1'B:E AUSTIN PA.PERS 463 I borrowed the money in N. orleans for the purchase of some and the rest I bought on time by giving security- Ingram was to have one half of the clear profits, as compensation for his supposed knowledge of the kinds suitable, and for his trouble in selling them- but they were expressly, and positively to be sold for cash before my leaving the country that I might repay on my arrival in the U. S. the money borrowed for their purchase. I was in the country one month longer than I anticipated thereby giving full time for the realization of the goods-but no matter for details now- I wanted my money, and all I could get before I left there was four- teen Dollars ! ! ! in money and an order o·n Brassoria for fifty! the A/ct furnished me by I Ingram and co (but without signature) which is himself and :r,fojor League, shows a balance due me of about Two Thousand Dollars- their books show a credit to my account of Sixteen hundred Dollars Cash received, to which the profits must be added- now my Dear Sir if in your apprehension this property is unsafe in its present situation, I shall call upon you as a friend to tnke such measures as may secure me; your own good judgement can best regulate you- l\1ajor I. has four negroes which will be more than sufficient. Hoit may claim them, but Hoi_t owes Ingram money- should it be necessary call on Col. Wallace for his knowl- ege of that business. It gives me great pleasure to observe by your letter (papers I have not seen) that the disposition of the Mexican government has again assumed a friendly aspect towards us, and think it all im- portant that this fact should be made public throughout the U. S ns there is but little doubt but what the jealous feelings indicated by them towards the colonists in some of the Mexican papers, and trnnslated into those of this country hn.d n sensible effect in check- ing the enthusiasm which was about manifesting itself so widely- A few letters from you upon that subject would I have no question reestablish in the minds of the undecided the confidence in the per- manency of your Colony which was beginning to be doubted, and emigration this spring be commensurate with our warmest wishes-- Your observations with respect to Zavala's grant are noted and assented to- With respect to Don Estefan Wilson I have known him slightly for several years, and I considered his greatest weak- ness was a foolish display of unpossessed impo.rtance- I have fre- quently heard him speak of his immense grant o'f land and his exclu- sive privilege of hunting and trapping throughout St. Fe. I have known him to give a friend of mine a douceur of one hundred thou- sand acres of land, which my friend offered me for a few hundred Dollars, but for which as I told him I would not give as many cents, and have often conversed with him respecting the nature of the
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