437
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LA~IAR
No. 2796. JAMES H. STARR TO LAMAR
Nacogdoches Dec 15, 1859
DEAR GENERAL Allow me to congratulate you on your successful mission to Central America and safe return to your family- I hope your family and yourself are in good health and ·that the quiet of Texas home-life is not unwelcome to you after your long absence and more exciting and laborious duties abroad- In regard to your interests in }ly Charge, the Accounts and remit- tances rendered to l\frs Lamar will shew all collections & payments, excepting a trifle of recent expenses which will appear in my next statement, to be made after the present year's taxes shall have been paid- And my present letters contain such information as I was able to give Respecting the unsold lands- In my last letter to Mrs Lamar dated Jan'y 10th- last, I mentioned an existing difficulty about one of the unsold Cherokee tracts-subse- quently the matter was arranged and the improvement rented for the present year, pr $20. payable, 1st next month at which time possession was to be given- As this settlement was made with the aid of a lawyer I presume the rent note will be consumed by the fee- This was better however than a suit for possession There have been ap- plications for half of the tract- (the Townsend Gardner 480 acres) during the summer at $2½ pr Acre part on time if you wish to sell part or all please advise me early with instructions as the improve- ment should otherwise be rented for the next year- It is possible that some of the other tracts may sell but not at very satisfactory prices & I presume as Cherokee & Smith Co. lands are not in great demand- the drought of the present and last year having somewhat injured their reputation- . Your Western lands in charge of Mr Hill, I know nothing of~ hope he sends you tax receipts regularly & gives them the personal attention which they need & which at this remote point I am unable to give.- ' I will soon for [war]d receipt for present year's taxes on the few tracts in my care-but hope in the mean time to hear from you about selling or renting the improved place mentioned- My family & myself have enjoyed usual health during the year until the last two weeks, in which I have been quite unwell-but am now recovering & able to resume business with moderation- With kind regards to Mrs Lamar I remain your friend and obt Servt JAS. H. STARR Genl M. B. Lamar Richmond Texas [Endorsed:] From Dr. Starr-Dec 15 1859- No. 2798. ON THE WRITING OF HISTORY. LAMAR [Richmond? Texas, 185- ?l In writing History, shall the historian confine himself to a simple nartation [sic] of facts and events, or shall he give the motives and feelings which prompted the deeds he records? If we persue the latter course, some of the distinguished personages
Powered by FlippingBook