862
AMEHICAN HIS'l'ORlCAL ASSOCIATION
I had of my own money, and the value of my negro Richmond, and $100 for my watch, making about $1600 ought to be deducted. As I before observed, none of the fees that. were collected in the first colony, belonged to me of right; a part of them were given to me; but necessity compelled me to use much more of them than the portion thus relinquished :-and I thus may yet become en: tangled in au endless and ruinous .labyrinth. Up to this time Hawkins is entirely clear of all responsibility as to those fees thus used by me. I have always been very cautious not to implicate any part of his landed·interest in any wa.y. I have been a true and paternal guardian of the interests of his heirs in this country, and I have kept his part of the land entirely clear. I have not even sold any more of it, than was absolutely necessary to give value to the balance, and to comply with the law by having the land settled; and this has subjected me to the abuse and slander of persons who wished to get places near Brazoria, and who have spared no pains to try and prejudice public opinion against me. I have, in fact, from the beginning of the Colony struggled alone in this wilderness, undergoing all sorts of privations, and my life often embittered by the unjust clamors, slanders, and abuse which I have been compelled by circumstances to bear. No pecuniary remuneration could, or ever can, recompense me for the last ten years. If the fees, received from the Settlers in the first Colony, as above stated, are now·-to be considered · as partnership property, Hawkins must also become liable for all the responsibilities which I am, or may ever be, •liable to for having .used more of those fees than I had a right to. Also·a fair ~atement must be made of all the expenses of the local govt. of the colony, of the losses by bad debts, robbery of Indians, office expenses, losses by survey- ing, and a yearly compensation to Austin for his services. The gross amount of all this must be made up : then the amount of the fees which Austin was entitled to -receive by the relinquishment of the -Commissioner, must be inade out, and deducted from the gross amount of the expenses. . It will then be found •tha.t a large balance of many thousands will be due to pay those expenses, and the balance will be a charge against the partnership land, and would consume a ·large part of it. . But this is not all. . Hawkins would also have to be liable, in union with Austin, for all the responsabi1ities•thitt may arise, owing to Austin's having used more of the fees than the amount relinquished to him by the Commissioner. In short, it would place Hawkin.~' estate in the situation in·which I am now placed; that is liable to be harrassed as long as I live, and involved in an endless labyrinth of .c:lifficulties; and besides all this, there are matters connected with
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