Post #7 in the continuation of the biography of Stephen F. Austin written by Eugene C. Barker. A historical re-enactment of his funeral procession will begin at 9 am, Dec. 27 at the replica of the First Capitol of the Republic and ending at the Gulf Coast Prairie Cemetery in Jones Creek. Who was Stephen F. Austin and why is he important to West Columbia? Aware of the importance of external trade, Austin consistently urged the establishment of ports and the temporary legalization of coasting trade in foreign ships. In lengthy arguments to various officials, he declared that the coasting trade would establish ties of mutual interest between the colonists and Mexico and enable Mexico to balance imports from England by exporting Texas cotton. Congress legalized the port of Galveston after a survey of the pass by Austin in 1825, and the government winked at the use of the Brazos and other landing places, but the coasting trade in foreign vessels was not established. As a result, external trade was confined to the United States. As early as 1829 and as late as 1835 Austin was giving thought to diversion of the Missouri-Santa Fe trade to Texas, but this was another far-sighted plan that could not be realized.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 16:22:58 +0000
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