was said that he learned in a private conversation with General Arista that two Americans, incognito, had been sent into Texas "to offer guarantees to the old settlers for their persons and property, offering them trial by jury -- their own Legislature and Executive -- [and] freedom of their ports, provided they became dependent on the Government of Mexico." If the promises made by the two emissaries were not accepted, it was intimated, the campaign for the reconquest of Texas would commence and continue until the rebelled province was subdued. The campaign, he reported, was certain and could be expected to commence by the month of April.[39]

A few days later, on December 25, while upon a visit to Austin where he had gone in company with Van Ness to report to the President, Seguin was requested by Burnet to make a written report of the impressions he had gained from his recent visit with Arista and other Mexican military leaders. Seguin made his report[40]  the next day. In it he declared that during the three or four days he had spent at Reyes' headquarters at Mier, he had heard frequent conversations about the approaching campaign against Texas. Reyes made "many inquiries" of him relating to "the feeling of the old colonists, and their disposition to return to their former state of obedience to the Mexican government, under certain guaranteed privileges." Having gone to Mier in the hope of seeing Canales, but finding that he had proceeded to Monterey to see Arista, Seguin also had gone to that place. [Ed: mentioned earlier, p. 376] Upon arrival there, Seguin, with a number of his former friends, visited Arista, who stated he wished to converse with him alone. In the private conversation that ensued, Arista is said to have asserted:

It is impossible that these men [Texans] can continue much longer as a nation or republic, without means to meet the public expenses; without credit abroad; their paper worth only eighteen cents per dollar; and even their agent in England has been unable to borrow any money. My Government has obtained a loan of three millions, one third of which has been appropriated for the purchase of steam vessels of war, and the balance is for the forces destined to operate by land against Texas. I have received from the house of Rubios an order on Tampico for 80,000 dollars, and their agent in Matamoros has placed at my command, in New York and New