407
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU Buo~APARTE LAMAR
before you and your Country, from the circumstance of my having been induced by Judge Woodward to purchase a small tithe of what he called ''his vast domain of Colorado Lands, and as a trivial act of Justice has been awarded me by the Texan Congress-I deem it due to myself to offer vou a few remarks on the subtle, tangled web of falsehood and misrepresentation, embodied in Mr Woodward's letter 50 to your Excel- lency of the 3rd. of February; A.ltho' in so doing I am using a freedom with you, and magnifying a matter trivial in itself. I was overpersuaded by Mr Woodward, to buy this scrip from him on his strong assurances verbally and by letter that it had no connection or relation whatever with the New York or other Land Companies, but was totally distinct from them and "based upon rights that never could be called in ques- tion." From the man's manner, legal acquirements, and the great and essential services he declared [he h]ad rendered Texas with the Cabinet of Washington. U. S. and elsewhere, I gave full credence to his asser- tions, and was further confirmed in my belief by his soon after visiting us here under the character of Texian Consul, with a view to the sale of or to hypothecate on loan similar and other Texan Scrip "of un- doubted and acknowledged titles" as he termed them "confirmed to him by the Texian Government" to about 4 millions of acres of Texian Lands-for which sale or loan, as a further inducement he pledg<:d himself to the subscribers to obtain for them- Banking Mining and other privileges in Texas in connection with Mr Biddle, 1\Ir Clay, and the first leading commercial and Political men in the U. S. as accord- ing to his representations he was dominant in the Councils of Texas and highly popular throughout the whole Country. This just interest f and un]bounded power he boasted to possess obtained for him intro- ductions to the first classes in our City, and he would I verily believe have succeeded in raising a large sum of Money had he not overreached himself by his selfishness and vanity which excited·a doubt in the minds of the most experienced. J\Ir Wright the great Banker here was the first to doubt that "any man could own so much land and suggested the propriety of waiting till his return from Texas whether he was going to obtain the Charter, Acts of Congress &c from the Texian Govern- ment. He expressed himself highly indignant at this demur and delay in getting the J\loney and at his word and honour being at all ques- tioned-as he had the presumption to say, that his word in New York was equal to any Bond in that City. With his subsequent disappoint- ments in Texas vou are more conversant than I am for I have heard nothing from hiii'i since he left England except Complimentary letters for attentions paid him by my family. His silence in regard to the objects he had in view created a suspicion in my mind that he had over- rated his power and influence among you, but I never fo [r] one moment doubted the validity of his Colorado Claims My only fear was that the time for location might expire before I had taken the means to settle them, though I had his positive assurance that the Government would, if necessary extend the time-As regards his assertion-"Nor have I received in any shape one farthing on this transaction or any other from J\Ir Ikin or any person for him." This falsehood is only equalled by its folly. I can prove Cash paid him at different times and the Bill
00 :N"o. 1711.
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