[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—