San Felipe De Austin July 1st 1827
Dear sir
With this you will receive my petition, to the General
Government, and if you should deem any alterations necessary, I beg that
you will make them.—if you think it essential to redraft the petition,
I wish you to consider yourself fully authorised to sign for Jos: B
Wilkinson and myself.
I have, as you will perceive by reference to the petition asked for—
Five leagues of Land—with permission to locate in a body or sepe-
rately—My reasons for asking this privilege I hope you will find
satisfactory; The lands on the Brassos are, I believe very generally
occupied by prior claims,—so that if I were forced to locate the
concession in an entire body it would be too remote from the Distillery—
to derive any advantages from it. The Distillery and Sugar House
(if we establish one) will consume a large quantity of wood annually
and if we are forced to bring it from any distance, it would subject
us to great inconvenience, and still greater expence. I think the
advantages which will result to the country from the proposed
Establishment, fully authorise me in believing that my petition is
perfectly reasonable, if you think otherwise however, drop this
subject, and urge nothing but the first clause—viz—the privilege of
importing me] asses Free of Duty.
In addition to the information, I have already requested, I would
enquire, whether, there are not, now in your colony, several
carpenters and Masons and if so, could they be employed by the month,
and at what price ? Could I not, get at San Antonio or elsewhere in
the Interior, a number of Spaniards as day laborers at low wages?
if I can, can I rely upon them, and what price would I have to pay?
I am particularly anxious to obtain some knowledge of the Mexican
markets—The names—situations population, and resources of the
various Seaport Towns, and those in the Interior, accessible to trade,
the means of transportation from the nearest ports, and the expence
attending such transportation
In the prosecution of my design, I would require correspondents
wherever I found a market, and if you could furnish me with the
names and standing of merchants in such places as you would
designate, from whom I could obtain the desired information, I would
address them upon my return to the U. S. — In the meantime, I
would most thankful [ly] avail myself of your general and extensive
knowledge of the Country. With the Mercantile usages of the
country, the susceptibility of particular places — for a particular
branch of trade — and the minutia of business I presume you are
unacquainted—but, upon the general resources of the country—-
its commercial advantages—its agricultural and monied wealth—
the geographical advantages of particular ports, as regards their
proximity to thickly settled and wealthy districts, in short, upon
every subject, interesting to a stranger, I would apply to you, with
a perfect confidence of clear and satisfactory answers—
I am aware My Dear Sir—that—I am drawing largely upon your
promise of information, and trespassing upon your time, but when
I remind you of the importance of the business in which I am about
to engage and that my entire ruin might be the result of a careless
investigation of the capabilities of the Country—you will I am per-
suaded pardon my anxiety for obtaining information from the only
correct source within my power—I therefore again repeat, that I
shall esteem it, a flattering evidence of your friendship, and an
important obligation, if you will address me, upon all subjects of
general information, which may suggest themselves to you, and which
your convenience and leisure may permit you to speak of.
My anxiety to return to the U. S. in order to make arrangements
for the support of our petition in the Capital induces me, again to
mention the subject of my little invoice of Liquors, they stand me
in something like $2.50 if you can settle them for that—I wish you
would do so of course to be delivered here—at all events make the
best arrangement you can for me—
C. B. Penrose
Col S. F. Austin
[Addressed:] Col Stephen F Austin San Antonio.