Stephen F. Austin to Josiah H. Bell, 09-28-1823 Stephen F. Austin Project Director and Editor Andrew J. Torget Creation of XML version Debbie Liles Initial TEI Formatting Stephen Mues Programmatic and Manual TEI P5 Compliance Ben W. Brumfield Digital Stephen F. Austin Papers 07-16-2011 Josiah H. Bell Unknown Unknown Eugene Barker, ed., Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1919: The Austin Papers, (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1924), 3 vols., Vol 1, Part 1, pp. 695 Eugene Barker's summaries and footnotes Letter 09-28-1823 Programmatic restructuring and manual clean-up to comply with TEI P5 2.3.0 Restructured to meet TEI P5 standards Digital creation of XML file

Wishes the people to move closer together for protection. Wants settlers "to be satisfied, if such a thing is possible."

Sept 28,1823 At the home of McFarland

Dr Sir;

Since my return from Mexico I have been trying to induce the people to move nearer together, on the Colorado I could not effect this object—some would go to the cane breake and some would not— I have determined to make one effort more on this river—the land for 15 or 20 miles above and below this town will be laid off in labor tracts, my wish is that the whole settlement should move to these labor tracts each one can pick his league tract and have it surveyed elsewhere and it will be time enough if it is improved in two years —I wish the settlers to be satisfied if such a thing is possible—will your settlement agree to move together or not? I wish to do as the majority decide.

[Stephen F. Austin.]

[Addressed:] J. H. Bell Esqr.