343
PAPERS oF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LA)fAR
No. 2523. ASA H. WILLIE TO LAMAR
Austin, July 27th, 1857,
r,
Gen. l\L B. LAMAR- DEAH Sm:
I have just learned, with much pleasure that you have received the appointment of '.\1inister resident at the court of the Argentine Republic, and presume that it will not be very long before you will take your departure to that country, I have been very anxious for some time to leave Texas, and settle in some other state of the Union, or in some foreign country, where the prospects for making money, if not of en- joying life are better than are here presented to me. More especially would I desire to bid farewell to the state 'should it be guilty of the disgraceful" act of electing Sam Houston to the office of Governor- and from the signs of the times I should not be at all surprized if this were to come to pass. In the event of the old fellow's being placed in the gubernatorial chair I would leave without enquiring for a moment whether my situation would likely be bettered by the removal. It would suffice me to know that I was lea'ving a state which had endorsed treason and forgiven an assault upon the dearest interests of the south. However I wish to leave anyhow provided my situation can be made better; · and in thinking upon this subject my reflections have often been turned towards South America, and I am disposed to look with favor upon a removal to that country and at least a temporary settle- ment in it. My object then in writing to you is to know what your opinion of that country is; what you think a young man could do in the way of making a support there; & whether upon the whole you would advise me to remove to it. If you are sufficiently well ac- quainted with the character of that portion of South American to which you are going as minister, to advise me to go to it. I would be glad you would, as soon as possible, notify me when, how, and from what place you will take your departure for Buenos Ayres, in order that I may make preparations to go with you. If, on the contrary you do not feel justified from your knowledge of that country in advising me td this course, you would confer a great favor upon me, if, after your arrival there, would write me, giving a full description of the general character of the Country, its climate, soil, productions, and adding something upon the chances that a young man, without extensive means, would have of acquiring a fortune in a very short space of time. I suppo~e that all the appointments which you have under you as min- ister have alreacly been fillecl, or that you have many applications for them, enough at least to cause you a great deal of annoyance It is not with the view of seeking an office that this letter is written- though I must say in all candor that the Salary of one would be ex- ceedingly grateful to one who is as anxious as I am, to move to the very country where the duties of it are to be discharged- but it is information and advice that I ani chiefly in search of, and I did not know who would be a more appropriate person to apply to than your- self an old friend of our family and as I well know, a well wi-sher to every member of it. The reason of iny selecting a Spanish County is liecause I understand the language pretty well can read and write it with some facility and speak it a little.
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