THE AUSTIN PAPERS 773 tween France and some of the other powers of the Continent, and will probably burst forth ere a great while, the french Government have managed to prolong the time, like throwing water on a fire you may smother it, yet not extinguish it, it will flash out oc-· casionally, and then all is dark again, so they appear to manage, they are not ready yet, and the probability is that the government would prefer to have a continuance of pence, but the materials are too combustible, they will have war or another revolution must be the result- • My request to ivrr Burgh was that he would give the particulars in the way that he would like to receive the oak at his yard, which he promised to do, and desired me to give him a call when it ar- rived-. He told me they formerly .,sent moulds, but he prefers it according to his directions, He sais men ought to be employed, from the north who are. acquainted with .the manner of cutting Timber of this discription- Mr. B. builds most of our Havre packets, and many of the Liverpool, however H 7 knows•all about him- You should be careful he sais not to send cedar, that has any worm holes in it, as they generally penetrate into the heart of it, and then it is good for nothing, not even for firewood- What you say in regard to the new concern is just ·what I anticipated, and told John long ago that I was confident you would not. I· shall not say anything about it, and have told John he must be particular not .to speak of it-, They consider it quite an enigma that you should be averse to this Government obtaining that Terri- tory by negotiation, they think· you would be made immencely rich almost immediately in that event and far more so than if it remains as it now does, a.ltho' they think in time, you will become rich under the present Government, to be sure it does appear so, but you ought to be your own counseller on that score- I for-. warded your letter for Charles and wrote Henrietta at same time relative to her son, who I believe is now in Mexico at San Louis de Potosi, with his uncle- My children have sent me a letter of thanks to you for your kind remembrances which I inclose-- I am sorry to hear your health i~ not reestablished yet, you propose making a trip this way, btit do not say when, your friends will be very happy to see you here, and I think the change would be of great service to you, brace you· up, and hope restore you to perfect health, but you should manage not to be here during the winter, for they are not only excessively unplesant,.but too tremindously cold, for any thing but an Esquimaux, I fear it would be too much for you, and yet a.West-Indian or one that has been accustomed to that climate will come here in a debili- tated state, and find the climate to agree with him, the cold resusi-
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