THE AUSTIN PAPERS 481 Commissioner came on who you expected shortly and would then write me fully on that subject- upon the receipt of your letter I began to prepare to remove to this place-and about the fhst of November sent part of my hands and stock with Junker to come here and put me up some cabbins or camps to shelter my family when they came on- I followed with the balance of my family in December except my wife n11d called to see you on my way here and informed you that some of my hands were here then improving this place-You said we would not fall out about it and that I should have a place to suit me here and when you was here you told me I might have my choice of this or the Cleat· Creek tract and I told you I prefered this place, which I deemed sufficient and expected you would have had this tract surveyed for me before ~{r Ingram returned to St. Fillippe- there were several other families removed with me who all intended coming near here but on their way heard that you had forbid any person setling in this part of the country tliey stoped above Harrisburg except 1~,ir Morris who came on here in Feby. and engaged Junker to live on the place I bought of Taylor ·for him untill he could bring his family down which be did in·July and cal1 4 to see you on his way-when he s:i,ys you informed him that I had taken the tract at the mouth of clear creek which was the reason he declined taking a certificate of his admission into the colony and was very much displeased with me untill he came and found I had not taken his place away- he wishes to become a setler provided he can get the land he is on- and if I cannot keep the tract I am on after being invited by you into your colony and coming here by your approbation and permission I must seek an asylum in some other colony for I know of no other place within this that will suit me and I cannot see with what justice I am to be compelled to leave a place that I have come to setled and done a great deal of labour on before there was a compass set or a chain streched on it for any other individual in this country, or nny other to occupy- and all my labour with ten hands and myself improving the place to be totally lost,- it may be law, of coui·se it will [not] be justice, but I hope you do not think it is either to take a mans labour for nothing. I came to this conntry with the hope of getting a sufficiency of land for myself and all my children nnd to have them all settled aronnd me, and I expected to have found in you a friend who would have aided me in accomplishing my wishes in that respect and was more encouraged to believe so after- receiving your letters and shall yet hope I am not dis- appointed totally untill I see you again, but see no prospect of get-
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