Texas, July 24, 1828
Dr Sister
Lewis Morrison will hand you this, he has passed through the
country, tho [he] has not had an opportunity of seeing the best
part of it he can give you some account of the country etc—
I am likely to have a serious difficulty with Col. [Anthony] Butler
relative to the old business at the Mines— I fear that he is an
unprincipled man— I wish you to get all the Lead and account
Books of mine, for the year I worked the mines in partnership with
Butler, it was the last year I had his negros—we had them three
years in all, two years on hire and one year him and myself worked
the mines in partnership—there was nothing made of consequence
that year and I sent a full statement of the business of that season
to Butler, he has not produced it and seems to wish that I should
pay him five or six thousand dollars. I wish you to get the Lead
Book of that year and send [it] to me by Mr. Honey should he
come out next fall and all the other Books of that years
business— I suppose they are with the other Books of Father— The Lead
Book is principally or all in Ballards hand writing—
I hope John Austin paid you a visit and gave you an account of
the state of things here and some idea of the labor and difficulties
I have struggled through in settling this wilderness I have nothing
particular to write you— Brother and his wife are well, they are
down the Brazos River at this time near the coast. I saw them a
few days ago but we did not at that time know that Morrison would
start so soon which [is] the reason he did not write you— The
people here are generally healthy tho we have a severe drought,
the crops however are abundantly sufficient— We have general
peace and tranquility all over the country and the settlements are
progressing slowly but surely When I came here there was not
one civilized being within two hundred miles of this colony and
now I have near three thousand in it, and there are many large farms
and valuable improvements—but I am myself still poor as to
disposable means—my object has been to settle the country more
than to speculate and the expenses I have had to undergo have more
than equalled what I have recd besides I have had some old debts to
pay off the amount of the new Madrid claims which I bought in
St Louis was over nine thousand dollars— I gave my notes for
them and let Bryan have them all—I never received any thing
from them and am still struggling along to pay for them also the
balance due Butler for the hire of his negros all fall on me and I
am working through that as fast as I can—
do not fail to collect all the Books I have written for and be
careful not to send them except by a safe hand
Remember me to Mr Perry and all friends
your brother
S. F. Austin [Rubric]
Send the enclosed to Mr Carr without delay
[Rubric]
Write me how political parties stand as regards Benton and Barton which of them stands highest, and which of them is supported
by the Perrys and by Win C. Carr and Elias Bates— I am myself
very much pleased with Bentons political course in the Senate—
I opened this after it was sealed
We have Isaac B Desha in irons here for murdering a man on the
road between this and San Antonio—his tryal is progressing, there
appears but little doubt of his guilt—
[Address:] Mrs Emiley A Perry Potosí Missouri pr Mr Lewis
Morrison