy; and when their population shall have
sufficiently increased to insure success, will throw off the yoke, and
form a government of their own. But at all events, it will soon be
disjoined from Cohahuila, establish its own State government, and elect
its own officers. The seat of government will probably be San Felipe,
on the Brazos river.
In some publications the people of Texas have been slandered. They
have been called a set of robbers and murderers, screening themselves
from justice, by fleeing from their own country and coming to this. It
would be strange, indeed, if there were not such instances; but whoever
travels over the country, will find them as pleasant, obliging and kind
as any people in the United States. In the towns, you generally find a
billiard room; and near it, a race-course. At these resorts, are found
the favorite amusements of the inhabitants. I went all through the
country, unarmed and unharmed; nor did I at any time feel in jeopardy
of life or limb. Their most prominent fault is, in being too fond of
pastime and hunting, to the neglect of tilling the land, building
decent houses, and procuring the conveniences of life.
The most healthy and pleasant portions of Texas are in the regions of
Nacogdoches; in the rolling country between the Brazos and Colorado;
and southward and westward of the latter river--in Beal's Grant, near
the Rio del Norte; and high up on the Brazos and its branches, in
Robinson's colony. But neither Galveston Bay, nor the flat country all
along the seacoast, is the place for a northern man. It is too much
infested with alligators, moccason snakes and moschetoes. It is more
suitable for southern planters, to be cultivated by the blacks.
But whoever emigrates with his family to Texas, let him, at all events,
carry with him bread stuffs to last six months; for there is no wheat
raised in the country, and only a small crop of corn for the supply
of its own inhabitants. Of course, bread stuffs are always dear, and
sometimes unattainable at any price. Cattle and hogs are plenty, and
wild game abundant, so that he could supply himself with meat in this
country.
The emigrant had better buy his cattle and horses here; for those
brought from a more northern climate do not thrive well, and often
die. A good serviceable horse may be bought for, from twenty to thirty
dollars; a cow with a calf by her side, for ten dollars; and a yoke of
oxen for about thirty dollars. The land is ploughed by oxen, horses and
mules; but journeys for the transportation of merchandize are performed
by oxen.
There is a mail running from the city of Mexico, through St. Felipe,
as far as Nacogdoches; but as the United States mail goes no farther
than Fort Jessup, the two mails do not meet each other, by seventy-five
miles. There is, therefore, no mail connection between the United
States and Texas. This is a serious inconvenience, and must shortly be
remedied. The only chance to send a letter either way, is by a private
conveyance. This is generally done by the captains of vessels.
The currency is silver and gold coin, bills of the United States Bank
and those of New Orleans.--Copper coins are not found in circulation at
the south and west. Texas has no bank of its own.
Thus much for my general view of Texas. I have endeavored to give a
true account of the country as it appeared to me. Perhaps it may not
be altogether acceptable to landholders and speculators. Be that as it
may, I believe I have performed an acceptable service to the emigrant,
by giving him a fair account of the country; and one that he will find
to be a true one, in all its essential particulars, on his arrival.
Live stock, cotton and sugar are and will be the great staples of the
country--grain will be of secondary consideration.
What, then, is the conclusion of the whole matter? Is Texas a desirable
place for a northern man? My opinion is, that if a northern man would
locate himself in the highlands of the country, he would enjoy health
as well as at the north; procure all the necessaries and conveniences
of life much easier; and might, in time, become independently rich. I
do think he would find the climate more pleasant, and more congenial to
his feelings, than a northern one; and his life probably attended by
more enjoyments.
I have been frequently asked, what particular spot in Texas is the most
desirable for an emigrant to settle in? My answer is, I cannot tell.
And whoever travels over the country, will be as much puzzled to tell
as I am. The fact is, there are hundreds of places offering about the
same inducements--all pleasant, healthy and agreeable. Among them, it
is quite immaterial what particular one the emigrant may select. I saw
an emigrant who had been in the country almost a year, and he had
been riding over it the chief part of the time, and still was unable
to make a selection. He said there were so many fine situations, so
nearly alike, that he found it difficult to give a decided preference
to any particular one. When he will be able to make up his mind, and
decide the question, I know not. The last time I saw him, he was still
on the wing; and for aught I know, he may keep in motion as long as the
far-famed Boston traveller, _Peter Rugg_, or the _Flying Dutchman_, and
never be able to find a spot of ground for a permanent abode! But this
emigrant is not to be "sneezed at." Questions of far less importance
have agitated the world; and who knows, but that the destiny of the
country, as well as his own, eminently depends upon his particular
location!
Again--I have been enquired of, what can a man do to make property in
Texas? I answer, he can go into trade in some of the villages, and
make large profits upon his goods. He can go on to a plantation, and
raise cotton, sugar, corn, or stock--any or all of these are easily
raised, and find a ready market. This is what he _may_ do; but what
he _will_ do, is altogether uncertain. He may become as indolent and
inattentive to business, as many of the inhabitants of the country. He
may spend his time in hunting, at the race-course, and at the billiard
table. _Here_, at the north, the great anxiety is, how we shall
live--wherewithal we shall be clothed, and how we can turn a penny
to "get gain;" _there_, the great concern is, how they shall employ
themselves to kill time. _Here_, we struggle hard to live; _there_,
they strive hard not to live. _Here_, we live in spite of nature;
_there_, nature makes them live in spite of themselves. Could an
emigrant know what course he would take on settling in Texas, he could
then tell, whether it would be better to go or remain. I have spread
the country open before him; let him judge for himself. And fortunate
is he, who gives heed to the experience of others, and makes a wise
choice.