Potosi 15 March 1830.
Col: Stephen F. Austin,
Dear Sir: When I reflect on the intimacy and friendly
intercourse which in days long past happily subsisted between your late
worthy father and my (then) family in Philadelphia, as well as
myself, (all now with a single exception resting in their graves) and
the uniform regard and esteem felt by Mrs. Wescott and self for
your late excellent mother, my reluctance in troubling you with this
communication is measurably diminished. For in appreciating your
own disposition to oblige, and to promote the interests of those who
are not unworthy, by that, which I know your deceased parents
eminently possessed, I do believe, I but render to you a just tribute
of estimation. Under this impression, I no longer hesitate to come
to a general Development of my objects in addressing you. In the first
place, excuse me for remarking that perhaps few men have suffered
more severely than it has been my hard destiny to do, from the heavy
blasts of adverse fortune. From Ease and affluence, I have been
cruelly reduced for a series of past years to a state of comparative
privation, which, personally, wd. have been the more easly endured
had it not borne heavily upon the comforts, prospects, and fair
expectations of an excellent wife and eight children, by which I have
been compelled to suffer a state of intense feeling and anxiety,
almost beyond the exertion of my strongest moral energies! This
sad state of things, has resulted from a liberal but misplaced
confidence in men of plausible exterior and reputed integrity, who have
despoiled me of property to an amount, which wd. now render me
and my family perfectly comfortable and independent. Such is the
true but brief outline of our situation. In consequences of the kind,
and well intended Invitation of my Brothers in law, Doctr Joseph
and Sam1 P. Browne, to come on with my family to this place we
were induced to undertake the long and arduous and expensive
removal from Philda and arrived here in November last. But altho'
received and treated by Mrs. W's Brothers with perfect kindness
yet I soon discovered that we had made a fallacious estimate of the
expected advantages, which such removal appeared to promise. In
fact, this section of Missouri seems to me to be in a deplorable
situation. The Staple commodity (Lead) is a mere Drug—its price so
low as to discourage the most sanguine miner, and the chance of
getting any profitable employment, almost hopeless, Long before
I left Philada (my native city) I had turned my attention in the
course of my reflections on the prospect of forwarding the interests
of my family to your section of the globe and, more than twelve
months ago, had felt a strong inclination to open a communication
with you on this interesting subject. But, owing in a great
measure to my unacquaintance with the proper mode of
transmitting my letters, to your address, failed to do so, In truth,
there is a strange ignorance on the sea board of the U. S. in
relation to your topographical situation. Your excellent sister,
Mrs. Perry has been kind enough to read to me certain parts
of your letters in reference to your Region—and I feel a
strong conviction that she, her husband and their family cannot fail
in being essentially benefitted by locating themselves with you.
I also believe, that an auspicious change might result from my being
able to transplant my family there, and under this belief, I pray
your excuse for making some additional remarks and propounding a
few Enquiries.
My son George, (our oldest child) was born at St. Louis in
1806 and is at present located in Wayne Co. Pennsylva where he
has been practising Law about 18 mos My family therefore under
my immediate charge consists of my wife and seven Daughters
the latter, from 19 down to 2 years of age. The eldest Theodosia
possesses sufficient capacity to undertake the tuition of young
children in at least, the rudimental Principles of our Language and
every disposition to exercise it as beneficially as possible. She also
has an excellent command of her needle in which respect several
of her sisters could, also, render themselves useful. Do you think
encouragement of my Daughter wd, be probable in your Town in
the particulars alluded to and to what extent? As to myself
perhaps I may venture to say that altho pretty far advanced in the
vale of Life (being now 60) shd, my health be continued I wd.
feel competent to the faithful and zealous discharge of any
employment connected with commercial superintendence or responsibility,
and particularly that of conveyancing in its various branches. Do
you think I wd. be likely to procure beneficial employment in these
or other respects to wch. I might be competent? In desiring to
locate myself and family in Texas however my paramount
inducements are not embraced in the preceding queries. Those
inducements are predicated on a prospective view, in my mind, of the
probable—progressive, rapid advancement and prosperity of your
country, arising from the well directed industry, enterprize and
correct moral and political deportment of a respectable population of
well qualified agriculturists and others (in addition to your present
physical force) from different parts of the U S., especially from
the N. Western States. That the U. S. continues to look with " a
longing Eye " toward Texas there can be no doubt, and perhaps, a
very slender (if it were at all plausible) pretext, may sooner or
later, induce the Government to aim at its possession, "peaceably
if they can, forcibly if they must." Be this as it may, I can hardly
suppose that much danger need be apprehended in regard to an
interruption or suspension of the progressive settlement and
improvement of your particular region, in consequence of the fluctuations
of Power and Parties or occasional changes of the Dynasty in the
Mexican Government. Your own individual grant, has, I
understand, been duly confirmed and consummated by that government,
and therefore, in any event will be untouched by it as well as
beyond the reach of danger even shd. the U. S. ever become possessed
of Texas! With this general view of the subject I cannot but
believe that the prosperity and interests of my wife and Daughters
(as well as my own) might in all probability be best promoted by
effecting a settlement there as soon as convenient. But, in such
event a Grant of Land, promisingly situated, seems to me
indispensable!
Thus then, My dear Sir, I come to the great prominent
inducement by which, I am actuated, in imposing on you, the trouble of
reading and reflecting upon, the subject matter of this
communication. My great object is to be able to obtain a Grant of eligibly
situated Land of good quality! and toward the fulfillment of that
object I take the liberty of soliciting your aid, cooperation, and
Influence. Will you therefore suffer me most earnestly to request an
application for me to this effect as speedily as possible, consistently
with the necessary previous reflection on your own part. The
quantity and quality to be governed by your own Discretion and sense of
Propriety? I again pray you to excuse the trouble I am imposing
on you and to guard me, if possible, by timely application for a grant
for me and my family, so that I may not be precluded by lapse of
time. Mr. Perry, who kindly takes charge of this letter will be able
to state more particularly my views and objects, and be assured that,
whatever you may be pleased to do to carry them into operation,
my gratitude for yr. services, will not be diminished by any possible
failure, which the contingencies of the best concerted plans may
sometimes occasion. I pray you to write me as soon as convenient
with perfect freedom and frankness, as to my views and wishes, and
to believe me, with the highest
Robt. Wescott
P. S. My Brother in Law Dr. Browne writes by this opportunity
and I trust and hope that you will do all you can to forward and
promote his objects. R.W. .
18 March—in continuation
My dear Sir,
In looking over the foregoing lettr. and as Mr. Perry will not
set out today, I wish to append a few farther cursory remarks.
Professing an unfortunate unacquaintance with the institutions
under which the civil and municipal affairs of yr. promising
Province are regulated, and, not having it in my power to remedy that
defect, by any satisfactory sources of information here, I
particularly request that you will be good enough to give me a brief, general
statistical outline of the nature and powers of yr, constitution or
form of Government, and modes of legislation. Also, the Products,
of which yr. soil is particularly susceptible (the staples of which I
suppose to be Cotton, perhaps sugar) the fruits and vegetables wch.
wld. best flourish there, the most eligible market for yr. surplus
commodities hereafter, and the facility or difficulty of procuring
the necessary articles for human subsistence, their probable prices
etc. I think yr. country, must be well adapted for grazing cattle
and promoting their maturest growth. I find a newspaper
Establishment is in operation in Austin, a good omen, for the
diffusion of information etc! Be pleased also to inform me whether a
young man of respectable professional acquirements and talents (for
such I may say I consider my son to be) wd. be likely to succeed
in the Practice of Law in Texas, as it wd. be exceedingly desirable
in that case that George shd. be with or near us. In fine to avoid
swelling the communication (already perhaps to prolix) to a most
unreasonable size, I throw myself upon yr. kind indulgence when I
conclude by desiring your best advice, information, and cooperation
in forwarding my views and wishes as above indicated. Yr. reply to
Dr. Browne will apprize me of the size population etc. of Austin
as he particularly writes to you respecting them. Shd. I be enabled
to remove there I have no doubt I could induce several very useful
citizens of Philada to follow.
Robt. Wescott.