The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume III

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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAM.AR

No. 2069 1841 July 22, SAML. A. ROBERTS, AUSTIN, [TEXAS] TO LAMAR, GALVESTON, [FORWARDED TOl AUSTIN, [TEXASJ 10 Read this yourself Austin July 22d 1841 Dear Genl I wrote to you by the last mail, 11 since which time nothing of im- portance has occurred- I did not see the. orders, nor did Doct Chal- mers1.:i as I have been informed by him, which Doct Archer gave to the people about Victoria Corpus Christi &c or rather to the malitia of that District, tho in fact I do not know to whom they were given- I differed with him in some little particulars and he took the responsibility of the act upon his own Shoulders- I was not willing to call out the malitia, or to authorise any body down there to do so either- I was Simply willing to Say to them, that they might take any step they thought proper to recapture l\Ir-Dimitt & their acts would, as far as the Cabinet could promise in the absence of the President, be recognised by the Government. This was what they asked, and I thought we ought not to go further- I hope the Secretary of War13 has not- We have heard no news this week from the Santa fe Expedition, nor from any other quarter- l\Ir Fontaine has returned- He asked me for the Key of your room; which ·I, remembering the injunction you gave me to let no one go into it,' until you came back, refused to let him have- His curiosity will therefore have a holliday- I am about to approach a subject which I touch upon with extreme reluctance, and nothing but a sense of duty could induce me to do it- It will not however do to pass it by any longer in silence- Mr MorrisH is habitually intoxicated, and in this Situation exhibits himself to the public view of the Citizens almost daily- The position he is known to occupy under your administration, and under your very eye too re- quires that unless there is a great reform he should be removed- It pains me to be compelled to speak so plainly especially in this instance, for I know how much it will grieve Judge Webb-- but public duty ought to be above all private considerations I dismiss the subject, hoping you will defer any action until you have, after your return, examined for., & satisfied yourself- Of course I need not say this is in strict confi- dence- No news of Mr Mayfield yet- I have written a long letter of gossip and tittle tattle to Col Love to night- If there is any thing in it he thinks will interest you, he will read it to you- Doct Chalmers & his wife were nigh braking their necks 15 a few days ago-- they were capsized from the Bridge near the Arsenal into the deep ravine below, horse buggy & all- How they escaped with whole bones

10 A. L. S. 11 No. 2064. 12 Secretary of Treasury. "Branch T. Archer. "F. A. Morris, Attorney General. See also no. 2072. 10 See Austin City Gazette, July 21, 1841.

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