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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
but being unacquainted with him preferred writing to you- It is said that some of the Sheriffs in this District will not or cannot qualify as revenue officers under that state of things would it not be well to con- tirme the former system, instructing the collector at San Augustine to carry into effect the law so far as the rates of duties are concerned- I recd a comn a short time since from the Treas'y Department re- specting a-transaction which ·took place last year in that office in which the amount of three hundred dollars in Treasury Notes was paid to re- deem the same amount of counterfeit bills which l'lfr Saligny had passed to a waggoner- This transaction it is proper that I should explain to you- and I should have done it long since had I not. presumed that the money used in that way was already replaced by Mr Saligny- Mr Saligny it appeared had refused to redeem the bills which he had passed to the waggoner & which the latter found to be spurious. To prevent a prosecution, which the waggoner was about commencing Judge Burnet & Judge Webb-and I think Judge Lipscomb-came to my office to see what could be done- and on consulting about the matter it was deemed advisable to give the waggoner 300$ out of some funds then in my office which had been recd from the sales of Austin City lots- with the understanding that in case Mr Saligny persisted in his refusal to redeem the bills, we were to bear each equal proportions of the loss-- This measure was determined upon because of the absence of your Excellency and our great desire to avoid any difficulty with the French Minister at that period and under those circumstances- Shortly after this transaction I recd intelligence of the illness of my family and left the seat of Government- This you will recollect was before your re- turn to Austin- After sending in my resignation 68 I wrote to J\Ir Levey to retain out of the amt. due me on acct of my salary my proportion of this three hundred dollars in case the whole had not been replaced by J\Ir Saligny- After this I recd a balance on account of my salary and of course pre- sumed the transaction was settled in some way- These facts I presented to Dr. Chalmers in my reply to his communi- cation, and accompanied my letter by another to Col. Snively requesting him to replace the 300.$ in the Treasury Department, or such proportion as might be found to fall to my share after calling upon Judge Burnet and the others bound by the understanding referred to- I hope you will be satisfied from this statement that I have not lx!en very derelict or otherwise culpable in this matter- It affords me much pleasure to congratulate you and the nation upon the restoration of your health & your return to the seat of Government, and I am particularly gratified to witness the evidence of the daily in- creasing confidence in your Administration which are everywhere evinced- My business engagements will not admit of my visiting Austin before the expiration of your term of Office- I hope however, you will find leisure to write me occasionally during the summer- · For your uniform kindness toward me, and the fostering ha,nd with
.,No. 1879.
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