The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume V

l'APEHS OF )f rnAREAU Buo"'APARTE LA)[AR

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tegrity at a time when 110 one else either in Phila or New York would contract with us- I · cannot reccommend )Ir Burke too highly for the situation-and n~y reccommendat~on comes with the greater force as I have known lum for a long period of years- . I have the honour to be with great respect Yr i\Iost Obedt Svt R. G. DUNLAP [Addressed :] To The President, M B Lamar Austin Texas Care of Texan Consul New Orleans [Endorsed:] Hon. R G Dunlap Feby 5, 1840 Recommending l[r- Ilurke for Consul.

No. 1717. H. 1IOLLHAUSEN TO LAi\IAR

Austin, Febr. 6th 1840.

To His Excellency, MrnADEAU LAlL\R, President of fhe Republic of Texas: Sm!

It is with the greatest confidence I approach your Excellency to pray for an act of justice. Some time ago the honorable Jas. H. Starr Secretary of the Treas- ury informed me that there were to be made three maps representing the vicinity of Austin. During half a year I was in Texas and having· met with no other encouragement than the confidence of t.he honor- able L. P. Cooke I felt very happy to find another opportunity to show my abilities and I expressed to Mr. Starr in writing my great desire to draw these maps, submitting the condition that His Honor alone might fix the price after the work were done, and that I would be entirely satisfied with the payment :;\[r. Starr ,vould think proper. But I was then infonned to ask a certain price for the maps, to be executed in the best style, on a large scale, and with suitable embel- lishments; Well knowing what I am able to do I asked about 500$ a piece-a price often paid in Texas for very inferior maps at times when the money had double the value than now. I knew that in order to make these.topographical maps in their full perfection and in order to show the terrain properly in all its grada- tiohs & varieties of growth- so very important for purchases abroad- it is indispensably necessary to go often along with the surveyors and to take carefully all the necessary Data; I knew that here was more required than the work of a mere draftsman. But my price-double paid in silver in the United States for such work-was regarded too high and I was by His Honor informed that in consequence of more fnrnrable terms contained in the proposals of another individual my offer were not received. But this individual I am tolrl is a clerk in the Ild Auditors' office, (l\f r. Sandusky) paid with 2200$ a year and I venture to express my opinion that it is entirely against the principles of the public service to employ & to pay an officer of the government for two different purposes, each of which it seems, requires so fully all his time & zeal. No wonder when this young gentleman cnn ask a lower price for-

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