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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
No. 1077 1839 Feb. 20, J. l\f. COSGRAVE TO [l\L B. LAMAR, HOUSTON] Houston 20th. Feby 1839 l\Iay it please your Excellency, I address you from the Dungeons of the Jail of Houston, where I am .:?rinfined on a false tho' serious charge. By 1he Common Law of civilized Nations, until a prisoner is pro- nounced guilty by a Jury - he is considered innocent. Therefore I beg your Excellency very respectfully to enquire why I am denied the Light and air of Heaven- associated with Negroes of the most degraded character-and in a dungeon 12 ft Square in which accumu- lates the filth and excrements of several persons to poison and destroy life. As a subject of Great Britain, I beg to know if there be any Person accredited to this Government to whom I can apply for protection of my right to humane treatment, and of my Property. I came to this country in hopes to be useful to it, by establisl1ing .an opening in trade between London and Houston, and while here, I strove to do good by instigating persons to the better preparation of some articles of commerce, obtained a right to the cutting of live Oak, to which I was about to direct the attention of our National Navy Commissrs. and intended to pursue enquiries among friendly - indians and others, after the Herbs, Roots, Stains, and minerals, in hopes to develope some indigenous article. of value in Texian Com- merce. I beg your Excellency to direct an examination into my horrible situation, and do not let it be said that a British Subject, can be so confined, his property thus left to the mercy of Strangers -0r chance friends and his Life sacrificed to cupidity & Cruelty and without redress. If Safe Keeping only be required, let me [be] chained or fastened in any way- But for the Sake of God and Humanity, do not let me be suffocated in a horrible dungeon. With the greatest Respect I beg to remain Yr Excellency's Most Obedt. Humble Servt. John M. Cosgrave MD. fEndors:ed] Jno. M Cosgrave M D l To be released from Prison r 20th Mch 1839 J No. 1078 [1839 c. Feb. 20], [NATHANIEL?] AMORY, [HOUSTON, TEXAS], TO [MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAlVIAR, HOUSTON, TEXAS] Recommending Thomas A. Dexter for Texan consul at Boston. A. N. 1 p.
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