The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume II

527

PAPERS OF illIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR

negociation.- They haye so long reg.arded Texas as a fit subject of spoliation, that less than exorbitantly usurious terms are not to be obtained there whenever your securities are in the l\Iarket.- With this view onr 8 pr Cent Bonds should! be immediately retired from that market and remanded to Houston. Indeed l\Iy Dear Sir as I wrote to Judge ·w ebb, I cannot be responsible for the succes_§ of my 5 l\Iillion N egociation if they should be sold, and to give for a paltry loan which on ½ a l\Iillion would nett you but $300,000 the privileges of circulating in perpetuity their notes to some small unsound Bank would be a great and irrepairable error in your finances.-All the injury which l\k Bidles negociation with the Vicksburg Bank could do the credit of Texas I have endeavored by timely correspondence to avert-But in every view it was a most unfortunate transaction. -----------You doubtless will have seen before this reaches you, that l\Ir Biddle has resigned the presidency of the B. U. S.- This will in no degree affect his inclination or ability to serve us through that great Institution.- I shall leave Home (Charleston) in the course of a few Days.- the moment I can arrange some private concerns of importance for the north to open and I hope close my preliminary neg·ociations with the view of obtaining an immediate advance on our B.onds altho their final sale will have to be made in Europe.- The l\Ioment I can effect the former I will place funds with all possible dispatch to your order in New orleans.- Even before I can get on I shall write the instant I reach Cha[r] les- ton to l\Ir Biddle to see whether $500,000 worth of U. S'. B. Post Kotes can not be immediafoly remitted on a/c.- As the successful sale of the Bonds ultimately will depend on your immediate recognition by France, I will embark with l\Ir Saligny on the 13t June and join l\lr. Henderson in paris.- l\Iy intimacy with Genl. Bernand Chief aid de Camp to Louis Philip & late l\Iinister of "\Yar, whom I had it in my power to serve when he needed friends in this country will enable me with some advantage to approach the french Court.-I cannot therefore but repeat ·what I regard to be of some impo_rtance, that if not cloathed with a formal commission to unite with l\Ir. Henderson in this deeply interesting negociation, that I should have a private letter at least from you under the Seal of the State Department showing that I was in the confidence of your Government.- Should l\rr Henderson & myself have after- "·ards to negociate .a commercial Treaty Col. ·white of Florida on the terms without a formal diplomates Appointment might be of great service to us.- Genl. Dunlap having resigned, you will re- quire whether the Loan be effected or not, a strong able efficient & practical l\Ian in the Treasury- To arrange a good system of Finance .as well as one of disbursement & accountability- If you have not such an individual now in the Republic, I should be happy before going to Europe to have your views as with the influence of :rour friends at the South with the as:;;istance of l\Jr Biddle we ~ight induce a first hte l\Ian with this view to become a Citizen. If it were known that a l\Ian of distinguished financial T.alent and high character would take charge of your finances, the negociation of the Loan would be greatly facilitated, & your public credit at once established.-

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