David Burnet to James Collinsworth and Peter W. Grayson, May 26, 1836

Summary: Burnet told Collinsworth and Grayson that they were to proceed to Washington as representatives from Texas to obtain help in ending the war with Mexico and achieving Texas independence. He also instructed them to find out the terms required for Texas to join the Union. Finally, Burnet laid out six terms Texas demanded before annexation to the United States, including declaring all laws passed by the Texas government valid, keeping slavery legal, and protecting citizens of Texas who were foreign born.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

REPUBLIC OF TEXAS

Velasco 26th May 1836

TO JAMES COLLINSWORTH AND PETER W. GRAYSON

GENTLEMEN;

By these presents you are appointed Commissioners on the part of this Government to proceed to the City of Washington in the United States and obtaining access to the Executive and Cabinet of that Government present yourselves as duly empowered and instructed by the Executive and Cabinet of the Government ad interim of Texas, to solicit the friendly mediation of the former, to produce a cessation of the war, between Texas and Mexico, upon terms just and honorable to both parties to the end of procuring the recognition of the Independence of Texas by Mexico and you will also use your best exertions to procure the acknowledgment of that Independence by the Government of the United States.

You are further instructed to say; that in the opinion of this Government, the annexation of Texas to the United States as a member of that confederacy, would be for many weighty reasons highly acceptable to the people of this Country. You will in the event of your being received with the frankness and consideration due to your Commission and with indications of a desire to hold communication with you on this subject, respectfully enquire the terms upon which in the opinion of the authorities you address, the proposed event might be attained and you will on your part state with candor the terms upon which as you think, it would be acceptable to the people of Texas.

From time to time, during the pendency of the intercourse you will hold under your Commission, you will advise this Government of the progress you are making and of all important facts which seem to favor or obstruct the end in view. And when you shall have arrived, through the medium of a free intercourse of sentiments at what you may consider the best understanding that is to be had on the subject, you will without delay, communicate the substance of all you have ascertained, to your Government, and then feel yourselves at liberty to return.

In your suggestions of the probable terms upon which the people of Texas might be disposed to come into the Union of the United States it will be proper for you to point out the following as in your opinion indispensable.

First. You will insist on a stipulation that all the laws Civil or Penal, acts and obligations, either legal or equitable, of the present Government of Texas and of the Provisional Government which preceded it under the declaration of the Seventh of November last shall be respected and held valid.

Second. That bona fide[sic] settlers in Texas shall be protected in their right to so much land as they can rightfully claim in virtue of laws under which they imigrated[sic], and that all bona fide[sic] grants of land of whatever denomination, that have been regularly located or are justly entitled to location, shall be held good and valid; and shall not be adjudged defective for any failure to comply with formal requisitions, such as cultivation in toto, erecting land marks, paying annual fees or dues to the Government and the like, the object being, that when the grant was good at the beginning it shall continue to be held so, upon the party hereafter complying with neglected requisitions so far as they may be legally insisted on.

Third: That Slavery shall be allowed in Texas, of persons of African derivation and that all persons of that description now in Texas and held as Slaves shall be respected as the property of their respective owners.

Fourth. That all Citizens of Texas who may be bound to Citizens of Foreign Countries, for debts contracted previous to their coming hither, shall in respect of such debts be protected from suits, for and during the term of years

Fifth. That liberal appropriations of public land shall be made for the endowment of Seminaries of learning, Colleges, and other institutions of public utility.

Sixth. That all Act[s] and Ordinances or penal laws, declaring as subject to confiscation or forfeiture property, of any description, either real or personal, for causes specified in the same, shall be duly respected and allowed to be carried out by the authorities of Texas.

Velasco 26 May 1836

Your obt[sic] Servt.

DAVID G BURNET

Source Copy Consulted: David Burnet to James Collinsworth and Peter W. Grayson, May 26, 1836, in George Garrison, ed., Diplomatic Correspondence of the Republic of Texas, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1908, (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1911), 3 vols., 2:89-91