Stephen F. Austin was arrested in 1834 by the Mexican government on suspicion of treason and inciting rebellion. The immediate cause was a letter he wrote (and that was circulated to local officials) urging Texas towns to organize a government independent of Coahuila y Tejas, which Mexican authorities interpreted as subversive and a threat to the Mexican state. He was imprisoned in Saltillo and later in Mexico City for several months before being released in 1835. Key context and nuances:
- Austin had spent years negotiating with Mexican authorities to protect colonists’ rights and to advocate for Texas’ interests within the Mexican federation. His push for local self-governance and greater autonomy alarmed Mexican officials who feared separatism or insurrection.
- The specific incident involved a letter from Austin to the alcalde of San Antonio and the town council, which was forwarded to state officials in Coahuila y Tejas and then to the governor. The letter was deemed capable of promoting rebellion, leading to his arrest.
- After his arrest, Austin spent about eight months in prison, first in Saltillo and then in Mexico City, before being released in December 1834 and returning to Texas in 1835. His detention removed a moderating influence at a critical juncture, a factor historians note as contributing to escalating tensions that culminated in the Texas Revolution a few years later.
If you’d like, I can pull more detailed primary-source excerpts or summarize how different historians interpret the arrest’s impact on the Texas Revolution.
