San Felipe de Austin March 10, 1829

Mr Nat. Cox

New Orleans

Sir,

I shall be fully prepaired by the middle or last of next month to make a final settlement and division of the interest which our friend Hawkins had in the land granted to me by the Mexican Govt, for settling this Colony, and I have to request of you to inform me by Mr John Austin, who will present this, whether you are fully Authorised as the agent of Hawkins Estate to close that business, for in the event of your being thus authorised I will visit New Orleans the next trip of the Schooner Eclipse, which will be some time in April next—

The title to the land cannot be vested in an alien and must remain in me or in some Mexican citizen, but I deem it necessary that a division and final settlement should be made, and all old contracts letters etc canceled and the business brought to a final close Should you wish that the title should still continue in me, and that I should take charge of the property and sell parts of it, or lease and settle other parts etc, I will do so cheerfully and faithfully, but this should be done under the authority of special instructions to that effect—¦ from the legal agent of the Estate after the division is made and Hawkins part designated

Mrs Hawkins wrote to me to divide it myself and manage it as I deemed best but I prefer laying the plats all before you, as the agent and friend of the heirs and I also wish to consult with you as to the best mode of Making the Estate of some value to the heirs—

My stay in Orleans must necessarily be short for two reasons, one is that my duty requires me here, and another is that I actually have not money to defray the expence of a long stay in that city—

[Stephen F. Austin.]