226
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1831-1832
5 Henry Egerton and Fortunato Soto got a grant of land and took out a contract (January 1, 1834) to settle 800 families in Texas, but the contract was never fulfilled. Egerton was a native of New York but had lived at Matamoras, Mexico, for many years. See Benjamin Lundy, Life and Travels, 85; The Southwestern Histo1·ical Quarterly, XXXI, 300.
JAMES PRENTISS TO HOUSTON 1
New York May 24 1832.
Gen 1 James Houston My dear Sir I have your favour of- Inst by which I learn with much regret that you have another cause of detention I had made arrangements for you [r] early departure for Texas had you come heer as expected by the middle of this month The season is now so far advanced and Genl Masonz so soon expected that my friends are nearly inclined to wait his arrival before they send any agent on any important business to T [exas] Mr. Mason will no doubt bee in Washington on or b::fore the 10th of June and here soon after as he will have seen all thee important men in Coahuita [Coahuila] and Texas. on his way home he will bee able to impart highly important int2lligence of all things that may interest us- as there can bee little or no doubt that wee shall still Desire you to go - I hope you will make no arrange- ments that can prevent it untill you come heer your object then is a hundred times greater than you have ever imagined them hence you should let all other circumstances yield to that ob- ject - Perhaps Mr. Mason may nturn sooner than I have stated of this you may obtain information of Mr. Barry 3 who, may have been advised of him - In my letter to you of the 4 Inst I solicited your aide in favour of my friend Elias A Clinton~ and hope you have been able to do something in his favour His claims to·th3 office he seeks are of the highest order and his appointment would bee very popular with all parties - and highly interesting to his friends and ours who are concerned in Texas affairs - On rect of this please do me the favor to inform me when you will be able to leave Washington and go to Texas and if you have any good man or men to accompany you - By your letter of the Inst- I learned that Mr. Pearse was consul at Matamoras By his letter of the [ ] Inst he informs me he was not and feared he should not be appointed, which I much regret as his appointment would enable him to aid our veus ma- terially If from any caus you are liable to bee detained at Washington or on the way to Texas please inform me in mak-
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