115
THE AUSTJN PAPERS.
MOSES AUSTIN ·T() [ ALBERT G .ALLA TIN ? ] 1
Sri? [About.August, 1806 n The embar~assed situatio~.. o':f the Inhabit~ts of Louisiana·together with the distance of the Territory froin the seat of _the American Gov- ernment, and, the unhappy party conte_ncions, which prevail at this inoinent, and .have from the .commencement of. Gen•· Wilkinson A<lmi~istration have induced me.to address you this lette~- .it is my intention to communicate such things, as J think the Legis- lators of the General Government ought to know, I have not a doubt, but many communications.have already been made, and that niany more will be made, it.is not ~y wish to detract'from, or depreciate, the confidence those communications merit, yet I hope I shall be par- doned in· saying th~t from the. marked preference Govr· vVilkinson has shewn for Spanish customs and ·useages-The l1ttle interest he has appeared to take in the establishment and prosperity of this Country, leads me to believe his Communications, to our Government, have rather been calculated to destroy the reputation of :Men in Office, not $Ubmiss1v.e, to his will, than to inform the government of the real situation in this Territory;.··and what measures are necessary to be adopted to meet the wishes of the people, and at the same time answer the views of the Government- Not deeming an apology necessary for thus troubling ·you, I shall commence my naritive of this.Country as far back a.'s)797, the year I first visited it, and,bring.it dowri to the pi·eserit day, in so doing I shall endeavour to'give you an ·ampi'e 1 Idea of the motives which in- du~ed the _Americans to •rem~ve within the Spanish .limits; with ·a view of the situation of the settlers, when the changes of Government took place, . Yqu will then have·it in your power to juc}ge of the pro- priety _of the 'claims, the ·People·have ·on the Government with more correctness • • : In:1797._I found this ·country a Wilderness·except ·on the Banks of the·Mississippi in the district _of St· Genevieve, not an Establishment of any kind, at_a distance of more t:Han twelve mil~ from the River, Cape Gerreden.u and.. 'Ma:qrid, :Qistricts, began about, this time to settle back.· The ·commencement,'of the American emigration may be dated back from the·Fall of 96·and Spring of 97~• All the cultivated Land, wa:s of consequence, confine~ to .the river Bottoms, and whenever th~ River·overflowed its Banks, which it has commonly done, abou't ·every' Five.or Six years, Beginning to rise, about June nnd continueing until ·August, destr,oying the Crops of every kind, ·an_d leaving ·the·Inh~bitiints·- 'dependent on the Kin!!'S ,. ' • ' 1 b Bountv for Bread." on·such·Occasio~s;the ·King has been compeled ' • 1''rom a clean copy. Moses .Austin's orl&'lnal, lackl.D&' the last Pll&"e, ls In the collectluu, 1.>ut ls very hard to decipher.
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