140
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
Genl. Land Office felt himself Authorized to extend the operations of the land law over this territory in the absence of all law upon the snbject But still further, whence has he derived his Authority to select the Surveyor of one County only and given him unlimited controal over the whole territory to the exclusion of other Counties Similarly Situated? If he derives the right of such extension from the proximity of San Patrico to the territory in question(& I see no other ground upon which to Stand) then has Refugio & Bexar Counties the sarne."right, but in these counties the Surveyors have felt themselves restrained from crossing the Nueces. The conse- quence has been that befoi:e the people were aware of it the Surveyor of San Patricio with a few who were in the secret of his unlimited instructions hastily passes the boundary & sends his deputies N. "& E. & -w. from the Nueces to the Rio Grande & from the Sea board to the mountains, Seizing upon the Salt lakes & the gold & Silver mines, and all the other most valuable Situations. Now I ask is this _right? Is it fair? Is it lawful? I believe it is neither the one nor the other. 'When I first heard of this wild atlventure I supposed it was the senseless enterprise of some visionary land maniac, but when I understood that the Surveyor was acting under instructions from the Corn. of the Genl. Land Office I was much astonished. Does this functionary undertake to legislate for the people? Can he assign boundaries to counties where Congress has ornited to do -so 1 Will he take the responsibility of giving such a construction to the law as shall cheat the Government of her [richest territories?] But it is said he has been well advised upon this subject. But who are his advisers ? I am told that they stand in high places. The truth is, as I have reason to believe, there is a Strong combination of rnoned men & men in office to cheat the Govt. & divide the Spoils. I 1 heard one of them Say that it had already cost them $4000. to locate the Salt lake, & that before this time the mines were secured. I heard an honorable Senator say that he had opposed th;, measure in the first place but finding himself in the l\Iinority frankly owned that he Stated to them that if they were determined to play the game he would even take a hand in it himself. Will it not be expedient to arrest this worse than Yazoo fraud by a ·legislative inactrnent declaring the whole territory beyond the Nueces public domain & rend [er] ing void all these irregular surveys 7 Respectfully Your Obt. sevt. W. Roberts Genl. l\L B. Lamar
No. 713
1838 Apr. 15, G. B. LAMAR TO M. B. LAMAR, [HOUSTON]
Savh.15th. Apl 1838
Genl l\I. B. Lamar
Texas. Dr Sir·· I recd yours 20-·Feb about 10 -days ago-'- and being on the eve of·departure to Charlestoh, I left the reply till
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