336
AMERICAN HISTOBICAL ASSOCIATION
Governmt but again it is said tho~e persons living in Texas is not to engage in war or to take sides or to be called on for 12 years to come is this a fact or not. which is the best Town in Texas for :Merchandising al'ld what kind of Goods is most suitable for the country, my ides are such as Domesticks and Hard wn.r s·uch as farming articals etc. Shoes Hats and the reda made clothing etc and but few .very fine goods. JoIIN w. FAULKNER free p. m. [Addr0$:] Col Austin Town of Austin Province of Texas The Post Master at New Orleans will please forward this by the first vessel or privit cvyance to greatly oblige the writer. J. w. FAULKNER AUSTIN TO AncHIBALD AUSTIN 1 TEXAs.-It is a singular phenomenon that a colony of Americans, almost in the infancy of our country, should be planted on a foreign soil,-there to establish our institutions, speak our language, practice our virtues, and cherish our religion. Although under a foreign government, it is impossible not to regard them as " bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh," and to feel an honest pride when we see them extending the influence of civilization and industry o·rnr a territory the most inviting perhaps on the face of the earth, but hitherto, only the abode of wild beasts and roaming savages. We have been favored with a letter from a gentleman long resident in Texas, from which we make the following extracts:- San· Felipe cle A.u8tin, Feb. 24, 1880. You ask me ns to Swiss emigrants. They of all others would be most beniflttcd by a remornl to Texns. The Government is highly In favour of Swiss nnd German emigrants, nnd they would be well received. They carry Industry and peace wherever they go; nnd the Swiss in particular, would introduce the culture of the vine, nnd the making of wine. It is the decided opinion of some very intelligent Europenns who hn,e visited this country, that its soil and climate nre equal to the best wine regions of France. We have in fnct every variety of soil, from the richest alluvion on the mnrgins of the rivers, to the high nnd rich uplnnds ;-elny and sandy soils, nnd nll possible varietles and intermixtures of them, and also rocky soils,-leYel, rolling, un• dulatlng and hllly lnnds. There ls a lurge portion of ·very black, snndy soil, having a clay foundation of eighteen inches to three feet in depth, which ls surprisingly productive; and I perceived thnt land of this kind is covered with an excessive growth of wild Grope of very superior flavour to any other wild Grnpe I hove ever met with. Sugar, Cotton, Indigo, etc. will yield most • See Archibald Austin to Austin, May 31, 1830.• This erlrnct Is from nu unldeutlfted newapnper clipping v.•blch gives credit to the New York Journal of Commerce, fn which Archibald Au■tln published the Jetter.
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