Law of April 6, 1830

The Law of April 6, 1830 was issued because of the General Mier y Terán Report. The Law of April 6, 1830 angered many Mexicans, Tejanos, and Anglos alike in Texas. This decree placed a severe halt on American immigration to Mexico. The Texans wanted the 1824 General Colonization Law (Constitution of 1824) to be restored.

Background

In 1827 and 1829, the United States offered to purchase Mexican Texas. Both times, President Guadalupe Victoria declined to sell part of the border state.^[1] After the failed Fredonian Rebellion in east Texas, the Mexican government asked General Manuel Mier y Terán to investigate the outcome of the 1824 General Colonization Law in Texas. In 1829, Mier y Terán issued his report, which concluded that most Anglo Americans tried to isolate themselves from Mexicans. He also noted that slave reforms passed by the state were being ignored.^[2]

Almost all of Mier y Terán's recommendations were adopted in a series of laws passed on April 6, 1830 under President Anastasio Bustamante.^[3] The law explicitly banned any further immigration from the United States to Texas.^[4] Settlement contracts were brought under federal rather than state control, and colonies that did not have at least 150 inhabitants would be canceled.^[5] Provisions of the law were designed to encourage Mexican citizens to move from the interior to Texas. Mexicans who agreed to relocate to Texas would get good land, free transportation to Texas, and some financial assistance.^[3] Convicts would be sent to Texas to build fortifications and roads to stimulate trade.^[3]

Other parts of the law were targeted at those already living in Texas. Bustamante rescinded the property tax law, which had exempted immigrants from paying taxes for ten years. He further increased tariffs on goods entering Mexico from the United States, causing their prices to rise.^[6]

Response

Immigration

The ban and other measures did not stop U.S. citizens from migrating to Texas by the thousands. By 1834, it was estimated that over 30,000 Anglos lived in Texas,^[7] compared to only 7,800 Mexicans.^[8]

Effects

The Decree of April 6, 1830 stopped immigration from U.S. to Mexico, placed a custom duty tax on goods coming from U.S. into Texas, did not allow new slaves to enter Texas.

References

1. Edmondson (2000), p. 78.
2. Manchaca (2001), p. 199.
3. Henderson (2007), p. 68.
4. Henderson (20055), p. 69.
5. Vazquez (1997), pp. 62–63.
6. Manchaca (2001), p. 200.
7. Manchaca (2001), p. 201.
8. Manchaca (2001), p. 172.

Sources

• Edmondson, J.R. (2000), The Alamo Story-From History to Current Conflicts, Allen, TX: Republic of Texas Press, ISBN 1-55622-678-0
• Henderson, Timothy J (2007), A glorious defeat: Mexico and its war with the United States, Macmillan, ISBN 978-0-8090-6120-4
• Menchaca, Martha (2001), Recovering History, Constructing Race: The Indian, Black, and White Roots of Mexican Americans, The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Series in Latin American and Latino Art and Culture, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, ISBN 0-292-75253-9
• Vazquez, Josefina Zoraida (1997), "The Colonization and Loss of Texas: A Mexican Perspective", in Rodriguez O., Jaime E.; Vincent, Kathryn, Myths, Misdeeds, and Misunderstandings: The Roots of Conflict in U.S.–Mexican Relations, Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources Inc., ISBN 0-8420-2662-2
• Weber, David J. (1982), The Mexican frontier, 1821-1846: the American Southwest under Mexico, University of New Mexico Press, ISBN 978-0-8263-0603-6