New York January 5 1831
My dear Cousin
I have addressed you frequently of late, at Austin, giving such
information as I thought to your interest or would prove acceptable,
Also advised of Mr Treat, who left here about the 18th of last month
via New Orleans, being the bearer of a friendly letter to you from
the Trustees of the Company, formed by the Grant of Zavala,
Vechlin and Burnett, giving a view of their plan of operations, the
Success of which I should think could but further the interest of
your Colony, and that a material understanding and friendly
intercesion would prove equally advantageous to both parties. I am
now informed by my friend, who is no Stranger to the plans of the
Company that they write you at Saltillo, where I presume your
duties as a member of the State Legislature has called you ere this,
Via Vera Cruz by the Packet to Sail today, with a wish that a
letter from me might accompany theirs, and steps would be taken
to secure their safe delivery. Which opportunity I am happy to
embrace. The Company now see the importance of communicating
with you as speedily as practicable, for the purpose of arousing your
interest and with it your influence or at least your friendly
disposition toward them. The Trustees and board of directors, as
before stated, I can assure you are composed of some of our most
respectable and monied men, therefore no want of funds to secure
their object, and with an interest extending throughout the States,
will in time usurp a powerful influence. Col. Mexia also writes
you at this time and will soon leave himself for Saltillo via New
Orleans, Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico, to see you in behalf
of the Company, who have engaged another special agent also soon
to leave for Saltillo to open a negotiation between you and said
Company. From the above you can readily infer the light in which
you and your Colony are held by the Company, who appear anxious
if no more can be done to secure your neutrality looking upon that
alone of no little importance to them, if not necessary to their
ultimate success, One Vessel has been already despatched with
about 70 Swiss and German settlers for Galveston Bay and another
is early to sail with the same number. In fact the current of
emigration is setting so strong towards Texas, that if you had
anyone here to represent your Colony, I am confident there would be
no want of Settlers, as yours would have the decided preference
over all others. While writing I am informed one great object
of the Land Company in sending an agent to you is in hopes to
induce you to unite your Colony with theirs, but I cannot credit that
they would make such a proposition or have any hopes of success if
they did, for I cannot conceive they can offer an equivalent, for in
that event you may rest assured they would place all settlers on
their own lands, for it would be to their interest to do so. In hopes
of soon being in receipt of some of your kind favors I am with the
compliments of the Season
[Rubric]
P. S.
Since writing the above Col. Langworthy of Vermont, with whom
I am but very slightly acquainted, has handed me a letter to you
which I enclose, wrote at my suggestion when he called a few days
since for information as to your Colony, and to which I would refer
as also giving the manner in which the Zavala Company dispose of
their lands and of which I was not before so fully acquainted. You
will see Col. L. has an interest in said Company of 100.000 acres, cost
him he tells me 5 cents pr acre, the payment of which may have been
secured, but otherwise I presume not paid for as I understand he is
very poor having lost all of his property. I am however told he is
a man of information and he informs me in his neighborhood he
could get Settlers almost without numbers to go to Texas was he to
advise them to go, and that many offered to exchange their farms for
these lands. You may therefore be able to use the Colonel to
advantage, without incurring any responsibility on your part, and the
latter I should advise never to lose sight of, and at the same time
further his interest and views. I have promised him a letter to
you of introduction and doubt not you will find him much of a
Gentleman.
[Rubric]
January 25. 1831
Dear Cousin,
Referring to above duplicate of my last respect. I now add a
few lines by a son of Mr Woodbury, whom I am surprised to learn
is still here, to sail in the morning direct for Galveston Bay, as he
gave me to understand that he would leave long since via New
Orleans. I send you in charge of Mr. W. a pamphlet just published
by the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company—-the Company
before referred to above and in my former letters—giving their
articles of association plan of operations, Translation of their grant,
etc., which as yet I have not had time to peruse but doubt not the
pamphlet will prove acceptable to you. One of the Trustees tells
me they intend to add to it some legal opinions when they will send
you a copy. I also enclose their first advertisement which has
appeared in the public prints. Col. Langworthy sailed from here for
Galveston Bay about the 11th inst, in a small vessel full of Settlers
whom I am informed were sent out by Col. Mexia and a private
Company. I saw the Colonel on board and he told me as much.
Col. L. is agent for a private Concern which he told me however
would in no way interfere with is own business and object of his
visit. He is very desirous to see you and doubt not will
communicate freely with you and that you may be able to elicit from him
much valuable information and which I hope you may turn to
advantage. In my letter which accompanied your Coat, I gave a
statement of the coat of making and Trimming and I stated that
Mr Perry had informed me he had left $20 with his friend in
Philadelphia to hand on to paye the supposed cost of making at that time,
instead of which they have since sent and paid the whole bill say
$41??— I am happy to hear of you thro' brother Archibald, who
is in receipt of your letter of the 20th December advising of the
receipt of his per Schooner Nelson. You make no mention of a letter
and paper roll I gave in charge of Mr & Mrs [Wm.] T. Austin,
passengers by said vessel, which I hope came safe to hand. Brother
Henry has indeed been truly unfortunate with the Steam Boat. I
must acknowledge I had no confidence that your Colony was
sufficiently advanced to give him profitable employment, and regreted
much to hear that he had taken her off the rio Bravo, but in the
absence of his letters must take it for granted that he found it the
only alternative. I trust must soon hear from him and hope to have
that pleasure from you yourself.
J. P. Austin [Rubric]
P. S. I also send a file of newspapers, but nothing late from
Europe.