[2490) [AUSTIN to BRIGHAM and BYROM]
To Honblc Asa Brigham J. S. D. Byrom. Delegates of the Hon. Convention from Brazoria Gentn.
I am impelled by a sense of duty as an individual citizen of Texas to apprize you and through you if you think it consistent with your public duties the President and members of the Conven- tion of the deranged state of the interests of Texas in this city. The Commissioners of Texas when here appointed l\'lr. William Bryan General Agent and Edward Hall Purchasing Agent for Texas and contracted a loan here for Two hundred thousand dollars of which ten per cent or Twenty thousand dollars was paid in cash, the balance to be paid in instalments on receipt of the ratification of the conditions of the loan by the Convention. Another Loan of Fifty thousand dollars was also contracted here on which it is said Forty thousand dollars cash was paid, of this amount say Sixty thousand dollars, Eleven thousand only have been received by the Agents, Ten thousand remain in the Bank subject to the draft of the Government of Texas only, nearly all the remainder it is be- lieved was placed in the hands of sundry purchasing Agents, and disbursed to their discretion without supervision by any comp- troaling officer or the usual checks upon disbursements of public moneys. The Agents here in full confidence that the loan would be promptly ratified and the money be ordered to be placed at their disposition have purchased and accepted for the navy and supplies to an amount exceeding Ninety thousand Dollars. Such articles as could only be had for cash have been paid for cash untill the General Agent is actually in advance of cash to the amount of Six thousand Dollars, and has cash responsibilities for Two thousand Dcrllars over and above all he has received. The Commissioners wrote him from Nashville that they had requested the Provisional Government to send him a check on the Bank for Five thousand dollars. None has been transmitted and there is reason to fear that before this will be attended to the credit of the Government of Texas will be utterly prostrate whilst the public money is idle in the Bank. For the payment of supplies purchased the Agent has issued promisory notes signed by him as Agent for Texas where
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