Sept 24 1836 to Oct 24 1836 - PTR, Vol. 9

damp the ardour of such of their countrymen as might be inclined to embark in the holy cause of liberty, they therefore paid the sum out of their own private funds, and Genl. John T. Mason and ardent champion of Texas, most liberally assigned to Burr Wakeman one of your memorialists, for the benefit of all, nine tenths of a certificate of eleven leagues of land, to be located on the vacant lands of Texas, in payment of said debt, and any claim they might thereby have against that country, in the event of its final success. The certificate of land so received by your memorialists, was issued to Genl. l\fason by the Governor of the State of Coahuila and Texas, on the twenty first day of June 1834, and was given and received in good faith without the remotest idea that its validity would be questioned by any power on Earth, and without the object of speculation, but in payment of a debt voluntarily incurred for a people whom they acknowledged as their brethren-Your memoriaJists have, however, since learnt with deep regret and much surprise, that the contract of Genl. Mason with the Government aforesaid, has been assailed by the Convention which met in the Town of Washington in March last and its your memorialists are entirely unacquainted, but they feel that an act of injustice has been involuntarily clone them by that Convention which the present Government will repair. They are no dealers in Texas lands, neither was the transfer made by Genl. Mason, received for the purpose of speculating on the chances of war, or the necessities of their fellow men, but solely for the purpose of securing to themselves monies actually expended, and which they at first believed their fellow citizens would have made good by voluntary contributions, to testify their love for constih1tional liberty. Your memorialists know not what amount of actual service the Emigrants may have performed, but they do know that the departure of two hundred emigrants from New York, produced a moral influence throughout the United States, of far more value to the cause of Texas than any part they may have performed. This is brief hut unvarnished statement of facts, which your memorialists submit to the People and Government of Texas, with a full reliance, that when the proper authorities act on there claims, justice will he done especially to those whose time has been employed, and money expended, for a struggling nation,

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