1666
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
rately-:My reasons for ·asking this privilege I hope you will find satisfactory: The lands on the Ilrassos are, I believe ·\'ery generally occupied by V'rior claims,-so that if I were forced ·to .locate the cori- cession in an entire body it would be too remote from the Distillery- to derive any advantages from it...The Distillery and Sugar House .(if we estnblish one) will consume a large quantity of wood a.nnually and if we are forced to bring it from any distance, it would subject us to great inconvenience, and still greater expence. I think the advantages which will result to the country from the proposed Estab- •lishment, fully authoris.e me in believing that my petition is per- fectly reasonable,,. if you think otherwise however, drop this sub- ject, and urge nothing but the first clause-viz-the privilege of im- porting melasses F'ree of Duty. In addition to the information, l ha,Ne already requested; I would enqnire, whether, there-are not, now •in your colony, several car- penters and :Masons and if so, .could.they be employed by the month, and at what price? -Could I not, get at San Antonio or elsewhere in the Interior, n number of spaniards as clay laborers at low wages~ if I c!ln, can I rely upon them, and what price would I have to pay? I am particularly anxious to obtain some knowledge .of the Mexican rnarkets----The names-situations population, and resources of the various Seaport Towns, and those in the Interior, accessible to trade, the means of transportation from the neare8t ports, and the expence attending such transportation In the prosecution of my design, I would require correspondents wherever I found a market, and if you could furnish me with the names and standing of merchants in such places as you ,,,oulcl desig- nate, from whom I could obtain the desired information, I would address them upon my return to the U. S. - · In the meantime,· I would most thankful [ly] avail myself of your genei·ul and extensive lmowledge of the Country. " 7 ith the :Mercantile ·usages of the country, the susceptibility of particular places -. for a particular branch of trade - and the minutia of business I' presume you are unacquainted-but, upon the general resources of the country- its commercial advantages-its agricultural and moniecl wealth- the geographical advantages of particular ports, as regards their proximity to thickly settled ·and w·ealthy districts, in short, upon every subject, interesting to a stranger, I would apply to you, with a perfect confidence of clear and satisfactory answers- • 1 · I am aware :My Dear Sir-that-I am drawing largely upon your ')romise of information; n.nd trespassing upon your time, but when I remind you of the importance of the business in which I arri about to engage and that my en~i~-~ ruin .might _be the .result ?f a careless investigation of the ?ap_~bihties of the Country-you ~111 ~ aJ!l per-
Powered by FlippingBook