PAPERS OF M:r.JtABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR 129 permitted his name to remain before the President believing that in doing so it would prevent the appointment of some other individual who would be objectionable to the people of Texas.- Judge Shelby is here urging his claims- He expects to succeed through the influ- ence of Houston who has already signed a paper recommending him for the Office- He urges his poverty, & inability to live without the Office as a reason why he should receive it, & says that reason does not apply to me- I tell him I am happy it does not, because I regard it as a poor recommendation of a Lawyer in Texas to say that he cannot support himself by his profession- On the contrary, I alledge that I have made money enough by the profession, & now wish to settle down in dignified retirement- By the way Genl., I don't exactly like your putting my claims in some of your lettersu upon that footing- Your letter to Watrous for instance, assigns that as the prominent reason £or your support of me- I don't admit the reason to exist, as applicable to me- I tell every one here that I have labor'd in the profession untill I have made enough· to provide for my children, & now am. disposed to settle down quietly in a dignified station which will afford me sufficient mental activity, without requiring great bodily exertion- But the main ground upon which I base my application is, that the Country will be benefitted by my appointment, & it is upon this grou.nd that my friends here urge my claims- I shall take great pleasure in making _known your views in regard to Orregon to all our friends here, tho' in doing so, I shall be careful to present them as suggestions of my own & not as coming directly from you- I do not believe however, that any thing will be done in the way you speak of during the present session- The object of the pres- ent Legislation on the subject is simply to terminate the joint occupa- tion of that Country at a future period by giving the notice to Great Britain required by the Treaty of 1827- That notice when given, must be at least one year anterior to the termination of the joint occu- pation by the two powers, & consequently there can be no steps taken at the present session of Congress to establish a Government of any kind in that Territory- It will be well enough however to begin in time, & I shall do all I can to lay the foundation of your future success in any application you may make respecting it- I had intended to write to my wife to day, but as I have written you this long letter, & said in it what I should have said to her, it is· unnecessary as I know you will shew it to her- Next week, if my matters here have not terminated by that time, I will write to her, ~ she will shew it to you, one letter will do for both- This will be a great saving as I assure you I am pretty constantly on the trot here runing about to see members & others- The fact is, I have not yet returned all the calls which have been made upon me by members of Congress & others in high places, & you know that one who is a sup- pliant for public favor must be particular in these things- Give my love to all- & believe me to be in great sincerity.
Your friend most truly James Webb
..No. 2193.
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