The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume V

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PAPl~H8 0.1" l\lrnABEAU BuoX,\l'.-\RTE LAMAR

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No. 1927.

WILLIA;\! FAIRFAX GRAY TO LA)IAR Houston October 24th. 1840

To His Excellency .:\I. B. LAMAR, President &c !our. E~cel!cncy has, doubtless, before this been apprized that the office o~ District Attorney of the First Judicial District, is vacant by the resignation of John H. Reid Esq.-Permit me, with much diffi- dence, to present, myself to you as a candidate for the appoinhnent. I Leg you to believe that I do not seek it as a sinecure:- on the con- t~a!·t I am well aware that it is an office of much labour and respoo- s1~1I_1~y, and one that might well justify the employment of much higher abtl1t1es than I can bring to its discharge. But if I cannot boast of great !egal attainments, I hope I have credit with your Excellency, and_ with all that know me, for sufficient integrity o( character and ~usmess habits, to give a reasonaLle guaranty that the public interests m my hands would not be corruptly perverted, nor grossly neglected. Although, Sir, my main objec-t in seeking this office, is to endea\'Our to achieYe, through a diligent discharge of its duties, a provision for my family which my present business denies; yet I am not too old to feel ambitious of more distinction and usefulness in my adopted Coun- try, than my humble pursuits have hitherto aforded. I shall be proud if your Excellency's sense of public duty shall com- port with a favourable consideration of my pretensions. With much respect I am, Your Excellencys Obt. Serrnnt. w. F. GRAY [Addressed:] His Excellency M. B. Lamar, City of Austin .Mr. Watrous. [Endorsed:] ·wru. F. Gray, Houston, Oct. 2-!th. 18-!0, Soliciting ihe aptt. of Dist Judge of 1st. ,Tuell. Dist.

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No. 19:1:3. JOHN P. BORDEN TO LAMAR

Geueral Land Office Austin Nor. 2d. 1840

His Excellency 1\lrnADEAU B. L,tllf,rn Srn:

lllei:;srs. Levi Jones and Edward Hall having presented at this office sundry field notes of land surveyed on Galveston Island by ,·irtue of certain land scrip issued to Wm. Bryan 011 the tenth of December 1~:16 and In- said Brvan assio-ned to the Said Jones & Hall after hanng satisfied myself 'that the°survevs as made for them do not include Lots already patent;d or paicl for," nor interfere with the rights of those [or whom spec.:ial acts of Congress have Leen passed, I hare _del'med it proper u11cler the achice of the Attorney General to rece1re (llld record the fielu note:;; although not clearly convinced of the propriety o'f so doing the Jaws relative to the Islands being ~omewhnt C'.mtrn- d ic·ton· and inc:onsistent. But ina::-much as ther Wish patent:- 1s~11Nl immeC:l iately upon said lands, and there being ot'!1er ficltl n~te:- of :-ur- ,·eys upon Laml scrip previously recorded, wluch, ne~·ordm)! to tlH' rnlei:; I ha,·e established in the office, would take prt'l'Hlenrc to those of f:a.id Jones and HAIi in the issuing of the pnt<'nt. I Irnr<' !11f~rml'd them that T c·n1111ot now issue th(•ir pnh,nt:-, unlt>i-!'! thl' p,•rul111r1ty of

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