St Genevieve 28 Sept. 1807—
Dear Sir
We arrived here safe Friday 2 o.clock we found Doctr Eliotts
Family much distressed on Account of their son Austin,s situation—
As he is removed from the Atmosphere of N. Orleans, I can,t but hope
his life may yet be spared. I was much surprised, to find that the
Load of lead, which I sent to you for (by P. Martan) was sent to
Charles Eliot, with directions to put with your Lead. I must depend
on receiving the Lead, due me from You, to make good the Payments
I have to make to Mr Spencer—and for the Hollow Ware. I find it
impossible to get any Carts to go after Lead at Present as they have
commenced getting in their Corn. I have assured Mr. Spencer that I
will pay him before he goes.— Mr J. Pratt, I was told was the only
person in Town, who would pay Cash for Lead—I went to him with a
view to sell him some, the most he would offer me was $4. here-
said he has purchaced three Thousand at that—of course I said no
more_This afternoon a Gentleman from St. Louis applied here to
purchase, he wants from 20. to 25.000—1 offered him 2.000 at $5 for
Brother Daniel—I believe he will take it—and if he don,t supply
himself here will come out to the mines. I shall direct him to you
had you not best sell him enough to Pay Madme Geronan or the French
Woman you owe? there can then be no question with her about the
price If he has it in three weeks, twill be soon enough I have at last
gotten a laconic Answyer to my Letters from Mr. Haines N. York 10th
Aug.—" the Drft. accepted by the Messrs. Austins, is accepted payable
in N. York, they wrote me sometime ago that they were preparing
to send me the Amount of it by Elias A. Eliott—I recd. a letter this
day from John Jones, of Vincennes, Informing me Mr. Eliott had
gone to N. Orleans with two boats laden with Lead and was bound
on to N. York and had express orders to pay me—I shall keep it, till
fall, if they do not discharge it by that time, I then shull send it to
a friend in N. Orleans to collect for me—The Goods I had from you
is not sold, when they are sold, I will send you the particulars, I
could not sell them without too great a sacrifice and have let them
lay."—I am a little surprised that Mr. Jones should have written him
on the subject—It may embarrass Austin (If he arrives there in
safety) very much. I also fear Haines does not tell me true,
respecting my furnature—Months before I left home, I gave him express
orders to sell it at auction, as it must be sold and unquestionably there
would be a loss—the sooner it was done the better,- as the articles
many of them would be injured by laying—besides I know he wanted
the Money under Such circumstances, is it not unaccountable he
should let them lay undisposed of. It can not be so, he must want to
get into his hands all the Property he can, I shall them be obliged to
take my leave of it. I trust and believe you will join with me, in
endeavoring to frustrate his Plans However dishonest he might show
himself— in this Business, nothing should induce me to withhold
from him one Cent of the Acceptance provided he would pay me the
Amount of sales of the furnature, which he origenally promised me.
this I believe to be Just and right and I think you will coincide in
Opinion
T. Phelps [Rubric]
NB. Please to hand the enclosed to Mrs. Austin—
[Addressed:] Moses Austin Esqr-Merchant Mine a Burton
By Mr H. Eliott—