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A:\rnnICA..~ HISTORICAL' ASSOCIATION.
much land. To· accomplish this patriotic and laudable object; they have filed the letter, and ordered it to be spread upon the Records. The intent was so plain, that nothing but the pleasure of ·anticipat- ing the effect which this stroke of malice must unavoidably pr,o'duce; could have prevented me nt the time from manifesting that- dignity of contempt with which such pitiful actions ought to be treated. '·· Masons survey is also .antidated 3 years, proven by -1\facldin. This petition, Old Prattes, and his sons are all in the hand writing of B" Pratte; and it now depends on his testimony to prove them antidated or not., I do·not know how he will swear But one thing is [certain] if he does pro~e those of his father and brother to have been written ·at the time they bear ·date his testimony shall not be conclusive; I strongly believe, these concessions and 1\1:asons also are antidated- But whether I shall.be able to prove it I cannot tell. • Much disputation has taken place, about the time of l\1asons mak- ing his first establishment at the Mines; 1st when did he first work the Mines¥ 2ndly ,VI1en did he first inclose and cultivate any land there¥ 3rdly. When did he move his family there ?-1\P Bte Valle, swore he went there in 97 and (probably) built a _cabbin, raised· a. crop in ·9g and moved his family on it in that year or 99-·Old Mr Decelle appears to be some what at variance with l\fr Valle, as to the quantity of ground cultivated _and the time of moving on the family- It must have been late in the year of 99 that his family went on it; if at all that year. Because in March 14 th • 99 a sale was effected by Mason to you of a house and lot in ~l~is _Village; and Doctr Fenwick says he lived in it with his family some time after the sale. These are points to be ascertained and you must not be sur- prised if my duty compells me to summon you with Elias Bates·,· Mr ·Decelle etc etc. on behalf the U S to attend_at' St Louis. If I had have known old :Mr Decelle• intention of visiting this place I should certainly have requested him t:o have brought with him his documents on the subject of land titles: _ . . , The ·testimony in old Prattes case is very strong- That he began the establishment in 97··or 98 and cultivated and ·improved·it ever since. I informed the Commissioners of the Memorial in my J?OS· session, 'but a·t St Louis from ·the ID:habitants of. big river on this· subject, which I should take·an opportunity.of showing to them at that place- As to this claim I shall Summon.the Alley's, Andrews/ Baker and Pagette. And in the case of Camille Lassus, as to the date of concession I shall summon Moses Austin and Abra}:lam''.A.rm-• strong, as t(i the discovery and cultivation, Armstrong, PurceaU th~ Alleys- Information--on these subjects will be gratefully received as to the requisites of the Act of Congre$ and the witnesses to su.p-
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