(Strictly Confidential)

Washington 2d June 1836

Dear Sir:

By special invitation I took a family dinner with the President on the day before yesterday and with the Vice President on yesterday. I was 4 or 5 hours alone with the President and the sole subject of conversation was Texas. He asked Where are your letters from your Government? Where Houstons official account of the Victory? Where your Presidents proclamation calling upon the inhabitants to return to their homes and attend to their crops? Where an official annunciation of the fact that the inhabitants are at their homes and in possession of the Most of Texas? Where the publication opening your ports and fixing your Tariff and Tonnage. Sir says he your President should send an express once a week to New Orleans to his agent and have published by authority the true situation of your country and every thing that goes to shew you are a de facto government. This is indispensible. He then commenced on Butler and said that but for his delay and misconduct Texas would have belonged to this Government before this war broke out and sir says he be not surprised if I yet soon announce a cession by Mexico of Texas to the United States. This gave me to understand that he was in treaty with Gorostiza and I announced to him for the 10th time that Texas protested against any sale or cession by Mexico. He answered that if such took place a quit claim would be all that would be obtained from Mexico leaving the preliminaries to be afterwards arranged between Texas and the United States. I again renewed my protest against any disposition of Texas by Mexico.

I write you this to let you know What is wanted here in order to procure our recognition. Do urge our government to write to the agents here at least once a week and to make frequent publications in relation to the state of affairs in Texas.

Our latest dates from New Orleans are of the 13th May. The Indians have cut off all communication for some time. We should now have New Orleans dates of the 22d—. All is anxiety about the Texas news Many doubt the capture of Santa Anna because the agents here have received no letters from the Texas Government. Do urge them to write often. I shall leave here as soon as the news is placed beyond all doubt—which will be in 2 or 3 days as we are now getting the New Orleans papers Via Nashville -and Louisville. When the news is placed beyond all doubt I will demand of this Government a decisive answer in relation to our recognition. When this is given I will start for Texas via Nashville. Do write to me often at Nashville and New Orleans. Childress has not been here since you left. Carson's leaving Texas, I mean the Secretary of State has done considerable harm. Genl. Jackson observed to me that it in some measure justified Gorostiza in Calling our government a fugitive government.

I could get nothing definite out of Van Buren at his dinner although we had much conversation. He professed to believe all the accounts in relation to Santa Annas Capture and said that his feelings were decidedly with us. Do attend to the suggestions herein contained and write fre quently first to Nashville where I shall remain only a day or two and then to New Orleans

Wm. H. Wharton

[Addressed:] Genl. S. F. Austin New Orleans Via Wheeling.