What was the Law of April 6, 1830 intended to do?

The Law of April 6, 1830 was a significant piece of legislation enacted by the Mexican government in response to growing concerns about the influx of U.S. settlers into Texas. The primary intent of this law was to curtail further U.S. immigration to Texas, as Mexican officials feared that American settlers were outnumbering the Mexican population and undermining Mexican sovereignty over the territory.

To achieve this, the law effectively banned any further immigration from the United States and imposed customs duties on goods entering Texas from the U.S. This was part of a broader effort to consolidate Mexican control and maintain the integrity of its territory amidst rising tensions between Mexican authorities and American settlers. The measure aimed to limit the cultural and political influence of the settlers while ensuring that existing settlers complied with Mexican laws, particularly regarding customs and other regulations.

Ultimately, this law reflected the Mexican government's increasing apprehension about the stability of their frontier region and the dynamics of settlement in Texas, which played a role in the events leading up to the Texas Revolution.