Stephen F. Austin Esq.

Sir, Through the kind offer of your relative Jno. P. Austin Esq of New York I improve the opportunity of writing you on a subject, in which, I presume you are much interested, and which, of late has become a subject of much conversation and no little degree of excitement, I mean the Colonization of Texas. A company has recently been formed in the City of New York to Colonize the grants to Veilin, Zavala and Burnet, adjoining, as I understood, your Colony— This Company, are composed of gentlemen of great wealth and respectability who are engaged in forwarding settlers to these grants. One Vessell, has already Sailed, and another will sail this Week filled with Emigrants, principally Swiss, with provisions, farming utensials etc, and many other settlers will soon follow- Indeed hundreds I think I may say some thousands settlers, would immediately go out, if they had the means of Conveyance, and a reasonable prospect of being able to obtain subsistance, until they could be enabled by Cultivating the earth to procure a Comfortable subsistence by their own labor. In the Vessell which goes this week, several competent surveyors are going out, in order, in the first place, to lay off the Entire tract, and to subdivide it to enable the Settlers to locate themselves, permanently, on their own Lands, A principal part of the Settlers, that have and are now going out, are hired, the Conditions, except the sum to be paid, which is Sixty Dollars pr Annum,) are contained in the printed Sheet which Í send you. Others pay their passage, and all expences and are entitled to receive 177 Acres, subject to reconvey the balance etc. as is therein stated—

The price of Texas lands in Market varies from 5 to 10 Cents pr Acre by large quantities and almost any amount, might be sold at from 5. to 10. or Settled on the conditions proposed by this Company-— I am myself interested in those grants to the amount of 1,00000 [one hundred thousand] Acres and now think of going out, in the course of a few days for the purpose of making a Selection of Lands to locate upon, if so, I intend to Visit your settlement and hope to have the pleasure of seeing you there. My particular object in writing you at this time is to appraise you of the Value of your Lands in Our market of the course taken by this Company and also to say, that I should be willing to make some arrangement with you to furnish you with Settlers, or to sell your Lands, as you might find it most advantageous to you— Having for 25 years been extensively employed in the purchase and Sale of Lands, and having formed many acquaintance, in many of the States, I believe I could furnish Settlers to almost any extent, or sell your Lands on as good terms as any other person, I beg leave to refer to your relatives in New York for a confirmation of what I have above stated— I should be glad to soon hear from you on the subject—and as I may be at your place, you will have the goodness to write me in New York, addressed to the care of Mr Austin and also to your own village to the care of your agent. Mr Curtis one concerned in the Galveston purchase I understand intends visiting the Legislature of Texas and Coahuila this winter—you will probably see him He is a very respectable worthy young man— He might feel a degree of Jealousy—If he knew the Contents of my Letter, as he is much interested in the prosperity of their grants, and might fear that the sale and Settlement of their tracts would be impeded by throwing yours into Market,

ASAHEL LANGWORTHY