St Louis, June the 30th, 1800.
Sir
[From what] you told me I expected to have seen you soon after
I came up, You would have found Mr [undecipherable] who is to Set
out in a few days and will be the Bearer of this, after having made
to Mr Lieutn Governor an official return of the Survey of Your Land,
I freely deliver'd to him my private opinion on the matter, and I
confidentially say, that the Survey which has been made, will stand as it
is without any alteration, 'till the decision of the Government General,
and the business cannot be brought there, unless the Inhabitants
concerned can prove in writing that the manner in which your Land
was Survey'd is prejudicial and ruinous to them: I likewise believe
that M. Delassus will inform in your favor, a friend of mine being
now with me, enables me to Speak to you Somewhat more openly
than I could have done otherwise. I have no doubt but that you will
Judge rightly of My Motives, and keep all this between Ourselves—
In the course of next month I shall draw on You for 150 Dlls in
lead @ 5 dols p H in favor of Mr Pascal-Detchemendy and Should
Your Survey be approved of, as it is, You will pay me 75 Dlls. when
you receive Your Certificate which will make up the 225 Dlls. that
you agreed to pay me, if ever Your Survay Should Stand, and I
shall settle with Mr Maddin for what he has done. But if Your
Survey should not be apprved of, I should have nothing further to
demand from You when You have paid up the 150 Dlls. agreed upon
and in this case only Mr. Maddin's fees must be paid by you. Such
you will certainly remember to have been our mutual agreement and
the payment was to take place in the course of July, agreeable to
Your Verbal and written promises.
You are no doubt fully satisfied at this time that My Intentions
toward you have been constantly the Same, and that nothing could
make me alter them.
Please to present my respectful devo[tions] to Mrs Austin and
believe Me Most perfectly Sir
Anto Soulard.
P. S. I had Your letter to Mr. de h .. . e translated by Mr. Bellier?
and it had, I believe a Good effect.