THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 455 Ast. at Stoutsfort P. 0. Lincoln County Mo. Please excuse our liberty in consequence of the subject, While )Ve Remain DANIEL DRAPER Mr. Stephen F ..Austin Potosi, Missouri Post Master at Potosi, if Mr. Austin is not there, and is any where in Mo. please forward this, If he is not in Mo. please drop a line to the Post Master at Stouts fort Mo.
DANIEL DUNKLIN TO AUSTIN l
Mine a Burton [Missouri] December 25 th
• 1821
DEAR Sm This day, from its celebrity as a Holy-day, in the Christian Re- ligion, as also the inclemency of the weather, has become a leisure day with me, in my usual avocations, and have concluded to employ it in part in an address [to] you, which I -hope you find as con- venient to answer as me to ask. The subject proposed is the " Province of Texas" It has become a subject of considerable interest in this section of Missouri. All those who once experienced the gra.tuity of the Spanish Govern- ment (a thing I never have done) speaks, generally, in favour of it with a few exceptions of social inconveniences such as Soil, Climate, its thin Population etc. I wish to be informed, first of the principles of the Government, I should be glad (should it not be too voluminous) to have a complete copy of its Constitution; Second the Tranquility of the Public Mind, and probability of the continuation of the present form of Govern- ment; Thirdly the liberty of the Spanish Functionaries where they have confidence in the subject; Fourthly their credulity in the fidelity of the Americans, generally, who emigrate to that country; Fifthly advantages and disa.dvantages generally. Its commercial situation - the Depth of the w::iter at the entrance into the Bay at the most favour- able point and where that point is situated, - The Staple of the coun- try, both at present and what it may be likely to be hereafter -, in a word any, and everything that could, in anywise, tend to an eluci- dation of such objects as would naturally induce emigrants to that country. And Sixth and lastly your opinion what advantages I could derive if I was to go there; I believe I could bring fifty, per- haps more, families with me from here and Kentucky. I don't mean a participation of the advantages you expect to derive from the Grant, which you have succeeded to; as I suppose you will have no diffi- culty in affecting your purposes so far as relates to emigrants.
• Printed in Tua• Hi.torv Teachff'• B1lllefln, November, 1011.
Powered by FlippingBook