[Copy by Austin.]
[About August —, 1823?]
Honble. Baron de Bastrop.
Dr. Sir, You are no doubt fully informed that I hold a claim
to a tract of land on the Iasih [Ayish] Bayou in the district of
Nacogdoches, this claim is founded on an ancient Spanish grant regularly
granted by the competent authority in conformity with the forms
and regulations observed on such occasions. Many persons have
intruded on my land and in violation of my rights are distroying
my timber, and they threaten to keep possession by force of arms.
In this State of things I am kept out of my property, and am daily
Sustaining great damage I have applied to the authorities of
Nacogdoches for redress without being able to obtain any Satisfac-
tion in consequence of this I have taken the liberty to trouble you
on the subject to ask your advice, Knowing that you are always
ready to promote justice—All I wish for is justice—if the land is
mine I wish to have the benifit of it.
I have been in hopes that the Govt. would appoint
Commissioners for the purpose of deciding and finally determining all the old
claims in that district, and to remove the intruders who were on
them but if this is not done, will you have the goodness to advise
me what I ought to do—I am very old and getting infirm, but if it is
necessary for me to go to Saltillo I will do so and present my
documents to the Govt. I will wate for your advise before I adopt any
further measures hoping in the mean time that you will pardon me
for troubling you with this letter and that you will have the
goodness to give me your council on the subject—