THE AUSTIN PAPERS 907 Colony-this request I hope will be an ample apology for the free- dom I take in addressing you- The inquiries I am asked to make, are simply these- lst. What is the precise quantum of land, which a planter may depend on receiving as an inducement to become a citizen of Texas1 2nd. ,vill he be .allowed to select pieces or parcels of land, from any Section not otherwise disposed oH 3rd. The ewpense requisite to secu1·e to himself, a legal and in- di.sputable title to such land, as under the establi.slied provisions he may takei 4th. Ca.n a man, bringing O apital into the country purchase land, adjoining that, granted by Govet'111ment? 5th. '\Vhat distinction is made, as regnrds quantity of land, between planters with, and planters without, families? 6th. Do your laws affect the tenu1·e of Slave property-if so, what is best method of avoiding such inconvenience: 7th. l\fust a plante1', previous to opening land sufficient to afford ~ubsistence for his family, pay for food, clothing and 0ther neces- saries, an extravagant price? 8th. Have you good scliools /01· tlie education of ch.ild:ren.? 9th. What is the cheapest, most expeditious and secure route from Alabama to your Colony-and can wagons pass conveniently from he1·e, there 1 10th. Are its soil and climate, as rich and good (in your opinion) as the soil and climate of Alabama or Mississippi~ The many extravagant and cont'l'a.dicto1·y accounts of Texas, now afloat in this country, are ca.use of such pa.1·tic-ularity in my ques- tions-for the sake of those Planters who have employed me to con- duct this correspondence, I hope you will [be] able to glean time sufficient from the duties to which doubtless you are pressingly called, to answer them fulJAJ- the facts, which in their behalf, I seek to obtain, were they generally understood, would bring your colony an accession of some of our most st-m·dy and valuable Plant- ers-good husbands-good fathers and as a consequence, amiable members of society-Though it is not connected with the questions asked above, I would for my own information enquire, whether the friends of Texns can look with much certainty to a period when the Government of that Province shall assume n different-perhaps an independent form-such a change would be prodigal of influence and importance, and do more than any other measure perhaps, to awaken the world, and particularly the U. States, to the value of its natural resources and probable merit of its political institutions-- Should my enquiry meet your approbation, your views on this, as
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