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volunteers,. lo secure the soil upon which they afterwards intend to fix their homes. The inducements to this change of country proceed from various causes: some coming lo avenge the blood of their relations, who were slaughtered in violation of all faith by the Mexicans; some from the salu~rily of climate, and the prospects which a new country hold out for future wealth; and some on account of the great productiveness of the land, and the ease with which it can be cultivated. The bounties to volunteers have also created a separate motive for emigration, as the convention which sat at Washington on the 17th of March last, granted twelve hundred and eighty acres of land to all then in service, and who shall continue to the end of the war; to those who served for a period not less than six months, six hundred and forty acres; to those who had served not less than three months, three hundred and twenty acres; to such as entered previous to the 1st of July, 1836, and shall continue during the war, nine hundred and sixty acres; and to those who shall enter after that time, a quantity proportionate to their services, to be hereafter determined by law: in addition to which, the troops receive the same pay and rations as those in the army of the United States. The population has been temporarily diminished, to a great extent, by the removal of the women, children, and infirm, to the United States, since the war has approached the eastern part of the State; and my observations are made upon the supposition that they were still in the country, and that the information given me upon the subject is correct. If I were to take my own judgment exclusively on this matter, and were to reason as to what I have not seen by that which I have, I should say, the population, exclusive of Mexicans, Indians, and negroes, has never exceeded thirty thousand. I have the honor to be
i'\ '. I ' ·1 " ' ,,
Your obedient servant, Henry M. Morfil.
To the Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary of State, Washington City.
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