THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 555 tht\ members of Congress - since then things have gone on hetter and with more harmony - My business relative to the settlement is now acting on and in less than 10 days I shall be dispatched with everything freely arranged. The principal difficulty is slavery, this they will not admit - as the law is all slaves are to be free in ten years, but I am trying to have it amended so as to make them slaves for life and their children free at 21 years - but do not think I shall succeed in this point, and that the law will pass as it now is, that is, that the slaves introduced by the settlers shall be free after 10 years - As regards all other matters there will be no difficulty, I will write you again from here after I get through and let.you know the particula.rs. I am doubtful nothing can be done about getting land at or near Galveston, the government seems opposed to any set- tlement being formed so near the borders of the United States, when I return to Texas I will write you very fully - you must not be frightened at the name of an Imperial government, you like myself have lived under a Monarchy, when Louisiana belonged to Spain and I think we lived as happy then as under the government of the United States-The Emperor has his enemies and in the United States the Democrats will abuse him no doubt, but he is doing the best for his country. These people will not do for a Republic nothing but a Monarchy can save them from Anarchy - STEPHEN F. AUSTIN This is a true copy of the letter, recd from S. F. Austin. Received from Mrs. Bell and I presume was addressed to ·her husband Josiah H Bell. GUY M BRYAN l ARTHUR G. w A \"ELL to AUSTIN 106 [Fenchurch Street] London Deer· 2d. 1822-- DEAR JUDGE on the opposite side you wi11 find the prices of the di fft, articles which you desired me to let you know - :Most anxiously do I await the arrival of letters from you which will I trust contain documents relative to the estate in which C'ase if the market remains as it is at. present I will immediately sell (which I can nt a very good price) some thousand acres of the land nnd we will carry on the business without any partner unless indeed I can get some house here to do our business on condition of receiving a very small share - Unfortu- nately these cl-d piracies have rendered Merchants very much afraid of the Gulf of Mexico and the house on which I had calcu-
• But com1>are Lovelace lo .Austin, June 28, 1822.
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