and therefore cannot be presumed lo hav1~had any preconccrkd plan 011 thal subject.nor in fact or any other. The Stale was without one dollar in the treasury and nothing presented a speedy rdif:- precedent had been given by the previous legislature in decreeing the alienation of 4-00 leagues of public lands, and as the land had been disposed of, and no opposition made to it Lo the General Government, or by those most interested, the people of Texas; it was esteemed as the easiest and best mode of obtaining money, lo raise it by a further sale of land, notwithstanding il was generally esteemed to be impolitic: yet necessity although it may not justify, too frequently compels impolitic measures. General John T. Mason purchased last year in the month of May or June 300 leagues, no excitement was, or ever has been created on account of that sale. As an individual I could not conceive that what was tolerated by the people of Texas in General ;\•Jason could in me be criminal.- No one is more read)', than J am to declare, that like dispositions of the public domain are contrary to the best interests of Texas and impolitic, and this last sale has proven to be particularly so on account of the peculiar situation of the General Government, and public affairs & opinions of the republic in general; nevertheless I feel convinced, it was not intended, nor was it believed that it would act as an excitement of the feelings of the General Government and for the reason that the sale of last year did not produce any. I purchased of the Government two hundred leagues, and two other individuals purchased each 100 leagues and although I anticipated realizing a good profit on my investment I never did intend that the holding of it should ever interfere with the improvement and advancement of the country.- I never did intend lo interfere with the sellling of this section of the country by locating it here, and did not therefore make any reservations in the colony that J am authorised lo sellle. The lands that I have purchased, or the right to lands which I have purchased requires that they be settled in 6 years and no one can hold in right of property more than eleven leagues, and the empresario is bound lo introduce at least one family for every eleven leagues, and a failure in this makes a forfeilure of all not so settled. Jn the political affairs of the Stale I foll no more than a common inlcresl I believe with the majority of its inhabilanls
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