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THE AUSTIN PAPERS
exertions fully shew will make any posible sacrifice for the benefit of the cause. The sale of. Scrip here by the different Texas companies has rendered the price of Land nominal, when they can purchase nominal titles at less than a cent an acre at auction, it cannot be expected that even real titles should be worth much, I do not believe that al this moment Head rights would bring at aucLion Ten cents an acre, with this aslounding fact before you, you will perceive the necessity of some immediate measures to restore, the value of land and place the Government in a Situation to command credit, One measure that would almost immediately. insure such credit, would be to overturn at a blow the sales of the old land companies, or to place such restrictions upon them, as to make the value of their lands pro·spective, and predicating all titles upon actual settlement, Trusting you ~vill excuse the liberty I have taken, in forwarding to you the above remarks, , SAMUEL ELLIS
WILLIAM MCNAIR TO AUSTIN
New York Augt. 24-1836
DEAR SIR Your public duties will no doubt occupy nearly all your thoughts at this critical conjunction of your public affairs yet the solicitude of one about a Brother in the midst of danger must be my apology for asking your attention a few moments. I wish to enquire if you know any [thing] of Mr. James McNair? He may not have come to your notice, being a plain unassuming man, but sterling in those qualities which make a good citizen-industry integrity and honesty of purpose. His place is on the Colorado, near Eagle Lake, a little below Wm. Alley's ferry and I believe near the place where he help'd to plant the first corn within your colony in the spring of 1822. But to assist you in making a little enquiry to find ~mt his present condition I will briefly state that he was here last winter was a year on my invitation and return'd with Messrs. Mather and Morris, in the Schooner Jane Corroline (having some goods which I sent with him) since which time I have heard from him but twice His last letter was dated 3d of March last, at Matagorda and stated that he was that day draughted into the Militia, and was to jo.in the army next morning. Now the Battle of San Jacinto has been fought since that and I am left to conjecture whether he has survived or not. And now, my dear Sir, as, from what I have heard of you, there is no person in Texas who I would be more likely to interest in the cause of humanity than yourself, J confidently trust that, the motives which dictate
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