The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume V

PAPEns OF JhruDEAU BuoN,\PARTE L,nt,\R

271

No. l186. DAVID L. WOOD TO LA~fAR

Houston 9. Apl. 1839.

MY DEAR Sm:

Your Excelle11cy's generous spirit will pardon me when you hnve lenmed the causes which have impelled one, who considers himself without n frieml, to such importunity. After the untimely death of Col. Grayson, in whom w11s my sole de- pcndance for as!<ista11ce into business in this country, Col. Field of Illinois kindly offered to serve me, whose letter of introduction I had the pleasure of presenting- to your Excellency. I had determined, how- e,·er, to make use of it as the last resort, after the failure of my own efforts; because I was aware, that the favour of the President was the first object which was nimed to be acquired by ernry young man of aspirations coming to the country, and if it had been my good fortune to have ohtained your favorable. notice it would have been after hav- ing proved myself worthy of it. Singular as this may appear, they are the reasons why I did not call on you sooner after my arrival. I have nothing to spenk for me, that I have clone for Texas in Texas,. that I should be preferreil on!r others whose honour it was to serve her when she most needed :;ervice; but there are many, ·who served her less than mysE:lf aud my family, who are laying pretensions to higher claims. I ask not for any preferment whose emoluments would exceed the worth of the services I should be capable of rendering, but I merely ask for employment in my respectable capacity, which would be a small means of assistance in aiding the removal of a parent and his family to this country who was not the last to step forward when she needed soldiers to defend her cause, or money to assist in her exigencies. I have with me certificates of having held a responsible station under the United States government, and of having discharged the duties devolving upon me in that station to general satisfaction. I have understood that there will probably occur a vacancy in the clerkships of the Navy Department, by the retirement of Mr Llillie [ ?l and that there is ,·ery likely one now in the Department of State. I am well aware that without the assistance of some one of influence it will be a very dificult matter for me to procure a situation of any kind, and any efforts of yours to assist me will not only be thank- fully acknowlcd by my friends and those who are interested in my welfare but will be gratefully recieved by, My dear Sir, your Excel- lency's Yery obliged and

I ' :i :I I I I 0 ..

i I l

obedient Sen·ant,

DAVID L. Wooo.

His Excellency l\L B. Lnmnr, Present. David L Wood Apl 10th. 1839- Appli[e]s for Clerk-

[Addressed:] l"Endorsed :]

ship

No. 1190. THO:\fAS PRA'l'T TO L.tDlAH

To His Excellency, :'IL B, L.\:.\[AR Sm:

During last ::ummcr f tendrretl m_v npplic·ation at the \\'nr Office for nu appointment in the Carnlry sen·i('c, as I nm wry unxious to

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