Dr. Brother

I am anxious to hear how you are. the last accounts you were getting better I shall be at Brazoria at the Ball and from there go down— I am gaining strength so slowly that it is difficult to perseive much improvement in my strength—

I think that matters will go on well and smoothly in both the Executive and Legislative departments— There evidently is a disposition to harmonise in all persons.

I have been solicited to go into the new cabinet as Secretary of State— or to go to the U. S. as minister— I have declined— I have all the land office business to close— Who can I trust it with in my absence? If S. M. Williams failed me while I was in prison in the city of Mexico, who can I hope will not fail me?

Besides all this my health is gone, and I must have rest to nurse my constitution and try and restore my strength— The land office will be as much as I can attend to in the present state of my health.

I think I shall effect a sale of some tracts of land, tho, at a great sacrifice; which will supply me with something to live on, for the present untill I raise means to settle a farm.

I send you by Simon two slips of Roses which I brought yesterday from Dr Phelps' place, The largest slip is monthly, white, exceedingly fragrant, as much so as damask rose—it forms a tree—it is very rare in the U. S. and was procured from abroad by a botanist in N. Orleans who gave a slip to Phelps—

The other slip blooms daily the year round is red and fragrant—

Do take care of them—water them every night untill they take root I also send you black walnuts to plant They are from a tree that Bell planted in his yard after he settled where he now is— They ought to be planted in January Do not neglect them, nor let the children eat them— If I am here in the winter I will go to Mrs Allsburys and get some slips and roots for you

Have you saved any more of the crow foot Grass seed— A small patch in Bells yard has supported about a dozen Horses and kept them fat— He says he never has seen any grass half so valuable for a pasture— Do not neglect this—set Austin and Joel or the children to gathering the seed

Gen Jackson has answered Santanna's letter of 4 July in a very friendly manner—he has made it the basis of an offer of mediation with Mexico and open.d a correspondence with the Mexican Minister at Washington Those who cursed and were for hanging me for going to see Santana at all, or getting him to write to Jackson, now say that I was right,—that measure then so bad, is now looked to as one of the best modes of bringing about a peace Gen. Houston's ideas as to santana agree very much with mine.

I have full confidence that all will go right—and that by next March we shall belong to the U. S. I wish to take the trip to Washington—but who can I trust to close the land business? If Williams and McKinney failed me in my absence and forgeting their duty to their country became wild and gambling land jobbers—who can I trust? I know of no one but Gail Borden He can be trusted, for he is conscienciously an honest man, but if he refused to chime in with the views of speculators they would seek some way to ruin him— My confidence in mankind is so destroyed by W. and McK. in whom I had unbounded confidence that I am fast falling or have fallen into the opposite extreme to the principle that always governed me— I once believed all men honest untill the reverse appeared— I now think all the reverse untill I see them tryed— Love to Emily and all

S. F. Austin

Columbia July [October] 25. 1836—

[Addressed:] Mr James F. Perry Peach point Simon