Leaving his troops at the pass where the old San Antonio-Presidio Road crossed the Medina under Francisco Vidaurri and Juan Lom, Canales entered San Antonio, where he was reported on April 8 endeavoring to raise volunteers.[44]  He asked Juan N. Seguin, senator from Béxar, to aid him in this enterprise, but Seguin, whose interpreter during the late session of Congress had been the ardent Federalist supporter George Fisher,[45]  suggested that he first obtain the permission of President Lamar.[46]  So Canales, bearing letters of introduction from Cornelius Van Ness and Seguin,[47]  hastened to Austin with Colonels López, Molano, and González to confer with Lamar.[48]  Van Ness, who was interested in promoting trade with northern Mexico, praised him as an efficient gentleman of "high intelligence and character" whose generous & liberal conduct towards our frontier citizens & traders will entitle him to your friendly attention." Seguin, on the other hand, being a more experienced and astute judge of Mexican character, merely informed Lamar, "you will be satisfied that he is an individual in whom many [good qualities] are united."[49]  Canales reached Austin, Friday, April 24, and Lamar received and treated him kindly, but declined to commit the government of Texas to the Federalist cause, having no confidence in the Federalist leadership; neither could Canales be counted upon to support Texan independence, a question on which he avoided committing himself. He merely said, "Very soon, when the ties that now unite us [the north Mexican states] to proud Mexico shall have been torn asunder, we shall have [oc]casion to prove to your Excellency and to all [the in]habitants of this Republic,