The grants made to colonists in Texas, under the laws of Mexico, and of the State of Coahuila and Texas, and by Texas since her independence have been established by the official records in the several land offices, are as follows: Grants issued at Nacogdoches, from 1791 to 1835. on the Eastern Frontier, in 1835-6 Acres. 2,583,647 742,923 and R. Preebles . sold by the State of Coahuila and Texas Titles issued by the Republic of Texas, such as bounty lands, head rights, dona tions, &c., are estimated at 701,394 6,012,753 45,000,000 Of the grants made by Texas, 15,000,000 are still unlocated, and as the laws of Texas, under which these grants have been made, not only respect, but have emanated from, the fundamental laws of Mexico, it is necessary here to give a limited abstract of them. "The first colonization law of Mexico, of 1823, enacts, That an empresario, who introduces 200 families, shall receive a premium of three haciendos and two labors of land, provided the families are located within twelve years from the date of the empresario's contract. * These grants were made by the state legislature of Coahuila and Texas, and by special acts of the Texan congress are declared invalid. "That a vava shall be reckoned three geometrical feet; a straight line of 5,000 vavas shall be called a league; a square, whose sides shall be a league, shall be called a scitio ;* and five scitios, a haciendo; a square of one million vavas on each side, a labor.+ "That an empresario's premium shall not exceed nine haciendos, and six labors, whatever may be the number of families he introduces; and that families who shall emigrate to Texas, independent of an empresario, shall receive a title to locate a league and labor of land, from the Ayuntamientos."‡ "Second colonization law of Mexico, of 1824, under the federal executive power, enacts, That no land shall be colonized within twenty leagues of the boundary line of Texas, or any foreign nation, nor within ten leagues of the sea coast, without the express sanction of the executive power,§ and that no law shall be passed, prohibiting the introduction of foreigners, until 1840. "ARTICLE 12.-No one individual shall be allowed to derive from the government, by purchase or otherwise, more than eleven leagues of land; and that no person can hold land if he resides out of the republic of Mexico." The first colonization law of the State of Coahuila and Texas, of 1825, enacts, That no lands. can be located within twenty leagues of the boundary line of the United States, nor within ten leagues of the sea coast, unless with the approbation of the general government of Mexico. *A scitio of land is equal to 4,428 acres English. † A labor is 177 acres English. The first colonization law of Mexico is generally supposed to apply exclusively to Austin's colony, but I am of a different opinion, and I contend that it is a general public act, and not a private and personal act. § See Provisions of the Texan Constitution, relative to land titles. BB "ARTICLE 8.-That no colonization or empresario grant is held to be good, unless 100 families at least have been introduced under the grant. "ARTICLE 10.-That a preference shall be given to the military and Mexican citizens founded on service and merit. "ARTICLE 12.—That an empresario shall receive for each 100 families introduced five sitios and five labors of grazing land, one half of which shall be without the facility of irrigation; but an empresario must introduce at least 100 families to entitle him to a premium. "ARTICLE 13.-That an empresario who acquires more than eleven leagues of land shall alienate the surplus, or have it sold at public sale, within twelve years. "ARTICLE 17.-That the government may increase the quantity of land to emigrants, according to the industry of the family; but not to exceed eleven leagues. "ARTICLE 22.—That the government dues on the location of land shall be as follows: For a sitio of pasture land Doll. Cts. 30 00 For a labor without the facility of irrigation And that the said dues shall be paid into the receipt of the landoffice for the district in which said land is situate, as follows: One-third in four years; one third in five years; one-third in six years but in case of non-payment of said dues, the land to be forfeited.* "ARTICLE 24.-That land may be sold by the government to Mexicans, and Mexican citizens only, on the following terms:"One hundred dollars for a sitio of pasture land. "One hundred and fifty dollars for a sitio of farming land. *The above clause does not apply to grants made to empresarios for their services as empresarios, and to the military. They are exempt from forfeiture and government dues. "Two hundred and fifty dollars for a sitio if capable of being irrigated; but no one individual can buy or hold more than eleven leagues, and the purchaser is bound to cultivate all he acquires in six years." The second colonization law of the State of Coahuila and Texas, commonly called the Labor Act, 1833-4, enacts,— "That no further grants of land shall be made to empresarios, and that no extension of time shall be given to empresarios for the completion of existing contracts. "That all lands granted to coLONISTS shall be considered as fully cultivated, so soon as the grantee places on said land, 125 large cattle, such as horses, mules, or cows,* &c., or 250 small cattle, i. e. sheep, goats, or swine.† "That a commissioner-general shall be appointed, to have all the vacant lands of the public domain remaining after the completion of the existing empresario contracts, surveyed and divided into labors of 177 acres, and offered for public sale at the minimum price of ten dollars per labor. "That no colonist shall in any way be molested for his religion, or belief, so long as he does not disturb the public peace. "That all purchasers of land alienated by colonists shall be held responsible to the government for the original conditions of settlement, and for all land dues on the same." The third colonization law of Coahuila and Texas, 2nd May, 1835, enacts,— "That all persons and families who have emigrated to Texas previous to this date, if they have not before obtained their land, shall be entitled to the benefit of the colonization laws; and that those who arrived before the 28th April, 1832, shall pay the fees + Ginado minor. *Ginado major. |