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HON. j. B. C. LUCAS. 
 

 Jit ^:!69i44t^^f4^ vT^^^^-^t^^tii^e^-. 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF 
 
 HON. T. B. C. LUCAS 
 
 FROM 1815 TO 1836. 
 
 COMPILED AND PUBLISHKD HV [IIS GRANDSON, 
 
 JOHN B. C. LUCAS, 
 
 St. Louis, Mo. 
 1905. 
 

 
 ie'05 
 
Letters of Hon. J. B. C. Lucas from 1 815 to 1836. 
 
 St. Louis, Augt. 10th, 1817. 
 Wm. Liu-as, 
 
 Dear ^^'lll.: — Your two letters to me are of the 7th 
 of June aud 4th of July last. My two last to you are 
 of the 'M)th of June, aud r)th of July, the last of which 
 has been i)nt in the hands of Mr. Von Pliul with |50.00 
 for you. 1 purpoiso to send you soon, 150.00 more. At 
 the expiration of the present session I advise you to 
 go to the College of Washington and remain there dur- 
 ing the winter session. These are to be the last six 
 months of your college study. As your mind becomes 
 more strong and mature, these remaining six months 
 ought to be more benetieiatly employed than ever. Let 
 me know what sum is necessary for mathematical iu- 
 strunuMits. 
 
 That yonr IkmHIi be not materially impaired by close 
 application 1 think it to be necessary to exercise your 
 body by occasional hunting. You will thereby combine 
 strength with agility and adroitness. A fowling piece 
 would be preferable to shoot flying and running. T will 
 allow you about eighteen dollais for a gun and a half of 
 a dollar per week for load and powder. You must prom- 
 ise me to keej) your gun clean and in good order, and 
 not depart fidui that way of spending your leisure hours, 
 which must be done not less than once a week, 
 
 T wish that in your next you be explicit as to your 
 choice of a ])rofessiou. If you incline to the profession 
 of the law you will certainly go in the spring to Litch- 
 
field to attend the lectures of Reeves during one year, 
 in the meantime 1 must observe you that lawyers are 
 flocking here from all parts. Tlie profession here will 
 soon be overstocked. 
 
 Your brother Charles holds cut well, and by his prac- 
 tice and speculation in lands, is getting rich fast. The 
 numbei- '»f his enemies is daily increa.^ing. 
 
 I remember to have mentioned you that probably on 
 his return from the United States he would be engaged 
 in most serious dilticulties. You appeared to me much 
 concerned and expressed a wish to be here present to 
 see or perhaps to aid or a.ssif^t. I showed him vour 
 letter because your sentiments bespoke, in my opinion, 
 your hearty concern for him. He took it amiss not 
 knowing probably that I had given occasion to these 
 by my previous commnuications to you of what I ex- 
 pected would take place. It appears that he has cen- 
 sured you judging from one of your letters to him which 
 he has shown me. I wish you to believe that I never 
 intended the effect which has been produced in giving 
 him to read the letter Avhich you wrote me. I thought 
 that instead of censure he would have given you credit. 
 but be it as it may, he is certainly your most ardent 
 friend, and as to me 1 shall in future keep to myself 
 your communications. I repeat to you again that 
 Cliarles is perha])s more critically situated than before. 
 
 If you should prefer to learn brewing beer or stilling 
 in the best manner, such ms cordials and gin, grain 
 being abundant here and more so in time to come, 
 this, together with the easy and pi-omi)t means of ex- 
 portation, grcnt business might be done here. I am 
 informed that sucli stilling is carried to great perfec- 
 tion in New York and to great advantage. I wouhl 
 have you to learn this business either at New York or 
 
Pliilndclphia. I ("oiild jilTdVcl von a coiivciiiciit site and 
 some (•a[)ilal. K(l\vai<l I Iciiiitslcajl died last iiij;!it at'lcr 
 a coinplaint (d' a few hours of a violent headache. 
 
 J. Scotl has a great majority so far, on Eawton for 
 (hde^ate lo ("oninTess. (Jreat exeevsses have been eoiii- 
 iiiilted here diirini; the eh'ction and sinee. 
 
 1 have received a, letter froiii the I*rineipal of the 
 collejj;e of 8t. Thomas. Upon the whole, James has 
 greatly gained theie. He is to come back in October. 
 We will have him in a state of probation during this 
 winter to ascertain his disposition. Bignon Gratiot is 
 arrived from that i)lace. Gustave Soulard is on bis 
 way returning. Bignon saj's that James learns with 
 much facility; that he is active and stndious; always 
 ardent; that he is much altered for the better. 
 
 ^^'e will keep him very busy this winter and if he 
 deserves to be trusted, 1 vshall send him in the spring 
 to a college in New England. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Augt. 18, 1817. 
 Wu\. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — Your letter of the L'lM July has come 
 to hand by last mail. My last to you is of 10th in- 
 stant. I hope that by this time you have recovered 
 youi- health. I am astonished at the number of deaths 
 during so ishort a time in or about your village. 1 re- 
 peat to you that 1 am perfectly agreed at your leaving 
 Canonsburgh to continue your studies at Washington 
 during next session. I recommend you earnestly to 
 study during the whole time, Chemistry and ^Lithemat- 
 ics. I expect from you a compliance with my diiections 
 
and frankness and, sinceritj in your communications 
 tliat 3'ou may receive an immediate benefit from my 
 experience and affection. 
 
 I here enclose fifty dollars, Pittsburj>h Bank. I 
 shall send you fifty more soon. You will procure your- 
 self without delay, the mathematical instruments that 
 are necessary and a ^ood fowling piece. As I, told you 
 before the gun must be a great exerciwe will enable you 
 to bear better with stillness and close application. We 
 are here in a daily expectation of the arrival of a 
 Koman Catholic Bishop and several priests. It is un- 
 certain what part of the country the Bishop will select 
 for his residence. He is a man of distinguished talents 
 and pei'soual accomplishments. 
 
 Charles has fought a duel on the 12th inst. early 
 in the morning with Colonel Benton, a gentleman of 
 the bar. Charles was wounded, a bullet entered his 
 neck near the throat on the left side of it and came 
 out about an inch and a half distant from the place 
 it entered in a declining direction. He lost good yield 
 of blood; almoist fainted. He became dim for a few 
 minutes and although he had declared that he was not 
 satisfied, and directed that his pistol be loaded again, 
 he was disabled from continuing the figlil. 
 
 I was then :it my farm and came late in the evening 
 of same day. On my return I heard of the affair; that 
 he was in bed at Mr. Easton's and was anxious to see 
 me. I went immediately and found him in excellent 
 spirits but very hoaise. I entertained serious appre- 
 hensions of the wind pipe or other muscles being ma- 
 terially impaired, however, I found his voice in the next 
 morning as it ought to be. The doctors pronounced 
 that the state of his blood was good. He is recovering 
 very fast. He could not have a more narrow escape. 
 
 6 
 
He just now has come to our liouse for the first time. 
 ITe lias hit his adversary's leg a little below the knee, 
 near the center of the bone. It has not cut the cloth 
 of his pant ;i loons, it has only produced the effect of a 
 bruise by raising a blister of blood. The powder must 
 have been weak. Benton has been confined two or 
 three days and when he went out first, he has, though 
 involuntarily, let out some symptoms of momentary 
 lameness. 
 
 When you write to Charles do as if you knew noth- 
 ing of these. You must have seen Mr. Von Phul about 
 
 the 1st of Augt. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, 29th Sept., 1817. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 M}'^ dear son: — We have met with an irreparable loss. 
 Your brother Charles is no more. He fell last Satur- 
 day early in the morning, in a single combat with his 
 former antagonist, Col. Benton, His enemies have at 
 last succeeded to have him killed, but none of them 
 could subdue him. 
 
 He lo^ ed you as much as I myself do, and his exist- 
 ence was more necessary to you than mine. His irre- 
 proachable character, his sterling worth, the fair pros- 
 pects that his eminent qualities would be rewarded and 
 public esteem made him the mark of envy. 
 
 You and James have been the particular objects of 
 his last will. He has directed a certain part of his 
 property to be made productive, and the proceeds to 
 be applied to the education of you and James until 1824, 
 
Avht'D I lie whole is to bo divided ainon<>st his heirs at 
 law. 
 
 1 am jioiiiii to write to John C<»ltou Smith, former 
 governor of Connect ieut for the purpose of ascertaining 
 when the course of lectures on law commences at Litch- 
 field, that I may give you information thereof, leaving 
 to you to take such a determination as you may think 
 best. 
 
 I have sent money to James to enable him to come 
 back home. I expect to see him in the course of two 
 Aveeks. Several of biis schoolmates have returned here. 
 All of them make a very favorable re])ort of him. 
 
 I here enclose fifty dollars in four bank notes. You 
 have received before this lime my hlter to you of the 
 18th ultimo, enclosing fifty d(dlars. 
 
 ilr. Tharp has shot dead Wm. Smith, «S:c. 
 
 1 have called upon all the fortitude I may possess to 
 bear my misfortune. Do the same. 1 s(dace myself 
 with the hope that you will continue to pursue a correct 
 conduct and that you will be an example to James who 
 I ho])e iis in a fair way of reform. We will draw more 
 closely, if possible, the ties that unite us. Adrian is 
 •much depressed. 
 
 I love you dearly. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, October 2d, 1817. 
 Joshua Barton, 
 
 Sir: — As there remains nothing of my late son Charles 
 Lucas but his repulation, and as it is my sacred duty to 
 defend and protect it, I beg leave to ai)ply to you for 
 information on some particulars relating to his differ- 
 ences with Mr. Benton. 
 
IsL IMeasc to slate what day you did uotify Mr. 
 LaAvlcss that Charles LiicavS was sufficiently recovered 
 of his Wdiiiid f<» meet Col. IJeiitoii, and what time of the 
 day this notihcation was ^iven. State fully what 3'ou 
 said on that subject, hew direct and explicit you were. 
 Be pleased to relate whether Charles appeared cool and 
 collected when he took his «;round at the last interview 
 with I>entou; if both tired at the same time, or if not, 
 who tired the soonest. What were the words Mv. Benton 
 addressed Charh's after he fell? What was said or re- 
 l)lied by Charleis to Benton? What wiM-e the last words 
 Charles uttered? 
 
 N. B. — Be pleased to i;ive me a coj)y of the notes of 
 Charles to Benton and this or his last to Charles. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, October 4th, 1817. 
 Doctor Quarles, 
 
 Sir: — As there remains nothini' of my late son Charles 
 Lucas but hiis reputation and as every particular relat- 
 in«»' to it is of the Jii^hest concern to me, I beg leave to 
 put a few questions to which I hope you will be 
 pleased to answer as far as you know. 
 
 Did Charles a]>i)ear cool and collected when he took 
 his i»round «tr <listance at his first interview with Col. 
 Benton? Was he wounded? Be pleaised to describe 
 the wound he received, the distance there was between 
 the place the bullet entered and the place it came out? 
 
 Was it your opinion tiiat the wound disabled Charles 
 to continue the tiuht to an e<|unl advantaiie? 
 
 L)id Cliarles appear co(d and coUected when he took 
 his ground or distance at bis last interview with Mr. 
 Benton? 
 
 9 
 
Did both firo at tlio same Hnie and if not, who fired 
 first? 
 
 What were the words whieh Mr. Kenton addressed 
 Charles Lncas after he fell? Wliat was said or replied 
 by Charls Lucas to Benton? What were the hist words 
 Charles Lucas uttered? 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Loui.s, April 28th, 1817. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Your letter of the 24th March has come to hand by 
 last mail. -My last to you before this is of the tenth 
 of March. I had not expected that you would quit 
 reading Latin so abruptly, at any rate it seems to me 
 you ought to have continued until the end of this session. 
 I full.y approve your design to read some Latin' in 
 your room, for otherwise what little you know might 
 soon be forgotten. This design ought to be imme- 
 diately reduced into practice. You ought also com- 
 bine the study of Belles Letters such as rhetoric, &c. 
 You ought to read some treatise of logic, ethics, &c., 
 and you ought to continue the study of mathematics as 
 long as you remain in college. If you need mathemati- 
 cal instruments, let ine know it and state what they 
 may cost. You ought to remain at the college not less 
 than one year from the end of this winter's session. I 
 am more and more astonished at not receiving the state- 
 ment of your expenditures sincc^ your last account 
 of the 20th of June, 181(5. You cannot have forgotten 
 that I required of you such a statement every six 
 mouths. The one contained in your last letter is not 
 entire. It includes none of the items concerning James, 
 
 10 
 
nor is it comprohensive enough with respoct to you. ! 
 here enclose fifty dollars iu four notes, viz: 
 
 I am under the disai»Teeal)le neeessity to observe that 
 3'our last letter is written badly and hastily, that you 
 istill continue to be delicicnt in spellinj;. You write 
 weak when you ou^ht to write week, and knead what 
 ou<iht t(» be need. Such mistspelliu"' is not pardonablr- 
 iu any nuiu, much less in a scholar. I have seen the 
 youuj^cst son of Mr. ]^ai)tist Vallee who is lately re- 
 turned from St. Thomas College. He gives the most 
 favorable account of James under every respect. 
 Gustave Soulard writes to his father from the «ame 
 college that James is now very studious, religious and 
 good natured. For the purpose of assiisting you in the 
 choice of a profession I shall present various views to 
 you in my next. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Charles is arrivc^d here safe. He stayed only two 
 days with us. Went to attend court, Howard County, 
 Boons Lick. He is now attending the court of St. 
 Charles. Will be here in a few days. John Scott seems 
 to have sunk in the public estimation. The prospects 
 of Easton as candidate are bettering, I was tlie other 
 day at Cape (lirardeau. Charles stands very fair with 
 the leading characters of that county. Scott is worsted 
 there. Charles has the reputation of having been a 
 good representative. 
 
 St. L(mis, May 19, 1817. 
 W^m. Lucas, 
 
 Your letter of April 10th enclosing statement of 
 exi)enditures and of the IStli Ai)ril have been received. 
 I have enclosed in my last to you of the 28th of April, 
 
 11 
 
iilto. fifty dollars in bank notes. 1 iiere enclose fifty 
 dollars more in three Kentucky bank notes. I am 
 much in haste. I defer again writin«^ on details. If 
 Mr. Wilie leaves your colleoe and is not replaced by a 
 person well qualified, probably it will be proper for 
 you to go and continue your studies at Washington. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. l.ouis. May 22d, 1817. 
 James Lucas, 
 
 James I have received your letter of the 24th <if 
 March. 1 learn with much pleasure that you have ob- 
 tained the premium in geography. The comparatively 
 short time you had to prepare yourself for the com- 
 petition ought to excite 3»tu nioie and more to every 
 possible exertion. The study of Latin and (ireek is 
 all important to you. You mention me that 30U hope 
 to be ready to go home in eighteen months, less if pos- 
 sible, for you are coming on fasten' and faster. I wish 
 you may ])ersevere in your resolution. In case you do, 
 I confidentl}' hope that .)T)u will succeed, and in leaving 
 then the college with credit yciu will be welcome 
 amongst us. Your age and my means will enable you 
 to receive an education perhaps more complete than 
 your brothers. I hope you will avail yourself of the 
 opportunity especially if you \y\]\ apply yourself to 
 any of the learned pro fessio us. If you wish to be a 
 farmer, perhaps y<ui may do with a mind less culti- 
 vated and make uj) the deficiency by forming your 
 habits early to that pursuit. 
 
 1 recommend you to ])ursue undeviatingly the course 
 of forbearance and good nature towards your school- 
 mates, obedience and respect to your teachers. They 
 
 12 
 
are the most useful meu iu society and the least re- 
 wariled. Souk of tlicui i2,ro\v pci'vish, some pedantic, 
 all their lilV olTeis all the difticultics of a he.niuuiu"^. 
 They are in |i( ipclual contact Avilli I he most unreason- 
 able part of I he human s|M-cies. If tlicy derive any 
 comforts it is liil from very few students, iud(M'd, who 
 stand promiu<'Ut in rcllcction, liberality and senti- 
 nu^nts of platitude. I slionhl be mucli iiratili«'d in 
 hearin.u tiiat yon stand anioniiist these few. It would 
 be a good omen and would <|nalify to go tiirough life 
 with ease and satisfaction. Many students believe 
 that when tiicy have been able to find out the weak 
 side of a teacher they are absolved from all obliga- 
 tion of olxMlience even of deference. What a paradox! 
 Tiiis discovery (d'ten flatters the vanity of the student. 
 This vanity leads liim in the grossest fault, to-wit: 
 jealousy, insults, r<>crimi nation and a perfect cessation 
 of usefulness on tlu^ part of the teacher. 
 
 i»(dieving that yiui are Oecoming worthy of my at- 
 tention, I ]>ropose to have the Gazette of this place 
 forwarfh'd to you her* after. Mr. Le Due will hand 
 you this letter, and if t\>und necessary will give you 
 some pecuniary relief. 
 
 I have written to ]Mv ssrs. Flaget and Wilson, but 
 have received no answ« r from them. 
 
 All is well at houu*. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, June 2r)th, 1817. 
 James Lucas, 
 
 • lames. I have written to yon by ^Ir. Le Due who is 
 to accompany young <'adei Chouteau iu a journey in- 
 ten<led for the recovery of his health. The letter is 
 
 13 
 
dated May 22d, 1817. He has it in his hand this good 
 while. His departure has been dehiyed unexpectedly. 
 I believe he will leave this place in three or four days. 
 
 This present letter will be handed you by a Mr. Faw- 
 ler, a neij^hbor of ours at Cold Water. 
 
 1 have ])ut in his keeping', ten dollars which he will 
 deliver you. 1 h()i)e you will ninki^ a good use of it. 
 
 AVrite to nie as soon as possible. 
 
 Adieu. All is well. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, June 30th, 1817. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Dear Son: — The last lettci- which I have received 
 from you is of the 12th ulto. I enclosed to you in my 
 letter of the 28th April, fifty dollars and fifty dollars 
 more in my letter of the IDth of May. 1 shall wait for 
 a letter from yoii acknowh'dging the receipt of these 
 before I send you any more money. If you are with- 
 out a President nearly as able as Mr. Wilie, perhaps 
 it will be better for you to go to the College of Wash- 
 ington. In this case I recommend you earnestly to 
 be better gnardcil against dissipation and any o])por- 
 tunities of vices and bad liabits. As to your ceasing 
 to read Latin, in Ihis you have taken your own course. 
 You might liave consulte<l me if you had wished. To 
 meet your desire to know what ground you stand upon, 
 I must inform you that I lea>'e it to you to make choice 
 of such profession as you may think best. 
 
 From what Charles tells me il a]»pears that you in- 
 cline for the i)rofession of the law. If so, you must 
 particularly apply to the study of Belles Letters, with- 
 out, however, giving up natural philosophy and the 
 
 U 
 
repetition of your Latin books. Your taste must be 
 formed on the best models. Take always into view 
 that the object of art is to present the powers and 
 eharms of njiture. Bombast, affectation, swell, re- 
 dundancy of words, «S:c., are incompatibh^ with it. At 
 all events 1 lliiiik yoii (tui;lil t«» remain at collef>e until 
 the end (d the next winter session. After these, if your 
 inclination remain the same, you will <;() to Connecti- 
 cut to attend, duriui*- one year, the lectures of Judge 
 Reeves on Law. \\'liat you Avill learn there will be 
 elementary and systeiiialic, l>y means of r<*petitions 
 and rearji'uments with numerous students whom you 
 will meet, your ideas niav be <mlarged, rectified, and 
 more deei)ly impressed, whilst at the same time you 
 will familiarize yourself uith law language and be- 
 come prepared for speaking at the bar. You will then 
 come back to St. Louis where j'ou may continue your 
 reading under youi- brother Charles and at the same 
 time be of some use to him in his office, at least, during 
 his absence. 
 
 I expect you will in your next be explicit on this 
 subject. 
 
 I love you. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, July 5th, 1817. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 (My letter contains nothing else but advice that he 
 will receive by the hands (d" Mr. Yon Thul, 150, or 
 lifty dollars delivered by me this day to Mr. Von Phul 
 together with the letter above dated.) 
 
 15 
 
St. Louis, September 13th, 1817. 
 James Lucas, 
 
 (Letter inrludinjn;- one buudred dollars St, Louis Bank 
 notes, aurliorizino him to buy horse, saddle, bridle, the 
 whole not exceeding sixty-five dollars. Consult General 
 Walton for choice of a horse, Keturn home as soon as 
 l)ossible. B(^ careful of his horse on his journey. Bring 
 a bill of what is due to collco(. or Principal cm liis ac- 
 count. Take the road of >^liawney Town.) 
 
 St. Louis, October 12th, 1817. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — James arrivc^d t \u- day before yesterday 
 in good healih. Our forloin situation) rendered him 
 still more acceptable. In addition to the favorable 
 account which wc had of liim tlirougli various cliannels, 
 I have the satisfaction to find him generally much im- 
 proved. Without making any ])ara(I(^ or showing the 
 least pretension he discloses a great (piickness of ideas, 
 justness of judgments. His eyes arc full of expression, 
 his sentiments chaste and good, liis sensibility great; he 
 is stout built, wide i)articiilaily al llie breast; his body 
 sufficiently straiglit, his head not too much inclined for- 
 ward. His judgment appears solid; he is, so far, (juite 
 another James, and his sister is wondering at him. 
 lie lias learned, Avhilst at college, to till and cut the 
 grapevines. They have promised to send him cuttings 
 and he purposes to plant a vineyard. We went this 
 morning together over our land, lie made several ju- 
 dicious remarks, pointed the i)lace convenient for a 
 vineyard. As we came back along the line adjoining 
 the road on the other side of the draft, where the n-arest 
 
 16 
 
out springs are, lie noticed a row of rails that are not 
 put up. lie appeared to be much concerned that rails 
 should be sutT(^red to decay and rot on the ground. He 
 tohl nu^ thai if I wouhl let liiiii do it, he wouhl put Ihciii 
 u]) liiuisolf tills week coniiiig in. He lias been baptized, 
 taken the .sacrament of eucharistie and contirmation. 
 He says that nothing offers more true happinesvs than 
 religion. I believe the priests have wrought miracles 
 with him. May he ])ersever(^ in tlie course he has taken. 
 
 The irreparable loss which we have met with; my 
 coiis<'(iuent forlorn situation; the consideration that 
 your age little admits of delay; together with the in- 
 formation which I have lately received that the course 
 of lecture of law at Litchfield commences in the autumn, 
 has induced me to alter my opinion as to the propriety 
 of your attending the college of Washington during this 
 winter session. I think it best for you to settle imme- 
 diately all your little affairs at ranonsburgh or Wash- 
 ington, and go without any delay to Litchfield, Con- 
 necticut, that you may be in time to commence with 
 the others. 
 
 I here inclose a letter to introduce you to John Colton 
 Smith, former govi^rnor. I had a small acquaintance 
 with him at Washington. 1 Ix'lieve him to be a man 
 of friendly disposition, posses;sing great affability. I 
 hope he will have the goodness to give you such hints 
 or advices a« you may stand in need of, and to recom- 
 mend you to law char.Mcters or other persons in or about 
 Litchtiehl. Vou mnsi take yourself the enclose<l letter 
 to him if practicable. I shall not delineate to you any 
 particular line of conduct, I trust to your judgment and 
 prudence. You are going to live amongt^t men dis- 
 tinguished for prudence, discretion, good uuirals, love 
 of science: great manv of whom are trulv scientific. 
 
 17 
 
Match them as well as you can, at any rate be studious, 
 modest, forbearing, polite; at the same time don't in- 
 dulge great intimacy with any, and trust your secrets 
 to no one. 
 
 Ais soon as you will be arrived you will write to me 
 on the state of the institution, tbe prospects of its ad- 
 vantage, the number of students, expenses of traveling, 
 price of tuition, of boarding, &c. Before you go you 
 will compare the expense of traveling on horse back, 
 price of horse and saddle, with the expense of going by 
 the stage and choose the cheapest and least subject to 
 accidents. 
 
 My letter to you of the 18th of August, contained fifty 
 dollars. My letter of the 29th of September contained 
 also fifty dollars. I here enclose one hundred. Be sav- 
 ing and change jour notes as 3'ou go, for the western 
 notes may not be current in Connecticut. 
 . Write to me before you leave the place where you are. 
 
 I love you. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, October 17, 1817. 
 Jason Chamberlin, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Kef erring myself to my letter to you of 
 the 10th inst. I shall merely add that probably I may go 
 to the seat of government this month. 1 shall let you 
 know my determination as soon as taken. I shall be at 
 Ste. Genevieve on the 4th Monday of this month to 
 attend the court. Perhaps I shall proceed on a journey 
 from that place. 1 shall not certainly wait to attend 
 the special court if Judge Stewart was here. I should 
 wish to know ho^^' many terms and days in terms he 
 
 18 
 
has omitted to attend at Jackson Court. I request yoii 
 to obtaiu a certificate of the same from Mr. MoF'erron 
 in my name in due form. I may or may not make use 
 of it, 
 
 ^ly son James of whom [ had spoken to you is arrived 
 home from Kentucky. I am still determined to send him 
 to college in New Enj^land. After having long time con- 
 sidered I am now inclining to give the preference to the 
 College of Providence. I wish to let me know when the 
 session commences there and also to designate me some 
 person to whom James might be recommended so that 
 I could occasionally know how he behaves and what 
 progress he may make. I should also wish to know 
 what will probably be his yearly expense if he was not 
 sufficiently proficient to be admitted in the college, in 
 this case I wish you had the goodness to direct me to 
 some of the best qualified clergymen in the neighboring 
 part of the college in «|nestion where he might be placed 
 to be ])repare<l to be admitted at the college either in 
 six or twelve months. 1 have sent you by the ijist mail, 
 two papers containing the 1st part of the biography of 
 Chas. Lucas. By this mail I send you two more con- 
 taining the 2d part of the same. It is well ascertained 
 that the <leath of Charles is deeply lamented throughout 
 the county of St. Louis; in the counties of Howard and 
 St. Charles it has produced a burst of indignation. 
 
 A gentleman of high standing in St. Charles has told 
 me yesterday that the 1st ])art of the biography of 
 Charles Lucas has excited the greatest concern, that it 
 is read and sought after every where. He tells me that 
 there were to his knowledge two considerable meetings 
 held in St. Charles County on the occasion of the death 
 of Chas. Lucas, where it had been agreed that none of the 
 membeiTs of the meeting should employ Benton as at- 
 
 19 
 
torney, nor his friends. Perhaps it is meant only his 
 second. I was told the other day, by a respectable 
 farmer who lives on the road of St. Charles, 12 miles 
 from St. Louis, that he was a few days before at a rais- 
 injT^ of a house; that all the persons present, exceeding 
 20 in number, expressed their indignation and declared 
 unanimously that they never would employ Benton as 
 attorney. I am told that at Potosi, B. was pretty well 
 countenanced during the last term of the court. At 
 Ste. Genevieve and St. Michael. Charles is much re- 
 gretted. I am satisfied that Scott has lost ground at 
 Ste. Genevieve. Perhaps if similar meetings as those 
 held in St. Charles should take place elsewhere and in 
 various parts of the teiTitory, it would have the best 
 effect to give a high and an equivocal tone to public 
 opinion. Lawyer Tucker has appeared at the bar with 
 advantage. Is much employed and bids fair to be in 
 the way of B. 
 
 I am led to believe that the death of Charles from 
 which tliie faction expected to reap so much advantage, 
 is just going to operate much against them. They are 
 not aware probably that Charles occupied so good a 
 standing, and on so extensive scale. From what I 
 understand none was more popuhir than liim north of 
 the Missouri. I hope you will inform me minutely, as 
 far as you know of the state of public opinion in the 
 southern counties, and how the biography of Charles 
 Lucas has been received. However improbable it may 
 be, let me tell you that I am just now informed that 
 Benton and J. Clark are circulating or about circulating 
 a petition to Congress against me. I presume it must 
 be to have me impeached. If it is so they must be 
 crazy, although great numy things can be done by hard 
 swearing. 
 
 20 
 
Bo pleastnl to let me know whether the petition foi' 
 erectin"; into a state a ceitaiu part of thiis territory has 
 been generally signed or not in the southern counties. 
 I am, &c., 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, November 7th, 1817. 
 \V»^o. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — Your letters of the 2Gth of October 
 and 3d of November have been just received. It ap- 
 pears that you have felt a strong desire to come and 
 see us. I can assure you that 1 am not without recip- 
 rocating the same desire, but I have submitted to rea- 
 son and in hasting your departure to Litchfield, I have 
 thought that I was hasting your return to us. I am 
 gla.d to learn that you have determined to comply with 
 my directions, however, if you had felt too great a re- 
 pugnance, 1 should have been s(»rrv to see you going 
 as if compelled. I never intended to offer violence to 
 your feelings. 1 hope that you will not be there two 
 or three months without being well satisfied or recon- 
 ciled. If 1 am well informed you will meet there with 
 students from various parts of the United States. The 
 lectures, debates, «S:c, will ])resent to your view at the 
 same time tho law and the reason of it, the general 
 system, its divisions and subdivisions, the diyness and 
 complication of the subject will disappear before the 
 method and luminous expositions of able professors 
 after you will have been there six or eight months. 
 You will tlu'u be able to ascertain the degree of prog- 
 ress which you ran make and at the end of a year you 
 may come back home with a pretty good clew of the 
 
 2L 
 
Itnv s. l*erhaps yon might stay one year longer if you 
 thouglit neeessarj^ 
 
 When 1 consider the malice of tlie enemies of Charles 
 Lncas and the pleasure they would enjoy if I should 
 sink under my misfortune, 1 feel more determined than 
 ever to bear m^' fate with fortitude. I hope that you 
 will go pari passa, we owe it to ourselves and to society. 
 Your brother had a great many friends. I am per- 
 suaded that you will feel the benefit of it when you 
 will come back with us. I have directed to you the 
 two numbers of the Missouri Gazette that contain the 
 biograpliy of your late brother. 
 
 All the family is well. I love you. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Give me in your next a full detail, not only of what 
 relates to your ])rospects in your studies, expenses, 
 pastimes, but to yourself inwardlj". I wish to enjoy 
 your unlimited confidence. I hope you will experience 
 that it will not have been misplaced. 
 
 J. L. 
 
 St. Louis, November 10th, 1817. 
 Abner Leacock, 
 
 Dear Sir: — I here enclose a paper containing a part 
 of the biogra])hy of my late son Charles Lucas. I 
 shall send you the other part by the next mail. I 
 need not to tell you that my situation is truly deplor- 
 able. You are a father and you had some opi)ortunity 
 of forming an idea of m^- depai-ted son. In expecta- 
 tion that my soitows may be alleviated, I intend to 
 take soon a journey to Kentucky. If I find any relief 
 I shall probably continue as far as Washington, which, 
 if so, will not be before the 15th of Jany. 
 
 22 
 
Charles Lucas liientioutHl nic on his return from the 
 city last spring that he had suggested you the idea of 
 having your son reeonimended for the place of reg- 
 ister or receiver of the land oltice which will probably 
 be established during this session eoniing in the north- 
 ern part of our territory, say Howard County, this part 
 otherwise called Boon Lick settlement has a great 
 reputation for health and fertility of soil, and in my 
 opinion deservedly so. Its population is already very 
 considerable, respectable and astonishingly increasing. 
 No place presents fairer prospects for a young man. It 
 is said, and I believe, that John Scott will make gTeat 
 efforts to secure these offices to his creatures. 
 
 A considerable number of speculators in our terri- 
 tory, such as the governor, &c, are going to spend the 
 wint(a' at \>'ashington in order to present petitions 
 and use their endeavors to have their land claims con- 
 firmed. If they can they will bolster up Mr. Scott and 
 aid him in all his attempts, for they are all jockeys 
 of the same club, therefore if you wish to secure to' 
 your son or a friend the appointment in question, the 
 application ought to be made as early as possible, at 
 all events, I make with pleasure to your son the tender 
 of my hous(% and (►f any service 1 may have it in my 
 power to render him. 
 
 I presume that I need not to mention you that all 
 those land claims which are not yet confirmed are des- 
 titute of any force in law, justice or equity, that the 
 papers or documents on which they are predicated are 
 for the best part s])uri(uis, or. to say the least, have no 
 authenticity; that the concession for the same were not 
 issued by the proper officer, authority, and in many 
 cases were issued after the king of Spain had ])arted 
 with the domain in favor of France. 
 
 23 
 
I am so well acquainted with those claims that if 
 I was at Washin<:^on in due time I coiild confidently 
 appear at the bar (»f the House of Kepiesentatives as 
 required, and satisfy tliem that the act of Conoress of 
 1814 under the authoritj- of which so man^^ claims have 
 been confiruK'd has departed from the fundamental 
 principles on which the right of the U. S. to the public 
 lands in Louisiana- is predicated agreeably to the re- 
 spective treaties of cession of Louisiana with Spain to 
 France and from France to the U. S.; that the effects 
 of the same act of 1814 have become ruinous to the 
 U. S. and such as could not be intended, and tliat the 
 continuation of that departure by any new act of Con- 
 gress extending its effects to claims not yet confirmed, 
 would render it almost unnecessary to establish land 
 offices here, or would hardly leave anything else about 
 the present settlements and for a great distance from 
 the same, but marshes and mountains as objects of 
 j)ublic sales. 1 am informed that some of the land 
 claimants have divided their claims into shares which 
 they have sold or intend to sell to some members of 
 Congress or other persons of infiuence. When many 
 of those claims were owned by the original grantees 
 they were depreciated as being represented to be fraud- 
 ulent by the same persons who since have bought them 
 for little or nothing. 
 
 Having considered myself at all times as something 
 more than a fiominal rcimblican. 1 make this commnni- 
 cation in order to assist in defending the public thing 
 from being totally dilapidated or plundered. I beg 
 leave to observe that you need not look for correct in- 
 formation, neither from Mr. 8cott nor ]Mr. Hope from 
 the Illinois territory, for they are both holders of claims 
 and their popularity with several influential men de- 
 
 24 
 
]3en(ls upon tlicir succoss in t\w land way. As T wish 
 to live in sonic (Icgrco of peace witli niv ncij»hboi'S, 1 
 wish you to consider this coniniunication as conti- 
 dential. 
 
 We liave in our teiTitory, a i^cnthMiian of tiie bar of 
 rcsjiectable talents and exceih'ut reputation. His 
 name is Jason (MianiberHn. He is from tiie state of 
 N'ermont, and I believe is <;('nerally known by the 
 delej;ation of that state in Conj;ress who may satisfy 
 you nioro fully on his deserts. 1 bej]j leave to recom 
 mend him to you as a fit person to fill the office of at- 
 torney of the U. S. for the Missouri Territory or that 
 of I\ei>ister of the land oltice that will probably be 
 opened for the southern part of the territory either in 
 the county- of Girardeau or Lawrence. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, 13th December, 1817. 
 Genl. Wm. Carol, 
 
 Sir: — TTavin«i heard my late son, Charles Lmas. often 
 speak of you as bein^i a friend of his, and beinj; per- 
 suaded that the circumstances of his untimely death, 
 if known to you, must have excited your feelin.i«;s in a 
 hij;h dej;ree, 1 bejj^ leave to re(|uest you, in memory of 
 that former friendship, if compatible with your views, 
 to favor nu' with an answer on ih*' followinjj; (lueries. 
 
 What kind of rejtutation Thomas II. lienton enjoyed 
 when he was student in North Carolina as far as you 
 know? 
 
 What were his pursuits in the state of Tennessee 
 from his first cominp," into it until he left it? 
 
 What is his general reputation in the state of Ten- 
 nessee? 
 
 25 
 
What dift'erence had he with Geul. Jackson? 
 
 Did Jacksou accept or refuse? 
 
 If he did refuse, what cause of refusal did he assigu? 
 
 Did he charge Benton with anj' improper act, if so, 
 be pleased to specify it. 
 
 What was understood to be the cause of Kenton 
 leaving Tennessee? 
 
 Mr. Benton from his tirst ari'ival at St. Louis until 
 now has Ix^^'n indefatigablv pursuiuj^ every means he 
 might think to be conducive t<» ])()pularity. He has 
 wedded himself, or rather organi/ed a bloody faction 
 who thought that ('harles Lucas was much in tht-ir 
 way. He has become the executioner of their ne- 
 farious schemes. He is now underhandedly after me 
 with a petition or denunciation to (^ongress against me 
 as a judge, which one of his tools carries and shows 
 cautiously to those who are ])reviously ascertaiiUMl to 
 be willing to sign anything against me. I am in- 
 formed that they meet with very poor encouragement, 
 but be it as it may, I feel no kind of unea.siness. I 
 know it is a mere shift to divert me from my object 
 or put me if they can on the defensive. This, I assure 
 you, will not make me deviate in the least from my 
 course. 
 
 The biography of Charles Lucas has been published 
 in the Missouri Gazette. I hope you have received the 
 number that contains it, if not let me know it. If 
 you please, I will forward it to you. 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 11th, 1817. 
 Charles Lucas, 
 
 (I have informed him that I consent to spend as 
 much if necessary, as |300 per year for Wm., all in- 
 
 26 
 
eluded, whctlier at Carlislo or any wlicro olse, I re- 
 (liu'st liini to <'xli()i't \\u\. to study in the ratio of his 
 ajj^e and the sacriticc I make for liim. I caiiiutt k«M'p 
 him longer in ((dh'iic than two or tliree years, lie 
 oniiiit to stu<ly niathenialics dirrctly and i-heniistry 
 with nuithematics when <h)ne with the Latin.) 
 
 ?^t. Louis, 3d October, 1818. 
 Wui. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — I am just arrived from -Jackson in 
 Cape (lirardean Countj^ where we have hehl tlie court 
 for the southern circuit. The term of my commis- 
 sioner has ex])ired yesterday. 1 am tlierefore di^'.in- 
 cumbered of otticial duties. On niy return I found 
 your letter of the 2(ltli of Au^t. nlto, post mark Augt. 
 25th. I h<n)e my letter to you of the 13th of Septem- 
 ber will come safe in your hand. It encloses one Post 
 Bank Note of the U. S. Bank, payable at New York. 
 I here enclose a draft in your favor for three hun- 
 dred dollars on the Bank of the U. S. Philadelphia. 
 In doiui* this 1 have complied witii all what ycui have 
 requested from me. Ai>ain the time this letter will 
 reach you it will be proper for you to leave Litchtield. 
 
 Wm. Tharp was tried at the last superior court at 
 St. Louis for killiui;- Wm. Smith. He was acquitted 
 after a very laborious trijil. 
 
 I have been very unwell by severe cold, I am recov- 
 ering; slowly. I propose to write to you by next mail 
 and direct my letter to you, post office at New York 
 or Philadelphia, 
 
 1 have this morniuii-, the 4th of OctobfM' received the 
 ])ainful news of the death of little Ann the eldast 
 daughter of Mrs. Hunt. She expired last night at 
 
 27 
 
midnight. She was taken with very violent fits a few 
 days before. Slie had been wiy sickly for h)no- time, 
 but since about twelve montlis slie had perfectly re- 
 covered, was thrifty, lively and very amiable indeed. 
 She indicated great yield of cuteness and sense. 1 
 loved the poor little thing. I am persuaded her father 
 and mother are very much affected. This is the begin- 
 ning of Mrs. Hunt's trials. I presume you know that 
 they live in tlie country. I am told they have many 
 sick persons in their house. Tliei-e is a great yield of 
 sickness about Cape Girardeau and Kaskaskia, espe- 
 cially among the new comers. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C L. 
 
 St. Louis, October 27, 1820. 
 Hon. Robt. Moore, 
 
 My dear sir: — J received 3'our letters written during 
 last session of Congress. I have learned with a particu- 
 lar pleasure by your last of the 12th of April, ulto., that 
 through your instrumentality Congress has escaped, 
 though narrowl}', the imposition which Mackay was 
 going to practice upon the U. S. What a fortunate 
 thing that the error has been discovered in time. Had 
 such a bill passed, Mackay & Co. would not have failed 
 to dress up and assimilate, by all the affidavits and 
 other exparte evidence necesisary, a mnlti])licity of other 
 claims, and apply for the further extension of what he 
 would call a principle, which would be in reality an 
 error. This is the way that the least aberration from 
 principle, specially in legislating on laud subjects, 
 affords ground and means at least plausible, where 
 none of any kind at first existed. 
 
 28 
 
T liavc lately seon a i)ani])lilpt on land rlaims, pnb- 
 ILsIkmI (Inrinii <•'«' Ijint si'ssion of Conjiiess, at Washing- 
 tdii, h\ llic aj^cnt of Mackay and others. It is replete 
 wiili misstatements and false positions. It contains no 
 aimiiiicnts from the merits of the claims, but <tnly from 
 the jirovisions of the act of ( 'on.iir(\<s of th<' 121 h (»f Ajiril, 
 1S14, (Mitith'd "An Act foi- the A<ljnst iiient of Land 
 Claims." Thosn provisions ai-e mere aber?*alions to 
 which the appellation of ])iincii>h-s j^overninji- the rights 
 of the Spanish land c laims is em])hatica]ly <i,iven, to the 
 end of haviiiii those aberrations extended to cases not 
 embraced by tliat act. 
 
 Permit me, however, to observ(^ that it is not enonjih 
 for the trne friends of the U. S. in Congress to escape 
 danger by remaining on tlie defensive with t)ie land 
 cdaimants. They on^ht to antici])ate new att(Mn])ts an<l 
 efforts by beconiinn actors also, and brin^inn a bill pro- 
 viding- that any hind claimant may institute wsnits 
 against the U. S. within a limited time in some of the 
 courts of the V. S. to have the merits of tlH'ir claims 
 tried, &c, A:c, after which the claims against which a 
 judicial decision will lie made, against or for which no 
 suit shall have been instituted in due time, will be en- 
 tirely out of (juestion, and a non (^itity. lentil then 
 there will be no end to intriutie. bribery and hoj)e« of 
 one kind or o1 her success inM-haps at the end of a session 
 or at such orher uniiuardcMl time. 
 
 Vou have piobablx' been infnrmed that I was candi- 
 date I'or I he state conv( nt ion. I did not succeed be- 
 cansc beini; r(M|uested to d( claic my f^entiments on the 
 subject of slavery. T expressed an opinion that it would 
 be i)roper to limit the importation of slaves to tive years 
 or such a short period from the date of the Constitution. 
 Besides this, my perc>onal enemies and the ardent 
 
 29 
 
friends of slavery, in all its extent and attributes, 
 charged me, or suspected me to be hostile to the princi- 
 ple of slavery all together, and contended that 1 dared 
 not to go the whole length of my opinion, knowing it 
 to be unpopular. In fact, I Avas called an emancipator, 
 and this is the worst name that can be given in the 
 state of Missouri. As I I'csidc in the county of St. Louis, 
 where the Spanish land claimants have the most in- 
 Jluence, 1 liad to cnconntcr their powerful oi)position. 
 thus 1 lost the eh'ction from those two causes combined 
 together. 
 
 1 also cous(Mited since to b(^ a candidate foi- the Senate 
 of the V. S. My ])rMsp(M-ts were nnich fairiM' bf^-ause 
 the election was not contined to a county, but I was 
 again unsuccessful. When the members of both houses 
 first av<!sembled it was generally believed that 1 had a 
 majority on my side, but my opj)oiieiits having a multi- 
 plicily of hands at work, not less bold than artful, ►suc- 
 ceeded in having the election put off from time to time, 
 and taking advantage of the ignorance, credulity and 
 want of experience of numbers of my friends, had Bar- 
 ton and Benton elected. The last carried his election by 
 a majority of one. I was next to him. I^'rom the course 
 which 1 have taken with the land claimants, nothing 
 was more dreaded than to see me going to the Senate. 
 The efforts against me were commensurate to the im- 
 portance of the occasion. I need not to tell you that 
 Benton is the very ruffian who killed Charles Lucas 
 under circumstances well known to you. He was en- 
 gaged in the affray where (leneral Jackson was shot 
 tlirough the arm several years ago. It was lie or one 
 of his brothers that did it. Various acts of violence 
 placed him in such a situation that he could not remain 
 any longer in the state of Tennessee. He is blood 
 
 30 
 
thii'sty, bold niid (losp<'rcUe, yet lie ran put on an ap- 
 pearance of sviivily, borrow a lan^na.iic sentimental and 
 exalted. (Slreat reliance is p]ace<l on him bv the land 
 claimants. lie will make <iii»antic efforts during this 
 s(^ssion. lie will be humble, accommodatinii. crinjiinpj 
 or any think whatever, in order to attain his obj<'ct. 
 His itccnniary circumstances are dcs])erMt<'. He has 
 sui)]>(U'ted for several years past an uni)rotitable pub- 
 lic paper for and in view of his political agiiraudize- 
 ment. lie has lived hi.i»h and at a ureat ex])ense for the 
 same purpose. His all de])cuds on iicttinu th<' land 
 claiuis contirmed or on obtaininj; by any surreptitious 
 means the) ])asvsa<;e of law that will mediately tend 
 to that object. 
 
 As an editor he has lavished every abuse and con- 
 tumely on the re])rcs('ntativc8 in ('oni>ress that were in 
 favor of the amen<lment of Mr. Taylor for restrictinj* 
 slavery in the Missouri bill. No exertion was wantinj^; 
 on his part whilst the Missouri question was under con- 
 sideration before ('on<iress last year and this year to 
 excite the peo])le «tf ^lissouri to a<lopt any rash meas- 
 ures. 1 have not written to you dnrinji the last recess 
 of Conjiiess. I re(|nested the editor of the ^Tissouri 
 (razette to send you his pai)er which contained much 
 more local information than could be containe<l within 
 the bounds of a letter. I hojx' you will prepare your 
 fiiends in the Senate and elsewhere to n«eet or obviate 
 the intrigues and eft'orts of l>enlon. Let not the per- 
 secution which T have endured, the personal sacritice 
 which 1 have made, nor my cons* (pient self denial of a 
 seat in the Senate be lost and unpioductive to the I"^. S. 
 
 There is some probability that I shall <io to Wash- 
 ington this winter, at all events be so good as to write 
 to me as soon as convenient. 
 
 31 
 
In case the State be admitted into the Union I should 
 like to be appointcnl judge of the District Court of the 
 U. S. for the state of Missouri. Not so much for the 
 sake of the office as for the purpose of pro^MnI» to my 
 enemies here, that my services and fidelity to the U. S. 
 are duly appreciated at Washiniitou. 
 
 If you think me to be deserving that office, be so 
 good to apply to the President without loss of time, 
 and induce otlier friends to do the same. I hope that 
 the SecK'lary (>f State will bo well disposed towards me. 
 Mr. Crawford knows better than any (me else how I 
 have acted as land commisvsioner and what difficulties 
 I had to encounter. 
 
 I am rt'S])e(tfidly, &c, 
 
 P. S.— As an instance of tlio moans which Mr. Benton 
 havS used to obtain a sear in the Scnat<% ])erniit me to 
 state to you that Mr, Benton went in person on the day 
 the election for senator took place to see one of -the 
 members of the Mouse of Kepresentatives who was in 
 bed very dangerously sick, and earnestly solicited hiu) 
 to come to the house in the afternoon and give him his 
 vote. Hiis attending physician was consulted and gave 
 his opinion that the patient could not go without an 
 imminent danger of his life. Mr. Benton persivst<Hl in 
 encouraging tlie sick member to go and made him tlie 
 (iffer of his honsc and the best attendance that conhl 
 be bestowed. At last the member consented to go 
 against the o])iniou of his piiysician. He was carried 
 to the houwe and supi)ort<Ml by two persons whilst he 
 remained in it. He was muttering and speaking all 
 the while as if he had not the use of his senses. As 
 soon as the vote was takei< he was carried to Mr. 
 Benton's house, where he hag died since. There never 
 was perhaps a vote more spurious and illegal and more 
 clearly obtained by briberv, iK:c. 
 
 32 
 
St. Louis, Nov. 9, 1820. 
 Wm. H. CraAvford, 
 
 Sir: — All tlic jx^rsons interested in the Spanish lau<l 
 claiins within the bounds of the state of MisKouri have 
 succeeded to procure to Thois. 11. Benton, their ai^ent and 
 partner, a seat in the Senate of the U. S. No doubt but 
 that sj;i.i»antic eiTorts are j»oing to be made during the 
 present session of ('ou«ress to obtiiin the passaiie of 
 some act to eonlirni mediatcdy or immediately, number 
 of the land claims and ])ut the residue in a proper train 
 for contiiniaticm afterwards, for it would be imprudent 
 to attempt to carrv everything at once. Congre.ss might 
 take alarm. 
 
 I need not to observe that the interestis of the hold- 
 ers of the large land claims are adverse to the actual 
 settlers, claiming by pre-emption, and that if the former 
 should succeed, even all persons wisliing to purchase 
 unimproxed lands in the estate would be placed in a 
 woivse situation, and large tracts of such land might 
 renuiin so for a long time. Those holders of large 
 claims are aln^ady loaded with grants confirmed by the 
 former b(tard of commissioneis and by the recorder of 
 land titles. Any addiUonal (•ouflrmath)n will swell 
 their fortunes to a c<»lossal size; nay, it will be clearly 
 in my opinion an original grant from the IT. S. under 
 the color of confirmation of a supi>ot<ed Spanish right, 
 and whilst the U. S. will be giving away land to a large 
 anionnt, society will be incumbered with nabobs, and 
 the industrious and poor actual settlers willing to pay 
 the ordinary price for a small parcel of public land will 
 be placed in a desperate situation. 
 
 In order to pr<'vent the U. S. from falling ultimately 
 a sacrifice or becoming a prey to the intrigue and 
 rapacity of land claimants, the Congress, ought, in my 
 
 33 
 
humble opinion, not to remain passive any longer. A 
 law oii<4ht to be paso^ed without delay to enable the land 
 claimants to bring their claims before courts of justice 
 within a limited time, and thus shut all avenue for 
 further applications to Conorcss on the same subject. 
 To my certain knowledge, many a claim has been con- 
 firmed under the act of the 12th of April, 1814, which 
 had no kind of foundation either in law or equit}^ No 
 means or pretext ought to be afforded any more to 
 accomplish so flagrant an evil. 
 
 Mr. Benton was elected to the Senate by a majority 
 of one. I was also a candidate and next to him on 
 the poll. It is well known here that Mr. Benton is very 
 unpopular, and even when the legislature first met 
 his friends were well apprized that then he could not 
 have been elected They, therefore, used every effort 
 to put off the election for a considerable time, which 
 actually did take place, and during that time all the 
 land claimants and particularly the whole party of 
 Governor Clark have been using every means in favor 
 of Mr. Benton and against me. 
 
 I may very t^afely say that had I been willing to make 
 the land claimants and myself rich at the expense of the 
 U. S. instead of strong opponents I should have found 
 in them my warmest friends. No one could have coped 
 with me in point of popularity, but my fidelity to the 
 U. S. is an unpardonable crime for which I am perse- 
 cuted by the rapacious, and affords an opportunity to 
 those generally govei-ned by ambitious views to keep 
 me on the back ground. I perfectly reconcile with my 
 fate with respect to land claimants, but it shocking 
 to find officers of the U. S. arrayed against me, such as 
 the surveyor general, the superintendent of Indian 
 affairs, his dependants, &c, &c, however the latter is a 
 
 34 
 
land claimant to a considerable amount and as such, 
 his interests speak loud. It is presumable that Mr. 
 Benton will have at Wa.shiniiton. the sn])port and the 
 inHuencc of llciirv (Im.n, his Iriciid and relation. 
 
 I have lliouulii not lon^ since, of applyinsi; for the 
 ai)i»ointnienl of jiid^c of the District Couii; of the U. S. 
 for the state of Missouri. If you think nie to be deserv- 
 inji that ofitice yon will confer nie a fav(tr in maklnjij 
 llu^ .ipidicalion for nu' to 1 he Preisident with as little 
 delay as you conveniently can. I wish to obtain that 
 appointment uu)re for the i)nri)ose of proving to my 
 enemies in the Missouri State that my vservices and 
 fidelity' to the U. S. are duly appreciated at Washington, 
 than upon any other account. 
 
 Very respectfully, &c, 
 
 December 21st, 1820. 
 
 Mahlon Dickerson, 
 
 (Informing- him that probably I shall be nominated 
 to the Senate to till the oftice of District Judge of the 
 r. S. for the State of Misf^onri. That I expect to be 
 opi)ose(l by lienton and S(M»tt, who have been elected 
 through the inllnence of land claimants. 1 am the ob- 
 ject of the resentment and hatre<l of all of them on ac- 
 count of the nnfavorable rei)ort which I have uuide as 
 land coniniissioner against their land claims.) 
 
 &c, 4S:c, 
 
 St. Louis, Jan. 1st, 1820. 
 Hon. John lihea. 
 
 Sir:— I understand that the Spanish land claimants 
 are attending at Washington in an unutsual number. 
 
 35 
 
They are assisted bv several persons in the capacity of 
 agents. Thomas H. Benton m one of the most promi- 
 nent of them. It is reported that he is to have a con- 
 siderable share in the claims for the use of his industry 
 and influence. As the editor of a paper at St. Louis he 
 has published in the course of the la.st summer, various 
 pieces in support of those claims and in vindication of 
 the official conduct of the former Spanish commandant 
 at St. Louis, which, although the land claimants may 
 think otherwise, contains neither truth nor argument 
 and are of very little assistance to their cause; but be- 
 side this formidable column of speculators there are 
 also some stragglers who ought to be closely watched. 
 Permit me to bring one of them to your notice. 
 
 Jais. Makay a former petty commandant under the 
 Spanish government of a small post in the now Missouri 
 Territory has presented a petition to the House of Rep- 
 resentatives at the session before the last, and having 
 supported it with an abundance of affidavits, has suc- 
 ceeded in making before Congress a fair case of what 
 I believe to be a foul one. In so much that a law has 
 passed in his favor on the last day of that session. I 
 Buspect that it could not have passed at any other day, 
 by which he was enabled to have a claim which he has 
 never presented before now, referred to the recorder of 
 land titles to make report thereon upon the same prin- 
 ciples and in the same manner as it has been entered on 
 record before the passage of the act of Congress of the 
 12th of April, 1814 concerning land in the state of 
 Louisiana or Ty, of Miss. 
 
 I am informed that a report pursuant to that law has 
 been made and was before Congress at the last session, 
 but Avas not acted upon. This disappointment, far 
 from discouraging Mr. Mackay seems to have created a 
 
 36 
 
new excitement in him and I am credibly inforpied that 
 lie has <lis]>atfli(Ml his formei- auent at Wasliiiigtou to 
 have aiKitlicr petition presoutcd diiriiij^ this present ses- 
 sion for another claim to laud which is precisely in the 
 same situation as the preceding;- one, that is, that it 
 never was recorded in the office of land titles. The two 
 (laiiiis arc contiguous to each other. It is thought that 
 th(^ (luantity of land contained in the 1st claim is worth 
 125000. Probably the claim for which he is now pe- 
 titioniug is not worth less. I think that the claims of 
 Mr. Mackay ought not to be continued, 1st because none 
 but claims entered on record at the time of the passage 
 of the act of 1814 were within the purview of the same 
 act. 2d, because, the residue the same as in the letter 
 to Wm. Lowndes, November 22d, 1818. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Jany. 10, 1821. 
 Walter Lowrie, 
 
 Sir: — Having in my last stated to you that in case 
 the President should nominate me to the Senate to 
 till the office of judge of the District Court of the V. S. 
 for the state of Missouri, I here enclose a number of 
 the St. Louis Enquirer, containing an extract of a 
 letter from the Flon. David Kart(»n to the editor. 
 
 You will rind in it such undisguised disposition an<l 
 sentiments as will enable you to appreciate one of the 
 prominent men in our state, and know by what kind 
 of ( haracters I am opposed. I am persuaded he was 
 drunk when he wrote this. He Jiappens to be so some 
 times durtng w hoh' we(dcs, and when he is in that situa- 
 tion, he loses all command «»f liinistdf. and behaves 
 like a mad man. 
 
 37 
 
About two years a<»-o lu» was crazy for several weeks 
 after a long fit of druiikenuess, and the recovery of his 
 mental faculties was very doubtful. He has carried 
 his excesses so far as to break when drunk all the 
 lookinc" glasses and other furniture in a tiivern, strip 
 himself entirely naked, scream and dance for houi's in 
 presence of a number of children; although from the 
 present state of things it is not probable that the ap- 
 pointment in questioni will take place during this 
 present session, I have thought proper, nevertheless, 
 to present you with this sample. The rejection in the 
 House of Representatives of the resolution for the ad 
 mission of the state of Missouri is known so lately 
 here, that there was no opportunity as yet, to ascertain 
 the state of the public opinion on that subject. I hope 
 that the influence of the rash and violent is drawing 
 to an end. The people appear to be tired of them. 
 They are not pleased with their constitution, and two 
 thirds of ea<h house of the state legislature have pro- 
 posf^d several amendments to it. However they were 
 bafrted by the management of an expert minority who 
 contended that the constitutional number required to 
 carry a pro])osition of amendment of the constitution 
 was two thirds of all tlu' members elected and suc- 
 ceeded or carried their point. Nothing is more er- 
 roneous. Our state constitution is perfectly similar 
 on that head to that of the U. 8. I am. 
 
 Respectfully, &c, 
 
 Hon. Walter Lowrie, 
 
 ^ii-: — Although 1 am n(tt so happy as to be person- 
 ally aciiuainted with you, yet from the kn(4wledge 1 
 have of your political. character and also from the be- 
 lief that you are not entirely ignorant of my own, I 
 
 38 
 
liavc presumed to address you a lew Hues. If I am 
 uot mistaJven you are one of the committee on the pri- 
 vate hind chiims. This circumstance renders me par- 
 ticuhirly anxious to open a correspondence with you. 
 1 make no (h)ubt that a j>reater effort tliau ever will 
 be made this year in OongTess to procure the passage 
 of some law for the mediate or immediate confirma- 
 tion of all or part of the French and Spanish land 
 claims to land within the state of Missouri. The in- 
 terest and consequent influence of the French and 
 Spanish laud claimants has been much increased by 
 a number of transfers which have been made of parts 
 of these claims by the original land claimants to vai-i- 
 ous persons of influence in and out the state of Mis- 
 souri. Wm. Clark, the late governor is one of them. 
 They have succeeded already in procuring the election 
 both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate 
 of persons the most devoted to their interests. Thomas 
 H. Benton one of the senators elect, was the manager 
 of their interests at St. Louis for three years past. I 
 am informed that they hav<^ givtu him a share in their 
 claims for his trouble and exerti<>u to j)rocure the c<»n- 
 flrmation of the same claims. \\v is bold and artful 
 and he will not fail to resort to a)' the means imagin- 
 able to carry his point. The land claimants relj^ par- 
 ticularly upon him. He has carried his election by 
 one vote. I was also a candidate for the Senate and 
 I was next to him. I had against nu' all the force of 
 the land claimants. They exp(Mted nothing from me. 
 They knew very well that as one of the former land 
 commissieners, I had reported against their claims. 
 They also knew that I never would abandon the ground 
 which T had taken on that subject. For nu)re par- 
 ticulars I beg leave to refer you to your colleagues the 
 
 39 
 
Hon. Jonathan Roberts and Mr. Robt. Moore in the 
 House of Representatives. 
 
 I hope that Mr. Kenton will be duly watched and 
 properly met with. Let not the jjersecution which 1 
 have endured from the land claimants, let not my vir- 
 tual self denial of a seat in the Senate, by undeviat- 
 ingly pursuini*- the interests of the U. S. be lost and 
 unproductive to the public. 
 
 I shall present you in my next my views on the sub- 
 ject of those claims. I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c, 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 12, 1821. 
 Mahlon Dickerson, 
 
 Sir: — I here enclose a number of the St. L(mis En- 
 quirer, containing" ;ni extract of a letter fidui tlie Hon. 
 David Barton, to the editor of the same paper. You 
 will find in it such an undisjiuised disposition and sen- 
 timents as will enable you to appreciate one of the 
 most prominent men in the state of Missouri, and know 
 by what kind of characters we are represente<l and 
 what kind of opponents I had to meet with, for Mr. 
 Barton has made use of all his influence to prevent 
 me from being elected to the Senate of the U. S., and 
 I am persuaded has done or will do all he can to pre- 
 vent the President from nominating me, or the senate 
 from confirming the nomination that may be made of 
 me for the office of District Judge for the State of 
 Missouri. This extract is evidently pregnant with every 
 kind of mischief. The scurrility i< eontains is intended 
 to inspire contempt and antipathy against any chief 
 magistrate that may be elected fr(tm the North, and 
 foment a spirit of jealousy and hatred among the good 
 people of Missouri against the federal government. 
 
 I am, Respectfully, 
 
 40 
 
St. Louis, September 7th, 1822. 
 Will. Lucas, 
 
 I have committed a cjreat fault in remaining so long 
 in suspense about declaring myself as a candidate. 
 Your suggestion that I should olTer for legislature 
 came too late. Considerable use was artfully made 
 of my misunderstanding with Benton. My frie^ids 
 were duped, princi])ally the farmers, personal and ac- 
 tive friends, absolutely necessary to succeed in elec- 
 tion. You have, no doubt, seen the publications of 
 D. Barton and Nat. (\»ok exposing the letters and con- 
 duct of Scott, &c. Extra Enquirer, published last 
 Saturday preceding last election. 1 have been charged 
 with being an insurgent and ])ar(lone(l rebel in Penn- 
 sylvania. 1 have written to Janus Ross to obtain from 
 him a declai'atiou that I was n(>t accomplice or abettor 
 of any act of violence and insurrection. 1 have pre- 
 pared an answer. This ])ublication will prove that 1 
 am a western man of an old standing that western 
 men placed a great ccmfidence, «S:c, and will place me 
 on higher ground with the multitude than I occupied 
 before the attack. 
 
 Several friends have told me that I shall be voted in 
 room of senator Rector, deceased, whether I offer or not. 
 Certain it is that I shall not present myself as a candi- 
 date. 
 
 The people of St. Louis have been over-reached on the 
 subject of the election. Geyer has deceived every body 
 and seems to be proud of it. I hear with pleasure that 
 you are doing well in y<tur profession and stand well 
 with the people, &c. 
 
 Practice is the only means to wear out this unhappy 
 diffidence which is a leal incumbrance upon your men- 
 tal powers. Nothing is more certain that your weight 
 
 41 
 
of character, your respectability rests upon your useful- 
 ness to yourself and the public. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 3rd, 1822. 
 Joshua Barton, 
 
 Sir: — HaviiiLi stated in uiy letter to you of which 
 
 was left at your house whilst you were on the circuit as 
 1 have learned since, the unexpected demandis and con- 
 sequent pecuniary embarrassments which I am placed 
 in as one of the executors of the will of C. Lucas, de- 
 ceased, you cannot be but satisfied that it is out of my 
 power to take as much latitude as if the estate was not 
 involved in debt. 
 
 I called at your house since your return. You were 
 then out. Beini»- told that you would soon be in, I 
 waited a while and then went off. Adrian called on 
 you since, and instead of calling at my house the day 
 after, as you made me expect it, I received your letter 
 of the 22d of last month, by which I learned that you 
 could not conveniently come; that you would be ready 
 at home tomorrow to give up the books in your pos- 
 •sesision. 
 
 I should have gone or sent for the books on the day 
 appointed in your letter had you not mentioned at the 
 same time that some of them are "soinething injured 
 and there are few of the v(dumes which you cannot find, 
 having been taken out by the lawyers". I thought it 
 useless to call or send as it appeared that you were not 
 actually ready to close this business entirely. Sir, it 
 is out of my power to receive loan office paper in part 
 of the price of the books. I think that under the pres- 
 
 42 
 
ent ciroumstaiioos the safest way for the executors Is 
 to have tlie books sold at auction. 
 
 Lest the terms on which the books were lent to you 
 liad escaiK'd your recollection, I here transcribe your 
 receipt List of books received of John 15. C. LucaK and 
 Theodore Tlunt, executors of the last will and testament 
 of (Uiarles Lucas, Esq., deceased, of which I am to have 
 the use until wanted and then to replace all that may 
 be lost or materia Uy injured by use and return the 
 balance. 
 
 Judge Lucas in the meantime is to use any of them 
 when and how he pleases. 
 
 St. Louis, March Kith, 1818. 
 
 Signed & 
 
 J. B. 
 
 St. Louivs, Jany. 19, 1822. 
 
 Joshua Barton, 
 
 j^ir; — Had I been the borrower instead of the lender 
 I am very sure that the affair of the books would have 
 been not at all momentous and the negotiation so short 
 that there would be still less room for you to give the 
 appellation of diplomatic letters to my communication 
 on that subject. After having had the use of a well 
 assorted set of books for nearly four yearvS, and lent 
 them to every body as if they were mine, I should have 
 considered myself under a particular obligation to the 
 lender, and if 1 had not anti(ii)a(ed the demand of the 
 books, I certainly should have returned them a« soon as 
 demanded, with thanks, and replace those that were 
 missinii. v>r pay the price of apprizement without hesita- 
 tion, and if some explanation had been necessary I 
 should have made it convenient to call on the lender. 
 
 43 
 
Yon did think proper to take another conrse, and 
 there lies the difference between yonr sense of i^ropriety 
 and mine and hence I have been un<h^r the necessity to 
 folknv your tract, though reluctantly; however wide 
 thi.s difference may be; however saniiuine you may ap- 
 pear to be of the correctness of your conduct on the 
 present occasion; however great your pretensions or 
 presumption is, permit me nevertheless, young man, 
 to let you know that I consider you to be a perfect 
 stranger to good breeding, and overcome with venom 
 and impudence, and that until yon have recovered from 
 the great surprise and astoni^shment resulting from your 
 notions or visicms of sudden rise to power and import- 
 ance, there is no hope of 3'our improving in manners 
 an<l feelings. 
 
 I beg of you to understand distinctly that you have 
 failed in your princi])al object. I don't feel myself in- 
 sulted by your abuse because I am conscious of its 
 inapplicability to me. 
 
 Expecting always that you would return the books 
 without being asked, I waited as long as I could, and 
 when I requested 3'ou to return them, I stated to you at 
 the same time tiie pecuniary embarassments which the 
 executors were in. I did it to apprize you that it was 
 from necessity and not from choice that I made the de- 
 mand. My real wish was to act with all possible de- 
 licacy, but I was poorly requitted, when after your 
 having proposed to buy the books Avith land office 
 money at 25 percent of discount, except one hundred 
 dollars in specie, you concluded in saying that if this 
 proposition did not suit I might send for the books. 
 Sir, I did not consider myself obliged to go or send 
 to your house for the books. I thought it was the busi- 
 ness of the borrower to have them delivered to me at 
 
 44 
 
mv house, liowever, making a due allowance for your 
 little knowledge of quod deoet. 1 .submitted to jiend, but 
 with the intention to send once for all. This induced 
 nie t!i inform you before I sent, that I wished to have 
 rhe thinins done at once; that you miiiht ((dlect the 
 books which you said you had lent to divers lawyers, 
 and as soon as you apprized me by your second letter 
 that y(»u wert' ready to make the delivery of the books, 
 I acconlinuly (iirected Adrian Lucas to close the busi- 
 ness with you; not to do anvthinj; by halves and not 
 to be forever at your door. I had not authorized him 
 to settle any accounts for fees or other set off. I had 
 not even thouirht of such a thinp:, and when he refused 
 to do it, it was to [lursue his instructions and not at 
 all because lie mistrusted you. If I lia<l ittended my- 
 self, it would probably have been otherwise, because I 
 had full discretion to act. This is the amount of the in- 
 structions which I iiave to Adrian. Anything beyond 
 that originated in him. But, supposing these fees really 
 due, it might be asked why yourself would not trust 
 me one hour f«u- them? A debt founded on loan is of 
 a much higher degree ."^han one for fees. It seemed to 
 me that after you had l)een indebted to the executors 
 for almost four years, it was but reasiuiable to allow 
 them to be in your debt also for some time. Again, 
 with respect to Adrian, I recollect also that I gave him 
 a memorandum of three or four sets of books which 
 were tin the list of appriz mix nt and not on the list re- 
 ceipted by y«ni. I thougiit it possible that those few 
 books hail be»'n delivered, though inadvertently omitted 
 in the receipted list. It was ct rtainly not to press 
 upon you to tiud them, but merely in order to ascertain 
 whether they had not been delivered promiscuously 
 with the others, and 1 was quite as explicit with Adrian 
 
 ■ko 
 
on that particular as on the Other. I cannot believe 
 that Adrian mistrusted you or intended to insult vou in 
 beino' particnhir in countinji the books. Not being 
 much vers(Ml in any business I believe he mistrusted 
 himself. Probably he thought that he had omitted 
 entering Cooper's Justinian and other bookis in the list 
 when he deli^ereil the books in 1811^, and this time he 
 wanted to avoi<l any oversight. I hope it is no offense 
 to count books l\vic«\ if it is usual and proper to count 
 money twice also; besides every one lias his own way 
 and 1 don't acknowledge yours as a standard. As to 
 Cooper's Justinian ])einiit me to state that you are mis- 
 taken. Yoii did not get it at Mr. Easton's oftic(^ It 
 has been delivercMl to you with the other books, for it 
 is found on the list of books ap])rized. It necessarily 
 follows that the same book had been carried from Mr. 
 Easton's house to mine, the apprizement having been 
 made at my house, and none of the books having ever 
 after that time been remo\'ed frmn it except those that 
 were delivered to you. We have likewise 8hakespear 
 in six vol. on the list of ap])rizeuu'nt, valued |17. The 
 Shakespear which Adrian did get from you is also in 
 six vol. and the bookseller's ]>rice marked tliin-eon 
 III. 50. TIk' trnth is that (lie Sliaks])ear belonging to 
 the estate is lost if this is not the one. If Cooper's 
 Justinian was omitted on the list receipted by you, and 
 yet Avas in your possession, and acknowledged by you 
 to belong to the estate, might it not be presumed that 
 tile Sliakspear in (luestion which you had in your pos- 
 session, without knowing how it came, belong to the 
 estate and was also omitted on the list? But, sir, to 
 cut short, this set of books will be delivered to you any 
 time you will send for it. 
 
 46 
 
I first intended to take no notice of any part of your 
 letter except that which rehites to Shakspeare, and your 
 bill of fees, but on further retiection I thought that you 
 stood in tli(^ ureatest watit of some hints and charity 
 has dictated this (Hic if iUcy are imt of present use 
 to you, I li<)])e they will when you return to your senses. 
 
 In addition to wlial I have before stateil on the sub- 
 ject of the set off which yon proposed to Adrian, permit 
 me to obiserve that vdu did not present yonr bill of fees 
 to liim, and that any deiiiaiid by way of defalcation 
 oujiiil to be made as si)e<*itic and certain as the original 
 demand is; but now the demand beinin' specific enoujj^h 
 by the bill which yoii hav(^ transmitted to me, I am 
 just c^oin.n to meet it. 
 
 Takinji you to be a man of business and careful of 
 your own concerns, 1 take it for granted that you have 
 duly examined your books, and that you have omitted 
 no charge against the estate, in the meantime I mu*?t 
 inform you that I have not as yet gone to the Clerk's 
 office to ascertain the correchu^ss of your bill, but sup- 
 posing it to be just, notwithstanding you are so per- 
 emptory as to ex])c<t promi)t payment in specie, never- 
 theless as the obligation is of an ordinary nature, and 
 not privileged such as h)ans arc, 1 beg leave to inform 
 that I shall discharge it as other obligations are dis- 
 charged in the present times, but. sir, as you understand 
 so well the doctrine of set off. I liope y(Ui will allow the 
 same right in favor of the estate if I can justify any. 
 
 The books which Mr. Hunt and myself as executors 
 \-c. lent to you, have been ai)prize(l by legal apprizers, 
 of whom yiui were one, to not less than four hundred 
 and eighty dollars. If we had sold these books on the 
 Kith of March, 181S, which is the time when they were 
 lent to you, we may well presume that the proceeds of 
 
 47 
 
the sale would have been equal to the appiizeraent. 
 Then you had the use of |480 in books belongina- to the 
 estate from thr lOtli of March, 1818, until the 15th of 
 Jany. 1822, at six percent of interest, v,'hieh is the 
 lowest that lioes. We defalcate from your bill fllO.SO, 
 jind then the estate will at last be the loser of the ;^reat 
 difference which exists between new books and (dd, 
 or second handed ones, and also of the difference be- 
 tween the prices which those bookvS would have fetched 
 in 1818 and will f(M(h at present. 
 
 1 am (|uite as willing; as you are to close all money 
 transactions with yon, wishing at tuesame time that all 
 your clients may ])ay you as well as I do. I hope you 
 will allow me to think that I can easily find the op- 
 portunity of employing another lawyer as great and 
 as far famed as you are. 
 
 I have made this communication much longer than 
 I wished but as I ('Xi)('ct it to be the last, I thought 
 proper to follow yon in all your windings and eccen- 
 tricities, and render it as useful as I could. Sir, I am, 
 
 Youi' liumble servant, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 3d, 1823. 
 Hon. Kufus King, 
 
 Sir: — I should have written to you sooner had not 
 sickness ])revcnte(l me to do it. I feel extremely anxious 
 that the labor which I have bestowed on the subject of 
 the Si)auish land claimi!;^ as a member of the former 
 Board of Commissioners, the unparalleknl <litticulties 
 and ])ersecution which I have encountered and borne 
 in the discharge of my duties may be productive of 
 some benefit to the public. Indeed, if you an not, as 
 yet, sufficiently informed on that point you will bi' able 
 
 48 
 
to learn from Mr. Edwards, senator from Illinois, or 'Sir. 
 Cook, representative from the t^ame state, that it is 
 notorious in the state of Missouri that had I been com- 
 placent (MKMiiib to bctiav tho intm-est of the V. S. by 
 eontirmiiiii roundly or icpoitinj;- favorably on the 
 Spanish ( laiuKs 1 should be at present a very rieli man 
 and should un<lubitably have a seat in the Senate of the 
 U. S. 
 
 The l<';idin<i principle of the bill which originated in 
 the Senate^ last year on the subject of the Spanish land 
 claimis in Missouri was perfectly just and correct, but 
 it was inconsistent to provide in it that all claims pre- 
 dicated on concessions issued at any time before the 
 10th of ]March, 1804 should be confirmed ai-reeably to 
 the Spanish laws, usages and customs, &c. In the first 
 place it is repugnant to reason to admit that a Spanish 
 commandant could issue coucessioms after his sovereign 
 had alienated the domain. It is still more so after the 
 king has giviai U|) possession which was on the 23d 
 December. 1S03. 
 
 How and an hen a Spanish otficer could isvsue conces- 
 sions for land is a question of law which ought to be 
 left to tile couit. Of course the act ought to be silent 
 as to the dates of the concessions. The confirmation 
 ought to be made conformably to the laws and regula- 
 tions. The word regulations is omitted in the bill. 
 Usage and custom is introduced improperly. Nothing 
 constitutes usage in legal acceptation but a practice 
 which runnel h beyond tlie nuMuory of man. The exist- 
 ence of the Spanish government itself in lx)uisiana does 
 not run beyond (he memory; of course no usage in legal 
 accei)tation couhl exist under it. In introducing this 
 word, the favorers of the Spanish claims did, I believe, 
 intend to u,ive to aberrations from rules the character 
 
 49 
 
of usage and cnstom. The bill is under other respects 
 insidious. It is proper to keep in mind that no claims 
 which remain unconfirmed have equity, except, per- 
 haps, some which do not exceed respectively 800 arpens, 
 equal to about 640 acres. 
 
 I am pretty certain that Benton and Scott were not 
 willing that the bill, such as it was when it passed the 
 Senate, should pass the House of Representatives. It 
 may be remembered that Mr. Scott took care to report 
 the bill to the House of Representatives with such 
 amendments as would prevent its passage with a view, 
 I presume, to have it in their power to bring a more 
 favorable one at some propitious time for their case is 
 desperate if they cannot avoid having the merits of their 
 claims tested before a court of justice. 
 
 The agents of the land claimants ought to be closely 
 watched this session. Mr. Lowndes from the House of 
 Representatives was well acquainted with the subject. 
 Probably his absence will give them fresh encourage- 
 ment. 
 
 Mr. Benton in his long, elaborated speech during last 
 session on that bill, brought into view great yield of 
 irrelevant matter. He was very inaccurate in his state- 
 ments. Many of them were absolutely false, and I 
 don't know how he could be mistaken. His popularity 
 and best prospects depend on his success on that occa- 
 sion. He was the counsel and agent for many years 
 of the land claimants before he was in the Senate. I 
 am persuaded that he stands the same way since and 
 has shares in many large claims. If he don't succeed 
 his situation will be desperate, for he is greatly in debt. 
 He was one of the directors of the Bank of Missouri 
 when it failed. He indefatigably puffed the credit of 
 Hint institution. It is now fully ascertained that he 
 
 50 
 
actually owes, |13,000 to that Bank. He bought notes 
 of the same bank little while after its failure at 50 
 percent of discount; it appearinu that all the directors 
 inst» ad of nianaj>inj]j the affairs of the bank for the in- 
 terest of the ci'editors, had assij^ncd i^reat part of the 
 rights and credit.s of the bank io an insolvent man, in 
 order to avoid responsibility and practice greater fraud. 
 The District Court for the state of Missouri has at the 
 suit of the r. S. appdinled trustees to hold the remain- 
 in«> propcity of tlio l);iiik aiui attend its concerns. 
 
 It is to the combined influence of the directors of 
 that bank and of that of the Spanish land claimants that 
 Mr. Benton is indebted for his seat in the Senate, and 
 by his standing of senator he has succeeded to induce 
 the Secretary of the Treasury to confide so much in the 
 bank as to make deposits in the same to the amount 
 of 1152,000 of the money of the U. S. which is now in 
 rhe greatest danger of being lost. 
 
 That you may be still the better guarded against 
 every art and wite froui tliat quarter let me present to 
 you another trait of Mr. Benton's delicacy. A certain 
 person of tlu^ name of Mann, who enlisted in the army 
 find served during hist war as sergeant, had a demand 
 up<in the U. S. for s('r\ ices rendered by his wife prob- 
 ably in the hospital of the army or otherwise. He 
 requested Mr. Benton last year to attend to his claim 
 and agreed to let him liave 15 per centum for his agency. 
 Mr. Benton at his reluin told him that he had been 
 able to obtain but a part of the sum which he de- 
 maiuh'd, and then dehiyed returning his money under 
 various pretences. At last Mr. Mann, by repeated 
 applications obtained one half of it and was compelled 
 to sue him for the remaining half which was about 
 |G00, but as he was himself obliged to pay the amount 
 
 51 
 
of a judp:ment rendered against him before he conld re- 
 cover against Benton, he found himself under the neces- 
 sity to compromise with his creditor bv giving an order 
 upon Mr. Benton who accepted it upon the condition 
 that the same should be satisfied in store goods at iH5t. 
 Louis prices which was assented to. 
 
 Mr. Benton wais also sued on his return to St. Louis 
 last year for a balance due since two years, for Claret 
 drank at his table when he was canvassing for his elec- 
 tion. Mr. B. is much indebted otherwise and must 
 necessarily become insolvent unless he can procure the 
 confirmation of the Spanish land claims in whole or in 
 part by direct or indirect means. I beg leave to refer 
 you to my preceding letters. 
 
 St. Louis, December 2d, 1823. 
 
 (Substance) 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Dear Sir: — T learn with pleasure that you are success- 
 ful in your practice particularly at Newport. I always 
 expected that with industry and confidence, of which 
 the former is tlie parent, you would be able to succeed 
 in your profession. You would not expect more from 
 it — so — to, nor need you to apprehend much worse. He 
 has put up with great yield from the barr during the 
 last term of the court at St. Louis; he knows he stands 
 low in the public opinion, you may easily enlist his feel- 
 ing with occasional humoring. 
 
 Probabl3' it is owing to me that you have met with 
 the ill will of two judges. T wish the gratification you 
 may feel to be my son over balance the inconvenience. 
 
 52 
 
Strother is sinkinp; dayly licic; he advised me the 
 otlier da}' to be a candidate for the le,i»ishiture, he told 
 me that my popuhirity was iiK reasinii, and that if I 
 weut to the state lenislature 1 stioiihl stand a pretty 
 ji'ood chance of beiui* elected to the Senate of U. S. 
 if not in the place of Barton certainly in the place of 
 Benton. 
 
 Barton and other enemies of Benton seem to be dis- 
 posed to make use of me, too, as a rod to punish Benton. 
 Barton has said that all the injuries he has sustained 
 proceed from Benton. 
 
 Barton has taken many depositions to establish his 
 charges against Rector he has served due notice on 
 Rector. He is in a fairer way of success than could be 
 expected. Rector is about going to Washington. 
 Barton went away with Dr. Buerry and a Mr. Ander- 
 son a former clerk of cub Hammond. He was told by 
 several about the time of his departure, that if he had 
 supported me for the Senate Ave Avould have gone on 
 harmoniously and probably his brother would be yet 
 alive. 
 
 I have heard nothing concerning the appointment of 
 judge of supreme court. I don't think it probable, how- 
 ever, that Wm. C. Carr will be the choice, it is unac- 
 countable to me how McNear retains so great a share 
 of popularity abroad, it seems to me that his standing 
 here's pretty low. The house in which he used to 
 reside belongs now to Mullanphy, he has removed some 
 where in the west part of the town. Possible Barton 
 wishes that I may be candidate for representative in 
 Cong, that 1 may not be in his way for the Senate, at 
 all events 1 have not changed, my intentions are the 
 same as when vou left me. 
 
 53 
 
As to the tax, you will oblige me if you will pay 
 it yoiu\self or advauce the money to some auve person in 
 Montgomery to do it. The sum 5 dollars per acre which 
 Gammon asks for his land is too high considering the 
 times. I wish you would ask him what is the lowest 
 price he would take. I should like to rent the snulll 
 improvement on Loute, but 1 would prefer anj'one to 
 Gammon, he has stript the place of a great part of the 
 rails, he has also in his possession all the slabs of the 
 cabin. I should like to know if the cabin is not burnt. 
 I shall be very glad to see you whenever you can make 
 it convenient to come. 
 
 Yours, etc. 
 
 St. Louis, December 12, 1823. 
 
 (N. B. I have written another letter to same some time 
 since, copy omitted.) 
 
 Albert Gallatin, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your favour of the 3rd November was 
 duly received, the friendly declarations and approba- 
 tions of my public services which it contain are very 
 gratifying to me. Whatever may be the result of youT 
 endeavors in my behalf I can assure you that my grati- 
 tude will never be lessened, there iis however no office 
 vacant in this state that I know of, nor any not vacant 
 in Missouri that would be acceptable to nie. T had it 
 long since in contem])lation to return to Pennsylvania 
 and reside there permanently. Nothing has prevented 
 me from effecting that intention but the business which 
 I have on hand as executor testamentary of C. Lucas de- 
 ceased which I expect to have closed and ended in short 
 time. My youngest child being of age and all of them 
 being able to provide for themselves, I feel no incon- 
 
 54 
 
venience in changing my place of residence, and as to 
 my views and pretensions to a public station, having 
 property just enough to live agreeably to my taste and 
 habits 1 don't look near so much for pecuniary advan- 
 tages as for an honourable situation; I think that my 
 pretension i.s fortifyed by the consideration of the vexa- 
 tious and persecutious which I have endured during a 
 long time toedious public service in obscurity and 
 without any opportunity to gain credit for it except 
 from you alone. I have not even received the full 
 pecuniary compensation such as has been allowed to 
 ihe land commissioners of the respective Boards in the 
 T'y of New Orleans for similar services. (This allow- 
 ance has been made since you have left the office of Sey. 
 of the Treasury.) I therefore beg leave to repeat to 
 you that unless I really am satisfyed that I am inferior 
 in point of talents and character to my contemporaries 
 and many of my juniors in i)ublic life who till now high 
 stations, I ought to look for something better than the 
 appointment which was offered to me some months 
 ago or remain in private life. I should accept the ap- 
 pointment of charge «S: affairs wherever there might be 
 a vacancy in the courts of Europe. I am very well 
 satisfyed and I hope upon enquiry you will not doubt 
 that if I had not made my duty as a judge and specially 
 as land commissioner par amount to every considera- 
 tion of popularity and pecuniary benefit, I should have 
 now a seat in the federal senate and should be possessed 
 of considerable wt^alth, I auii sir. 
 
 With great respect, etc., 
 
 St. Louis, Augt. 18th, 1823. 
 Albert Gallatin, 
 
 Dear Sir: — I have heard with uiuch pleasure of your 
 safe arrival from France, but if T nm correctly informed, 
 
 oo 
 
you are in the tJ. S. only for a while. Sir, if you should 
 go back again to France, I sliould be thankful if you 
 would inform me some time before hand of your depar 
 ture, expecting that you would be so good as to take 
 charge of a packet for me, 
 
 I should wish very much to know if any of m^' 
 brothers have called upon you at Paris. Mr. John 
 Jacob Astor, authorized me about three yean^ ago to 
 draw upon him for .|750, agreeablj^ to the letter which 
 I received from 3'ou at the same time. 
 
 I lately received an appointment from the President 
 of commissioner to ascertain claims and titles to lands 
 in the territories of Florida. A multiplicity of reasons 
 induced me not to accept it. 1 thought that unless I 
 really was satisfied that 1 was infeiior in points of 
 talents and character to many of my contemporaries 
 and juniors in public life, who fill now high stations, I 
 ought to look for something better or remain in private 
 life. It is perhaps useless to inform you that my firm 
 adhesicm to justice between the Spanish land claimants 
 and the the U. S. has been to me a source of persecution 
 and grief. 
 
 We have been here overwhelmed for these few years 
 pavst by numerous adventurers of desperate character, 
 who have taken every ad\antage of the uuhai)py state 
 of things. They have fanned the passions and male- 
 volence of the land claimants against me to the highest 
 degree. One of these miscreants hath picked a quarrel 
 with one of my sons and has killed him in a duel. His 
 name is Thomas Benlon. He is one of tlie federal sena- 
 tors and has obtained the warm support of the land 
 claimants, in consideration of the grievous injury he 
 has done me and of having undertaken to procure the 
 confirmation of the land claims. He is a lawyer. He was 
 
 56 
 
emploved as tlicir a.i;ont before he was elected to the 
 Heuate and was to receive for his eompcnsation a third 
 or a fourtii of llic hinds if eoiifirined. His sj^eeehes in 
 the Senate on tluU subject are <niite fallacious and out 
 of the character of a senator. His (h'siuuK and villany 
 have increased my zeal and watchfulness for the in- 
 terests of the U. S. I have put many a senator and 
 reprt^sentative on llieir i^uard against him. and he 
 knows it. He has chariicd uie iiere with niakinji; secret 
 couiniunicati<tns against the hiud < laiuiant.s and ueutral- 
 iziiiji, his efforts. 
 
 If you think that, all considered I have some reason- 
 able claims to a particular regard from the •govern- 
 ment, I hope you will be so good to suggest it to the 
 
 President. 
 
 Kespectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, Aug. 8, 1823. 
 Hon. J. C. Calhoun, 
 
 Sir: — The peace wliicli we liave enjoyed in Missouri 
 and particularly at St. Louis, has always been since a 
 great while, precarious and of short duration. It has 
 only lasted so long as Benton and his confederates have 
 been able to awe into silence the editors of public 
 papers and their corresi)ondents. The attempts which 
 have been made from time Id time to discuss in the 
 papers various subjtMts (tf a jniblic nature, no matter 
 how temperate, how fair, and liow (lecor<uis. have never 
 failed to be attended with scenes of violence and blood 
 if they operated in any shape against Benton or his 
 associates. 
 
 The violent death of Joshua Barton is the latest in- 
 stance we have of the kind at St. Louis. Mr. Barton 
 
 57 
 
was attorney of the TJ. S. for the district of Missouri. 
 Seeiii«>- that liis brotlier David Barton was eried down 
 for the vote lie had i»iven in the Senate against the 
 nomination of Wm. Kector to fill the office of Surveyor 
 of public lands for the State of Illinois, Missouri and 
 Arkansas, undertook to publish a statenn nt of the pub- 
 lic conduct of the surveyor in tlie Missouri Republican, 
 printed at St. Louis, and justify the vote of his brother. 
 Immediately after these, he received a (•hallent»e from 
 one of the brothers of the surveyor. Me endeavored 
 to avoid a duel by offeriu,s> to prove the truth of every 
 part of the statement he had made, but this was of no 
 avail. He nnu><t fi_nht. I am well satisticd that it was 
 with the greatest reluctance he accepted the challenge, 
 but from the well knowu violence of that party on 
 former occasions it is generall}'^ believed, and for my 
 part I doubt not that if he h;ul not fought then he would 
 have been awsailed at the first opportunity and received 
 a treatment worse than death. It is consolatory to see 
 that these extremities have made the deepest impres- 
 sion upon the public. It has roused it to the highest 
 degree of indignation agaiust the surveyor and his 
 abettons. The paragraph of Mr. B. under the name of 
 Philo which was published in the Missouri Kepublican 
 of the 25th of June, — has been republished in the other 
 papers of the state and the public conduct of the sur- 
 veyor is closely investigated and loudly censured under 
 every respect. This a])peiins to be the commencement 
 of a reaction from which the most beueticial effects may 
 be anticipated. It may be proper to observe that like 
 Chas. Lucas, Mr. B. was district attorney for the U. S., 
 that he had not less disposition than C. Lucas to be 
 watchful and do scrupupoutsly his duties, not only with 
 respect to Indian agents, public surveyors, &c., but 
 
 58 
 
with respect to Spanisli land claimants, in case a law 
 slioiild be jjasscd t(» diroct them to biiiiii tlieii- claiins 
 h('l(n-(' the ('(nirl of tlu' District of Mis.souii. This may 
 the better ex|>bnn why tliey l)(<tli have ended in the 
 same way, and liave been dispatched by the same set of 
 men. As to myself, the same men have exhansted every 
 means of annoyiince a.uainst nie short of actnal violence. 
 They knew jx-rfectly well thai 1 was not a man to tam- 
 per or compromise with, hence I uwt with their constant 
 and strenuous oppovsition. They have not even blushed 
 to contrive and circulate the report that I was a par- 
 doned rebel in Pennsylvania and that I was elected to 
 (Ntniirejss by the old stock of rebels. Permit me to i'e])eat 
 to you that no man could have been more popular than 
 me, and amass more wealth ]»rovided I had confirmed 
 every claim, not exceedinii one league squaic and re- 
 ported in favor of the other.'^. I ]H('sume to say ihat my 
 services in Louisiana, since Missouri, have redounded to 
 the i)ublic benefit, whilst they have been to me a real 
 source of vexation and persecution. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 7th, 1S24. 
 Mahlon Dickenson, 
 
 Letter to, statins; that ]>robably the official laud act 
 of Will. Kector. surveyor, etc. will be enquired into by 
 the Senate. I belii^ve that I). Barton is ju'ovided with 
 all the miniments necessary to substantiate the charjjjes 
 containe<l in the essay of the late Joshua Barton, attor- 
 ney', etc. Rector has numerous ndations. Bold, they 
 have heri^ofor*^ kejit in awe the defenseless and the 
 timid. The influence which Wm. Rector has derived 
 
 50 
 
from his office and relations induced liim to disreoard 
 official restraints. I have nothini» to say as to the docu- 
 ments senator Biirtou has taken with him, they will 
 speak for themselves. The deceased Barton was dis- 
 tinj^uished. The public opinion ran strongl}' against 
 Rector. Barton has always been popular and is much 
 more so since his opposition to AMctor in the Senate 
 last session has become known here. Beutctn owes^is 
 seat in the Senate chieMy to the influence of Victor. He 
 would not retain it now if the people had it in their 
 
 power to turn him out. 
 
 Yours, etc., 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 7th, 1824. 
 (Letter to the same as the preceding one to Mahlon 
 
 Dickenson.) 
 Eufus King, 
 
 Yours, 
 
 St. Louis, Sept. 11th, 1826. 
 John H. Pleasant, 
 
 Real Editor of Constitutional Whig. 
 Mr. Editor:— The "Constitutional Whig'' of the 4th 
 of Aug. came fortuitously into my hand not long since. 
 The extracts wliich it contains from one of the numbers 
 which have been published in the Missouri Republican, 
 under the signature of a farmer, refers so immediately 
 and pointedly to records and other documents which are 
 in the liands of ])ublic officers in the same place where 
 Mr. Benton resides and at tlie doors of his friends, that 
 the author of those remarks or the editor who published 
 them, instead of being an impudent dog only could not 
 be less than a mad one if those extracts or any part 
 thereof were false, but I assure you that direct, specific 
 
 60 
 
and weighty as are these charges, neither Mr. Benton 
 nor his friends liave dared to deny them, nlthough they 
 I'.ave been rcjteatcdly cliJiIN'iiucd lo do it. They have 
 icniaiiK'd iiml<'. Indeed they could not (h'liy or con- 
 tradict them without tijlsilying the records of the two 
 courtis and other imblic documents which stare in their 
 faces. Thonms 11. Benton cannot shake off' tlie mass of 
 tnrpitiKh' \vhi<h oveiw helms lum by any means short of 
 ;i mirai le. All that the editors of his process in Mi<;souri 
 or probably himself have attempted to tsay by way of 
 set off, is that ^[r. Lucas whom they pretend to be the 
 author of these numbers is a maliciouis old man "who 
 has a foot in the gravc^ and the other on tlie brink of it''. 
 Marlv, they luive not ])resumed to vsay that he has stated 
 anytliing falsely, and as to his being so near dissolution, 
 if true, it would prove still more against them for the 
 appalling sight of tlie grave and death has the strongest 
 tendency to check or dispel malice and corruption, at 
 any rate, the merit of the charge don't stand upon the 
 faith of the author, and 1 don't know of any reason why 
 my name should impair its effect. 
 
 The press would be of little or no use in a free com- 
 munity if from extreme delicacy such facts as those ad- 
 verted to in the numbers if a farmer had remained un- 
 noticed. The test has certainly been very unpleasaat 
 to me, l)Ut there are civil duties that must control our 
 natural inclinations. I liave lo'.ig time waited in expec- 
 tation that some «Mie else wouhl save me that trouble, 
 l;nt it has been in vain. The dang( r lias become so 
 imminent that at last I have subdued my repugnancy 
 and 1 ha\e gibbetted Thomas 11. Benton from conscien- 
 tious motiv<'s and with the same feelings as if I had 
 .ictually both leg.s in the grave. 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 JOHN B. C. LUCAS. 
 61 
 
p. S. You are at liberty to publish this communica- 
 catiou. I am known to several prominent characters in 
 your state. This will satisfy them that 1 am still the 
 same. (Not a half-way man.) 
 
 December 1st, 1820. 
 John Quincy Adams, 
 
 Sir: — Beini> under the expectation that several of my 
 friends at Wasliinnton have recommended me to the 
 l*i'fisi(lciit to till the otHce of Jud<;(' of the District Court 
 of tile r. S. for tile state of Missouri. 1 be«;' leave to 
 direct your attention for a moment to the peculiar cir- 
 cumstances wliicli I have been placed in since fifteen 
 years that I am one of the superior judges in the terri- 
 tory of Missouri, i have been under tlie disagreeable ne- 
 cessity to check and resist numbers of the former favor- 
 ites of the Spanish authorities who were little used to 
 a fair and impartial administration of justice. 1 had 
 to encounter many desperate and lawless characters 
 from almost every part of the world and to contribute 
 to make them feel tlu^ effects of k^j^al restraints. As 
 land commissioner 1 liad to withstand the rapacity and 
 fraud of many a laixl claimant. They have since trans- 
 ferred considerable jiarts of their claims to influential 
 American citizens and thereby have increased the means 
 of annoying- me. 
 
 They have endeavored to alarm the people by repre- 
 senting me as an emancipator on the frivohtus pretext 
 that I had suggested befoie the election for the conven- 
 tion, the propriety of prcniding in the Constitution that 
 no slaves should be imported fictni any state in the state 
 of Missouri after ten years from the date of the Consti- 
 tution. 
 
 62 
 
XotwiflistMiidiiiii tlicir efforts and misroprpspntation, 
 J had ail lionoiahlc siijtpoit in both houses as eandidate 
 for the Senate of the l'. S. Out of six candidates T was 
 next to Mr. Mentoii, who was elected by a majority of 
 one. 
 
 It it; beyond all kind of doubt that I had it in my 
 }tower to make a colossal fortune and to secure to my- 
 self an unrivalled ])opularity. 1 sincerely wish that 
 the persecution whi( h I have endured from the land 
 claimants, that my virtual self-denial of a «eat in the 
 Senate, by undeviatinuly pnrsuinn the inteicst of the 
 T". S. be not lost and un|)roductive to the public. A 
 self-approvinji conscienee i)uts me out of the reach of 
 all regrets. 
 
 If I wish to obtain the appointment of judge, it is 
 more for the |tur])ose of i)roving to my enemies in the 
 state of Misiscuri that my services and fidelity to the 
 U. S. are duly appreciated at Washington, than upon 
 any other account. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, January 4th, 1821. 
 John Quincy Adams, 
 
 Sir: — Having been lately informed that some of my 
 friends at Washington l:ad made an api)lication to 
 the President and to yoniself on my behalf for the ap- 
 pnintment (d' judge (d" the District Onirt of the U. S., 
 f(U' the Ntato (d" Missouri; having also had mystdf the 
 li( noi to ridilrcss you a letfer to that effect, and expect- 
 ing ev( 'r.\ o]»posiiion from Mr. Benton an<l also probably 
 from Mr. liarton, senators from ^lissouri, in order there- 
 fore, that you may the better understand and appre- 
 ciate the disposition and tsentiments particularly of Mr. 
 
Barton, I here enclose vou a number of the St. Louis 
 Enquirer, which contains an extract of a letter from 
 him to the editor of that paper. 
 
 I am perfectly satisfied that Mr. Barton Avould not 
 have written such a letter had he been in hi.s senses. 
 He must have been drunk then, as he often is, however, 
 I have no doubt that it contains his genuine sentiments 
 for "in vino Veritas". 
 
 It is to be himcnted that our state be represented by 
 such men, juid that the editor of the Enquirer be so lost 
 to any idea of ])i'opriety and regard for the interest of 
 his country as to give the letter publicity. The En- 
 quirer is owned by Henry & Co. This company is 
 avowedly and notoi iously Tiies. Ui utou, who has been 
 the editor of that paper since ilie commencement of 
 its publication until lie went to take his seat in the 
 Senate. You may well imagine that he has used it as 
 an electioneering engine for himself and friends, and yet 
 he has been elected with the majority of one vote only, 
 and in order to obtain it he Avent on the day of the elec- 
 tion to one of the members of the House of Kepresen- 
 tativeis who was in his bed dangerously sick and urged 
 him to suffer to be carried to the house, to which he 
 consented, contrary to tlie advice and n])inion of his 
 physician. It is thought that this member was at that 
 time i)artly out of his senses. As soon as his vote was 
 given he was carried lo ^Ir. Benton's house, Avhere he 
 died not long after. Tiie same member had the day be- 
 fore the election r(M]uested me to take him to my house. 
 1 told him that it was (»ut of my power tji do it. If J 
 had consented to have him taken, I presume I could 
 have had his vote if I wanted it. 
 
 I received at my house at the same time, another 
 member who was also very sick. Several friends of the 
 
 (i4 
 
latter expressed a wish that he niijjht be carried to the 
 house to ^ive his vote. He ap})eared aLso to be de- 
 sirous to do il, but I oppased it, obsen'ing that I had 
 •iivcu him lios])itality iu order to render his situation 
 nioi'c conifoitablc than it would be had he remained 
 iu a public house and to render his recovery more 
 proiu|i! aud ui(u<' certain, that I would not suffer that 
 he should I'xpose his life nor j^ive a vote which would 
 render my motives doubtful and even induce many to 
 (pieslion my intejirity. I ju-evailed upon his remaining 
 trau(|uil iu liis beil. Sucli were the circumstances un- 
 der wliicli 1 lost the election and Mr. Kenton gained it. 
 This Mr, Benton has unrelentingly pursued Charles 
 Lucas, a late son of mine, until he has brought him to 
 the grave by shooting him down in a duel. The cause 
 of the ( hallenge which Mr. Benton sent him was a mere 
 pretext. The real motives were that he foresaw that 
 the fair character and promising talents of Charles 
 Lucas would stand in the way of his ambitious views 
 and now he seems to reap the full benefit of his crime, 
 being the counsel and agent of the Spanish land claim- 
 ants and also as 1 believe intereisted in their claims. 
 He had their full suppcnt whilst they most actively 
 opposed me, as I had reported as commissioner, against 
 a con.siderable number of their claims. 
 
 Most respectfully, &c.. 
 
 8t, Louis, October 27, 1821, 
 (Not Sent,) 
 •Tohu Quincy Adams, 
 
 Sir: — Although I intimated you some time before this 
 my desire to be appoiuteil judge of the District Court of 
 the U. S. for the State of Missouri, I hope you will not 
 
 65 
 
consider me to be importunate if I renew the applica- 
 tion. I don't present myself with the ordinary moni- 
 ments, viz: a recommendation with a long list of sub- 
 scribers. Had I complimented the numerous and in- 
 fluential holders of Spanish laud claims with the land 
 of the U. S., where as commissioner I liad power to con- 
 firm their claims and made a report in their favor in 
 other cases, no doubt that T .should not be wantinp,' their 
 support at this moment, nay I am sure that I should 
 have had the offer of the 1st offices of the state, but 
 as the local interest of many influential men of this 
 state stands in direct opposition with that (against 
 that) of the U. S. at least on a very important subject, 
 they and the friends which they have at Washington 
 are not the best qualified persons to recommend a fit 
 character on this occasion particularly if we take into 
 view that in case they cannot smuggle through their 
 claims by some unguarded act of Congress their dernier 
 resort will inevitably be to obtain the passage of an 
 act to be authorized to bring their claims before a court 
 of the U. S. which, I presume, they would wish to be 
 the District Couil; of this state. Therefore, in order 
 to enable you to judge of my qualifications I have 
 chosen another course, and beg leave to refer you to 
 divers acts of mine as an officer of the U. S. which are 
 not less notorious than opposite. 
 
 In the first place permit me to state that I have been 
 for fifteen years a judge of the teri'itory of Missouri, that 
 I was the senior judge in years and commission. 
 
 2d, that, notwithstanding the difficulty of administer- 
 ing justice, both from the uncertainty and complication 
 of the laws which in contracts were French, in other 
 cases Spanish, and likewise from the lawless and des- 
 perate disposition of not a few of those who first emi- 
 
 (iO 
 
grated from the U. S. and other parts, no specific charjje 
 has btH'ii made ajxainst me. 
 
 Hd, that I am a iiraduate in the faculty of hiwjs at flic 
 uiii\n,sit\ of ("acii in Normandy and ha\<' with me my 
 diphtmas. 
 
 4ih, that 1 was dccnu'd tlie most competent juilue in 
 all matters that arised under the Spani^sh and French 
 laws, jind »'<|um1 to oi her judj^es in matters arisinjjj under 
 the statute and the comuKui law. 
 
 ."►Ill, that as from the view 1 had taken of the Spanish 
 laws ami Uf^a.ues concerniui; the distribution and dispo- 
 sal of the former Spauiish domains in Louisiana it was 
 my misfortuiH- not to he as favorable to land claimants 
 as the other comujissioners were. I have brou<;lit ui)on 
 me the redoubled resentment and vengeance of the 
 Spanish land claimantK and of all others that have be- 
 come interested in their claims. 
 
 titli, that since we have become a state, every am- 
 bitions and desii^ninu man, wliether concerned or not 
 in the land elainis has seized on that opportunity to bear 
 me down and ther<'by to ])ri'vent me from winning into 
 c«)m])etition for iM)])ularity. To save details 1 beg k^ave 
 to refei- you to the lion. Win. II. Crawford who had 
 an opport unity to examine the genl. rept. of the commis- 
 sioners and the sjjecial rept. on the claims to land con- 
 taining lead mineral or salt springs. 1 also vvU'v you to 
 a report of the S<'cvetary of the Treasury to the Presi- 
 dent of the r. S. j»age S.") of an apitendix to a book styled 
 Laws & Treaties .Jt Other Documents Having Operatiou 
 I'v: Respect lo the Public Lands, collected and an-anged 
 pursuant to an act of Congress passed April 27th, 1810. 
 I beg also of you to take notice that I have resided dur- 
 ing 21 years in Pennsylvania. That I was re-elected 
 to the Ihh Conures-^ when I left it in 1805. For further 
 
 67 
 
particulars of mj character there, I refer you to Mr. 
 Lowrie. senator, or any other western member from 
 Pennsylvania, and for my private or public character in 
 Missouri I refer you to Messrs. Edwards, Thomas, and 
 Cook from the state of Illinois. Their place of resi- 
 dence is not more than 20 miles from St. Louis. I hope 
 they are sufficiently acquainted witli the public char- 
 acters of this state and yet sufficiently disinterested to 
 do me justice. If after having discharged faithfully 
 my official duties under the most trying circumstances 
 I am discarded or neglected, I am apprehensive that 
 such an example may produce the most pernicious con- 
 sequences, especially with the former Spanish subjects 
 who have become members of a free community, by 
 accident perhaps, many against their will, and will 
 also in a manner verify what I have been told often by 
 land claimants "why don't you take the proper course 
 to make us rich and yourself popular and rich also? 
 The executive of the U. S. will not thank you for your 
 rigid adhesion to what you deem to be right. State 
 popularity, however ephemeral or spurious will mostly 
 prevail." I hope you will attribute my apparent solici- 
 tude to obtain the appointment to higher motives than 
 mercenary considerations. I pledge my honor that if 
 I had it I would not hold it longer than twelve months. 
 I take the liberty, sir, to request you to show this letter 
 to the president. 
 
 I am, &c., 
 
 N. B. — Mr. Bates, delegate from the territory of Ar- 
 kansas may satisfy you on my standing in the state of 
 Missouri. 
 
 68 
 
November 9th. 1821. 
 John (^iiiucj Adaius, 
 
 Sir: — Ilaviuji hitely reeeive<^l information that it has 
 Ix'en circuhited during the last session of Congress that 
 I liad \vritt(^n to divers menihcis of Congre^ss from tlie 
 iion-shn*' hohliug states and iiiloiiiied them that the per- 
 sons opposed to slavery were getting in power in Mis- 
 souri, — in order to induce them to hold out against the 
 admission of this state into the Union and it is said 
 that in eonse<|iieuee of this Missouri ivS hirgely indebted 
 to me for the humiliation which she has been subjected 
 last winter. I also understand that such report has 
 been credited by some members from the slave holding 
 states and perhaps by the president. Permit me, there- 
 fore, to assure you and through you the president that 
 these reports are utterly false; that I never have written 
 anything to any person at Washington or elsewhere, 
 directly or indirectly for or against the questions for 
 authorizing the territory of Missouri to become a state 
 or for admitting Missouri into the union; that I believe 
 such reports have originated with the agents and part- 
 ners of the Spanish land claimants at Washington, 
 whose object is to injure my standing and reputation 
 with the members from the south, and to induce the 
 President to l>elieve that I am hostile to the best in- 
 terests of the people of Missouri and that hostility is 
 reciprocated in order to deter him fntni appointing me 
 to the office of District Judge, and secure it to one of 
 their favorites. Whether the President will appoint 
 me or not to that office is of no great moment, but it is 
 quite im]»ortant to the public not to let the Spanish 
 land claimants or their partners have any of their 
 creatures placed in that situation, as most probably 
 they will have and expect to have their claims brought 
 
 6» 
 
before the District C'oiirt of the U. kS. for the state of 
 Missouri in case tliev caunot succeed in oettino- them 
 confirmed by Congress in the hirap at some unguarded 
 moments. 
 
 I am well informed and believe that Mr. Benton is 
 agent of the Spanish land claimantis; that he has an 
 interest in tlie claims for his aoenc3\ I know that John 
 Scott and Gov. Clark are owners of unconfirmed claims 
 to a large amount; that Benton has incessantly advo- 
 cated the Spanish land claims in the St. Louis En- 
 quirer, of which he was until latelj^ one of the owners 
 and editors. I know that the great object of my ene- 
 mies at Washington is to overwhelm me with calumnies 
 and persuade by every possible means the president and 
 you that I am extremely popular if not odious in Mis- 
 souri. Messris. Edwards and Cook whose place of resi- 
 dence exceeds not 2~y miles distance from St. Louis, and 
 who, of course, must know something of my standing 
 and character, public or private, are best qualified to 
 inform 3'ou of the true state of things as they are no 
 parties to the jealou.sievs and dissensions of the citizens of 
 this state. I hope they will do so; if the President has 
 received unfavorable impressions I hope he will be 
 undeceived. 
 
 I am, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 N. B.— I further declare that all the lauds which I 
 own in the states of Missouri and Illinois does not ex- 
 ceed 1000 acres, and that I have no unconfirmed claims. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 24, 1823. 
 Hon. J. Q. Adams, 
 
 Sir: — I should have made to you much sooner the 
 present communication had I not been prevented by 
 sickness, for there is an impending danger, although 
 
 70 
 
tiie subject don't anno within your department, t am 
 nevertlieless persuadiMJ lliat as a citizen y(»u are always 
 (Icsiions to contribute by any means lo guard the gov- 
 ernment from any imjjositions wliatever. I know per- 
 fectlj' the department to whicli the subject of land 
 claims belon^iS, but as I am well satisfied thm* the 
 Spanish land claimants and the delegation of our state 
 in rongress, which I might say are identified, will sup- 
 port Mr. Crawford for President if they cannot carry 
 Mr. Clay. The former is placed in a delicate situation 
 might not be as an efficient check on the present occa-. 
 sion as could be wished. 
 
 Perhaps you may already be informed that the 
 Spanish land claims in Missouri and Arkansas, which 
 have been reported against by the former Board of 
 Comniissionens, and by the Recorder of land titles, &c., 
 are numerous and to a great amount that they are frivo- 
 lous generally and most of them null ab initio. The 
 interest and influence of the land claimants, which was 
 originally great, has been much increased and enhirged 
 by not a few transfers of claims in whole or in part, 
 to persons of weight and influence in Missouri, Ken- 
 tuck}', Tennessee, «&c. In fact, the influence of these 
 land claimants has become such Lhat it is through them 
 that Messrs. Benton and Scott have been elected to 
 Congress. Mr. Barton is the only one that has a sub- 
 stantial popularity and a standing based upon the 
 public opinion. 
 
 It is indubitable that Mr. Scott is himself a land claim- 
 ant. He stated it so once in his electioneering hand 
 bills. I know one «tf his claims in particular. Mr. Ben- 
 ton was the counsel and agent of the land claimants 
 before he was in the Senate. He drew their petitions, 
 &c. Besides retaining fees, he had contingent one to 
 
 71 
 
be paid in definite qnantities of land. Tlie statements 
 and argnmenls whicli lie made and urged before the 
 Senate on the land bill which he reported last year were 
 the mere devices of a lawyer and entirely out of the 
 character of a senator, Tlis private circumstances are 
 desperate. He owes to every body and pays no one. 
 After many promises and come off, he was sued on his 
 return from Washington last year for the wine he had 
 used at his table when he entertained the members of 
 the legislature before his election to the Senate. He 
 is found to be indebted to tlie Bank of Missouri for up- 
 wards of 111,000. Scott is for |10,000, partly to the 
 Bank of Missouri, partly to its branch at Sle. (Jenevieve. 
 He was a noted puffer of the Missouri Bank until its 
 failure. They owe more llian their property is worth, 
 indeed, property commands hardly anything here. 
 
 Benton and Scott have charged Messrs. Edward and 
 Cook from Illinois with having used their influence with 
 you to prevent drey, their man, from being appointed 
 Judge of the District Court of the U. S. in Missouri. 
 However you have lost nothing with them. You were 
 objectionable to them at any time and under any cir- 
 cumstance. They belong to that description of per- 
 sons who seize every opportunity to bear down and 
 abuse all eastern men without discrimination. They 
 grant no truce nor peace to what they call a Yankee un- 
 less he denationalize himscdf and adopt a course of 
 which he would blush at in his native state. 
 
 Mr. Benton must have been sorely affected when he 
 was under the necessity of introducting last year to 
 the Senate a bill on the Spanish land claims providing 
 that these claims should be referred to the judiciary 
 for decision. I am well satisfied that he had a radical 
 objection to this clause of reference. I saw the bill as 
 
 72 
 
it stood wlioii i'('])(>rto(l. T notic('(] in it a variety of 
 sulxudiiijitc provisions calcuhitcd to circumvent and 
 ovcr-rcacli, Tlicrc wa^s also a principle interpolated 
 which is entirely foreij^n to Spanish laws and regula- 
 tions and wonid infMllibly have tranim<dled the (piestion 
 of Spanisli law. lla[>i»ily I saw after I hat the bill had 
 I'eceived several aniendnicnls wiiich certainly were 
 a»;ainst the will of Mr. Henlon. 
 
 1 am incdined to belie^(' that he would have voted 
 aj^ainst the final passaj^e of the bill, was it not that he 
 wanted to have the ajjpearance and name at home to 
 have done sonu't liinii and i have no donbt but that lie 
 su<»«ested to Mr. Scott to introduce material amend- 
 ments to the bill before the committee to which the 
 House of Kepresentativeis had referred it, and not urge 
 its final jtassage in oitb'r to avoid a defeat. 
 
 .Mr. Scott is eutiicly under the intiuence of Mr. Ben- 
 ton. Il(^ is his echo. 
 
 It ivs to be sui)posed that a bill more suitable to the 
 land claimants will be reported this S(\s.sion, probably 
 in the House of liepresentatives. They will endeavor 
 to avoid a reference to a court of justice by any means 
 whatever. They will watch the opportunity to take the 
 house by surprise, probably towardsfi the end of the tses- 
 sion. 
 
 Not only a reference to the judiciary is absolutely 
 necessary, but the judges ought to be untramelled, the 
 mode of proceeding in court, the effect of decisions, 
 ought to be perfectly the same as they are in ordinary 
 cases between individuals. 
 
 The bill introduced last year before the senate by 
 Mr. Bentoii ua.s certainly over-reaching. No claims 
 ought to be referred to courts but those actually en- 
 tered on record with a due notice according to the sev- 
 
 73 
 
oral arts of Conutoss passed from time to time on that 
 subject. I am well satisfied that no regnhir Spanish 
 registry was kept of Spanish conoessionis issued in that 
 part of the province now included in Missouri and Ar- 
 kansas for the bust six or seven ycvirs preceding the sur- 
 render of the province by the Spanish goveinment, that 
 the registry exhibited of concessions made <luring that 
 time is spurious. Tf the bill sh<»uld embrace any other 
 claims but those recorded it woubl be providing for 
 claims not actually made upon the U. S. it would be 
 granting ultra petitum. 
 
 You have it in your power to render a particular ser- 
 vice to your country in giving a timely warning to your 
 friends in both houses of Congress on that weighty sub- 
 ject. 
 
 Permit me to observe that beside the great injury the 
 U. S. would receive should Messrs. Benton and Scott 
 succeed in procuring the passage of a law on the land 
 claims suitable to their views, the state of Missouri 
 would be incumbered and annoyed with men of colossal 
 fortunes, who, among other evils would have it in their 
 power to keep a considerable part of the country wild 
 and unsettled and would exercise that power until they 
 should obtain such prices as they would set upon their 
 lands. Benton, Scott and their party would be enabled 
 to bear down and crush more and more, every independ- 
 ent man, and as to myself ,T should be rewarded for my 
 fidelity to the U. S. with every indignity which a set of 
 tyrannic and triumphant upstarts should think proper 
 to make me endure. I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
St. Loiiis, Aug. 1st, 1823. 
 (Sent hj <lu[)licate.) 
 Qnnicy Adams, 
 
 Sir: — The coimnission from the President to me for 
 asc(M*taiiiiii<; claims and titles to lands within the terri- 
 tories of Floiida, to^<'thei- with your letter of the 3d 
 iillo. inhivsiiio me of the same have been duly i-cceived. 
 Altlioujih I have the ha])piness to enjoy a reasonable 
 share of health and vij^or, man}' a eonsideratiou, how- 
 ever, prevents me to accept the appointment. 
 I have the honor to be sir, 
 
 With great respect, &c.. 
 
 St. r^uis, Feby. 8 or 15, 1827. 
 J<din (^iiincy A<himis, IMcsident. 
 
 Althouj^h I am fully convinced that the French and 
 Spanish land claims or any ri.i»ht or title on which they 
 arc grounded n<'ver can be made more secure before 
 any other tribunal than they arc already under, an act 
 entitled ''An Act, cKic., Fnabliui; Lnnd Claimants to 
 Institute Proceedin<is, ^:c." 
 
 Although I am seriously api)rehensive that the land 
 claimants look for something more than justice, that is 
 for a donation under the c(dor of contirmation, and that 
 they are conscious they aic undone if they can get noth- 
 ing more than their due. Although I have done all I 
 could during thiis session to alarm several members of 
 Congress and ]»ut them on their guard against the evils 
 an<l artifice of Mr. Benton and other agents and part- 
 ners in the French and Spanish lau<l claims, and my 
 most earnest wish is that no change be made in the 
 present legal provisions on that subject. Nevertheless, 
 
 o 
 
in as much as it is liere reported that an act is goino; to 
 pass for renio\ iug these chiinus from a court of law to a 
 special tribunal or Board of Commissioners, being con- 
 scious that from the knowledge I have obtained on 
 this subject as a former land commissioner I am i)er- 
 hapvS better pie])ared than many others to act again on 
 those claims, I beg lav(^ to inform you, that in th*^ 
 event of a passage of such an act I should have no ob- 
 jection to be appointed one of the commij^siouers. You 
 may well be aware that Mr. Benton and other agents 
 of the land claimants will take good care by discreet 
 means or circumvention to have such persons recom- 
 mended for these situations as are disposed to confirm 
 anything. 1 know ver3' well I am the last man they 
 would wiish to see in such a Board. 1 assure you, how- 
 ever, that I harbor no hatred nor prejudice agaiUiSt the 
 land claimants, far from it, I had to combat my own 
 feelings when I reported at a former period opinions 
 against the claims that remain unconfirmed. T]»e orig- 
 inal claimants are most all of French origin, speaking 
 French and retaining French manners. They had a 
 partiality' for me. They were ready to load me with 
 favors. Mr. Benton would have been put on the back- 
 ground, perhaps for ever, if I had been willing to sacri- 
 fice my duties to my cupidity and ambition. It cannot 
 be expected that Congreiss would refer those claims 
 once more to a Board of Commissioners without estab- 
 lishing new criteria to decide by. I should respect 
 them whatever they might be. 
 
 The Secy, of the Treasury is the sole person beside you 
 to whom I have made a similar intimation. 
 
 I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 76 
 
(Date not well roinombered, — perhap.*; Sept. or Oct., 
 
 1820.) 
 
 'I. A»lani>. PiM'sidcnt of ilic V. S. 
 
 Sir: — I. est ilic result ol llic lasl election in the state 
 of .Missouri slicnld lead yon to erroneous conclusions, I 
 have thoiiuhl it niij^ht be nsef'ul to snufiest to yon my 
 «)\vn relh'cliiins on the sanu' ^subject. Premising' that 
 .John Scott h;iil originally no weiuht <if character, nor 
 the rejtnlaiion of ;» man of abilities, notliinj;" but the 
 force of ;i party could laise him to a seat in Connress. 
 His )»opnlarity had much (h'clined at the election. Be- 
 fore the last he lijid bnl a very small majority over his 
 opponent who \\as by no means formidable. All cir- 
 cumstances attendinii tlie last election satisfy me that 
 his popularity was just worn out and extinct, indeed, 
 his vole in your faxiu' liJive him more friends than 
 enemies. However, it has hapi)ene<l that a j^reat many 
 friends of yoni- adminiistiation have denied him their 
 support in consideration j»articnlarly that he had been 
 generally too dependent of Mr. Benton, and had pre- 
 served with th(>' latt(r e\cn after this one had de- 
 nounced jind exposed him fi)V the vote he had uiven for 
 ]iresident, l;ii: the ureatis! cause of Mr. Scott's failure 
 was I hut his opponent was also friendly to your elec- 
 tion, and is favorable to youi' administiation, as a more 
 ellicient o]>ponent to Mr. I>enton to whom he has alwa.ys 
 been hostile; ]»ossess l)ett( r abilities, is a better man- 
 ager, «S:c., and I am well sMtislied that Mr. Benton would 
 s.ione?' have wished to see Mr. Scott elected, had it not 
 been lor I lie uttainment of the favorite object, to-wit, 
 to sustain his repeated assertion that Mr. Scott's vote 
 in your favor is rejtrobated by the people of Missouri, 
 thus Mr. Benton's triumj^h is extremely limited. 
 
 1 < 
 
Many think it probable that the next legislature will 
 be favorable to the re-election of Mr. Benton to the 
 Senate. It has circulated through the state not less 
 than 5tM)0 pamphlets containiug his speech on the gradu- 
 ation of the prices of the public lauds. This is a most 
 proper subject to excite the liveliest interest among 
 the farmers. It has produced a considerable effect in 
 his favor, however, the best informed and most inde- 
 pendent pait (if the community are not gulled, they 
 liold onr firmly against him; they daily exjxise the 
 fallaciousuciss and impeachability of his schemes. The 
 most s( lions cliarges Lave been bruught against him in 
 three numbers under the signature of "a farmer". He 
 and his friends have been repe:itedly challenged to 
 deuA' them. They have remnim d muto. Mis character 
 is prostrated, ^lany of his friends are staggering and 
 apparently ashamed. He daily loses ground with that 
 part of the community which is not immediately at- 
 tached to a party. His adherents charge me with be- 
 ing the author of those numbers. I have neither con- 
 fessed nor denied it. 1 keep something more in reserve 
 for him before the legislature proceed to the election of 
 a senator. 
 
 Had I, as many do. preferred popularity to principle 
 and ofticial duties. I might have been easily elected 
 to the Senate of the V. S. five years ago, and could be re- 
 elected now, lm( having as a former land commissioner 
 reported against many French and Spanish laud claims, 
 having at the solicitation of the District Judge and tlu- 
 District Attorney argued in behalf of the V. S. nearly 
 two years ago an important Spanish land case, and thus 
 vindicated the opinions which I had formerly given as 
 land commissioner, having succeeded in obtaining a 
 decree in that case in favor of the U. S. which is the 
 
 78 
 
fiKst and makes a dreadful precedent having also ex- 
 l)oise(l llie turpitude of Mr. Benton, I had both the 
 friends of the latter and the land chiiniants with all 
 their dependents to encounter as a candidate for the 
 le«;islature at tin' hist (Section, notwithstandinj* all these 
 I had a rcsjM'ctabh^ minority. 
 
 Altlion<»h Mr. Kenton has represented tlie executive 
 patronage to be so dangerous in its consequences as to 
 justify tlic necessity to report several bills to curtail 
 it. it happens, however, that he wields at pleasure the 
 l)oiitical force of the otticers of the <2,eneral .government 
 who are located amongst us, they all. except Judge 
 Peck and Bate^s supported the ticket favorable to Ben- 
 ton's re-election. The superintendent of Indian affairs 
 did not vote at all but all his dependents were for Ben- 
 ton's ticket and himself is entirely devoted to Benton. 
 On his return from ^Vashin5iton last spring, he spread 
 the report that Benton occupied the first rank in the 
 Senate. That he was talked of as likely to become 
 president in the course of time. This Wm. Clark has 
 nothing to recoinmend him personally except his trip 
 to the Pacific Ocean. He knew so little of his duty as 
 Indian agent as to be publicly concerned in Indian 
 trade, and was actually president of a Furr Company 
 and trading up the .Missnuri in ISOS and ISOO whilst he 
 was Indian agent. Ih^ also ke])t Indian goods for sale 
 at liis store in St. Louis. It was him who had lai<l the 
 j)Ian of a niililaiy ex[)edition from St. Louis to Prairie 
 Duchien in 1S1:> and 1814. lie caused a very large 
 boat to be built which he manned with a large crew. 
 -Many id' them had ^'20 pay p(r month. He took care to 
 \\;\\v his nephew Ben O'Fallon with a boat following 
 him as suttler. who swept all the money of the crew. 
 He erected a fort at Prairie Duchien which was taken 
 
 79 
 
b.v the British a few months after. The latter anuoyed 
 (»nr force at the Kapids of Misc^issippi with the very 
 same aitiUerv whifh they had taken from us at the 
 Prairie Ducliien and no <»ue was benefited by that ex- 
 pedition but (ienl. Clark liis nephew & Co. 
 
 If I am correctly inforuKMl, the Indian agents have 
 generally been api)ointed at the recommendation of 
 Genl. rhu'k. Those offices are filled with his nephews, 
 brothers-in-hiw, or other friends and dependents. They 
 are mostly h)iterini> at home and are nearly ^sine cur(\ 
 He stands in such relation with them that he cannot 
 demiuiici' ilieiii wlien they lack (iT due attendance he 
 is not a pio])( !• check. There is a great yield of hypo 
 crisy practiced among the officers of the general gov- 
 ernment here. They are the friends of general admin- 
 istration in wortls. They are its enemies in deeds. 
 
 It is understood here that Benjamin O'Fallon, who 
 has not been at his post this great while, is going to re- 
 sign his Indian agency. If so, permit me to suggest, 
 that in my ()])iniou ^Ir. Clark's recommendation to fill 
 tliat vacancy ought nol to be attended, and in doing 
 so there would be a double benetit for the incumbent 
 would not be de])en(leHt of Mr. Clark, uor would he ex- 
 pect any indulgence from him. Messrs. Bates and Bar 
 ton are among the few that may be safely depended, 
 ui)on for information. 
 
 There is, I believe, no state in the union where the 
 inriuence of military uiiMi is more felt than in Missouri. 
 Beside the otticers actually belonging to tlie army, we 
 have a great nmny disbanded with their es])irit de corps 
 in full vigor they amount to something considerable, 
 relatively to (Uir thin population. They are all de- 
 voted friends of Jackson and Benton. Tljey were all 
 but one against me at the last election. It is impos- 
 
 80 
 
sible for you to humor them by liborality or forboar- 
 ancc. We have one of them, John OTaUon, nephew of 
 Win. (lark, formerly aid de camp to Genl. Harrison. 
 11,. has accuutnlated wealth as sutler at the Couneil 
 Khitr. lie has been succeeded by (leo. Kennerly. for- 
 merly ortieer in the army, broth«M-indaw of Clark, sub- 
 aoeiit, \'c. \\v is another creature of Benton, Jackson, 
 &(•., he is niakinii iiiHch iiumey as sutler. 
 
 I have from various cireumstances reason to suspect 
 that there is a Hauitious <-ollusion practiced between 
 the sutlers aiul the otheers. The goods are sahl to be 
 fharo-ed to the officers at a very low price, whilst the 
 soldiers have to pay very high. I am informed that 
 whilst Mr. OTallon was sutler he was allow^ed to charge 
 the soldiers twenty per cent more than usual on the 
 price of mere handise. On his suggestion that he had 
 .lost some goods by sinking of a boat on the Missouri. 
 It is in consequence of such fraudulent practices and 
 oppression that the discharged scddiers cry down the 
 service in the army, prevent at all times and particu- 
 larly in time of war the army from being recruited to 
 the necessary number and with young men of good 
 character. TImmv is another way of imposing ui)on the 
 s^oldiers,— it is by allowing sutlers to sell on credit. 
 The soldiers are not permitted to dispute the accounts 
 of sutlers against them although they may be fraudu- 
 lent. The officers never fail to to interfere in favor of 
 the sutlers. It seems to me that sutlers ought to be 
 admitted as other contractors an offering to sell on 
 ,1„. .heMi.est terms in order to obviate the evils ansing 
 frou. ih.' i.artiality of officers in favor of sutlers. All 
 persons that held at any time a commission in the army 
 ought to be dis(iualificHl from being sutlers. Perhaps 
 
 81 
 
it would be expedient that sutlers should iiive securitv 
 rhat they shall keep a proper assortment, &c. 
 
 Among the various schemes made use of bv Mr. 
 Benton during the canvass of the last general election, 
 a petition has been circulated among the Spanish land 
 claimants intended to be presented to a'Ou in order to 
 induce you to recommend in yi)ur next message to Con- 
 gress that the land claims be submitted to one or more 
 commissioners to report thereon to Congress on the 
 ground that it is oppressive to compel clainmnts to 
 institute suits before the District Court of the U. S. 
 for Missouri as is now provided by law. These claims 
 have already been referred once to a Board of Commis- 
 sioners whose report is lodged in the general land office. 
 Another part of these claims have since been referred 
 to the recorder of land titles at St. Louis. The laud 
 claimants have already been dealt with most liberally. 
 They have had great yield, — more land than confirmed 
 than could be justified by the French and Spanish laws 
 under which their claims originated. There is no way 
 of getting rid of the claims which remain unconfirmed 
 but by judicial adjudications or by confirming them all 
 at once. The quantity for which suits are now insti- 
 tuted before the District Court is not less than a million 
 of arpens of choice land. If all of it was given away, 
 all the expense which government has been at to have 
 a discrimination made of the legal claims from the 
 illegal ones, would be lost. Fraud and perjiiry would 
 receive a high premium, and Mr. Benton who has acted 
 in the capacity of their agent at Washington at the 
 same time that he sat as a senator, would have ther(d)y a 
 large fortune secure, whilst I who have sacrificed popu- 
 larity, peace and all social comfort for more than twenty 
 
 82 
 
years, to my sense of duty to the U. S. would be the 
 lauiiliinii stock and scorn of all. 
 
 That VMu may have somethino- more than my word to 
 satisfy you that I have used my earnest endeavors to 
 defend the iiilcrcst of the U. S. as land commissioner, 
 I here enclose a letter of Mr. (hillatin to me. ackiiowl- 
 edi»inj>" it. I also eiichtse a pamphlet containinji; th(^ sub- 
 stance of an argument which T have delivered before 
 the District (Nmrt of the U. S. 
 
 My ajxjlojiy for addressinj* you thit< letter is that it 
 I'elale.s to a subject whici) concerns you personally and 
 is somewhat connected with other matters thonoli of a 
 ])ublic nature, which I wish to communicate to you con- 
 fidentially. 
 
 I have the honor to be, sir, &c.. 
 
 February 2d, 1820. 
 James Alcorn, 
 
 Sir: — The paper here enclosed, viz: answer in Missouri 
 (lazette to writer from Carondelet. Suggest him to 
 a])i)ly to have answer published in National Intelligen- 
 cer. Assurance thai everything will be done here by 
 publications or otliej* j)ossible means. Evei-y one here 
 believes tliat Mackay is the author of th« letter. Land 
 of Missouri offered for sale at door of Congress. Some 
 other thing than money is looked for payment. 
 
 2d May, 1825. 
 (Certificate in favor (vf James H. Adrian.) 
 Having heeii acijiiainted with Mr, James H, Adrian 
 of St. Chailes County from his tender age, and also hav- 
 ing for these last 15 years seen and heard of him occa- 
 isionally, I seize with pleasure this opportunity of stat- 
 
 83 
 
ing that I believe him to be an active and enterprizing 
 man who has been particularly useful during last war 
 in a military capacity and as a woodsman on the fron- 
 tiers, and that he is well qualified from his discretion, 
 judgment and experience to discharge the duties of 
 Indian agent or fill any other situation connected with 
 Indian affairs. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Loui«, 3d March, 1824. 
 D. Barton, Senate, 
 
 Sir: — Your favor of the 28th Jany. last, enclosing a 
 bill, &c. was duly received. Owing to indisposition, X 
 was unable to write to you on the subject to which it 
 refers, by the mail preceding this. 
 
 My opinion upon this bill or any other public subject 
 is of little weight or importance at any time, and still 
 less so when the Senate of IT. S. have provided upon it. 
 
 I think with yon that the U. S. are not bound to enter 
 their courts as a party against the Spanish land claim- 
 ants. There are however two considerations that would 
 have induced me to prefer the adjudicating of claims. 
 The 1st is because the interest of the IT. S. would be 
 more safe in a court of law. The 2nd because the claim- 
 ants being in a manner strangers and claim inir under a 
 right which had originated under their former sovereign 
 and having become dependent of the U. S. without 
 their previous consent, there has been by the transfer 
 a kind of violence committed upon their rights, agree- 
 able to our own tlieories and principles concerning the 
 rights of men, which Ave ought to endeavor ,to attone 
 for by treating their, if possible, claims to land rights 
 with a greater respect and tenderness tlian those of the 
 ancient citizens, bv makinii the U. S. descend on a level 
 
 84 
 
with them as parties in a court of justice and thus leav- 
 ing- tlieiii not even a shadow of reason to coniphiin in 
 the cases wliere their chiinis may be dechired illegal 
 or otherwise insufficient. I make no doubt but that 
 you believe that their complaints in case their claims 
 were rejected by a recorder, however unfounded, would 
 or iiiiiiht bear a color of durcfj^s which it would not have 
 had they been rejected by adjudication. 
 
 The bill or project of Mr. Benton was in my opinion 
 (piite objectionable. The provision that you have in- 
 troduced in the 3d Sect, was very necessary and is a 
 corrective nuuh beneficent, I should wonder that 
 such an amd't could have been resisted by Mr. Benton, 
 knowing as he perfectly does that the country is greatly 
 sutt'eriug from the chasm and disconnection of settle- 
 ments produced by numbers of immense tracts thus 
 claimed and remaining in a state of wilderness and not 
 bearing a due proportion t)f tax, having also under his 
 own eyes a memorial of the legislature of Missouri 
 which he has presented to the Senate during the session 
 preceding this and which states fully the grievances 
 resulting from these claims remaining so long unde- 
 cided, and prays that provision be made by law to have 
 them brought before a competent tribunal in order that 
 they be finally decide<i. Considering all these I say 1 
 should wouder at the opposition of Mr. Benton had I 
 not long before now made a just estimate of the man. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 St. Louis, May 25. 
 Lewis MaVtin, 
 
 (Letter to, concerning his negro Jack.) 
 
 85 
 
Jany. 30th, 1825. 
 David Barton, 
 
 Sir: — Tlit^ documeuts which voii have directed to me 
 have been received. 1 return you my thanks for your 
 polite attention. 1 know of no occurrence in this part 
 of the countr}' Avorth mentioning. The protraction of 
 the session of the legishiture seems to create a consider- 
 able uneasineiss particularly among the farmers of the 
 county of St. Louis on the ground of expense, &c. The 
 opposition to 3'our election for the Senate has created a 
 considerable excitement amongst the members of the 
 legislature and many other persons. It has elicited a 
 loud expression of feeling and sentiment quite unfavor- 
 able to the prospects of ^Ir. Mciitun. They appear to be 
 foreruQuers of his political downfall. It is not worth 
 while noticing his adjuncts. They are now a nonentity, 
 vixeruut. I make no kind of doubt but Benton let no 
 opportunity escape to misrepresent my standing in Mis- 
 souri. You have had f(U' about two years past, great 
 opportunity to improve your knowledge of man. If you 
 have gained much that way you certainly have paid 
 dear enough for it. I hope that you will consent to be 
 explicit and say frankly on proper occasions to Messrs. 
 Monroe and Adams what you think of me generally, 
 and what place I seem to occupv in the public opinion. 
 
 Respectfully, &c.. 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 24, 1826. 
 David Barton, 
 
 Sir: — Mr. E. Bates having come out as a candidate for 
 representative in Congress, the oftice of District Attor- 
 ney will become vacant, if he should be elected. If you 
 had not formed any previous engagement with another 
 
 86 
 
applicant and should Wni. Lucas be deemed by you 
 <|ualifi<Ml to till IliMt ollicc, yon would do me a particular 
 favor in reconmicndini; him to the president for that 
 situation. 
 
 There is nothing that I know of in our part of the 
 conntiy worth nicntionlntj,. You, no doubt, know that 
 Mr. r.cnton's iiiidcrlinL^s are doinjj; tlieir best to injure 
 you in tiu' public opinion, by circulating- any kind of 
 tales. Mr. Benton, however, if fully retaliated upon as 
 you have seen in several numbers of the Republican. 
 
 Very respectfully, &c., 
 
 About 5th February, 1828. 
 David Barton, 
 
 (Answer to Mr. Barton on the merits of bill reported 
 to Senate, 0th Jany., 1828, for the final settlement of 
 claims to land, &.c.) 
 
 I have (Stated my objections to the principle of the 
 bill. I have suoji,ested in case the principle should be 
 retained various amendments to render it as little dan- 
 gerous and offensive ajs possible. 1 iiave hinted that 
 should such a bill pass with the clause that any paper 
 such as concession would be prima facia evidence 
 would lay the onus of proving a negative upon the 
 U. S. whilst the rejection by the Board of Commission- 
 ers ought to be a prima facia evidence that the docu- 
 ments exhibited were unavailing in law and otherwise 
 insuttlcient beside the general ])rinci])le that the onus 
 proband! lies upon the plaintiff. 1 have suggested also 
 the want of judicial responsibility of commissioners. 
 The great temptations to which they would be ex])osed 
 that should the land claimants succeed the los^^ to the 
 
 87 
 
tJ. S. is incalculable. A revolution in property would 
 follow. Some of the worst men in sdciety, Benton for 
 example, whom by this time he must be able to appre- 
 ciate. 
 
 January 15th, 1820. 
 Philip B. Barbour, 
 
 From the inliiuate knowle<lge wliicli as a former laud 
 commissioner in the territory of Missouri I have ob- 
 tained of the Spanish claims to land in the former pro- 
 vince of Louisiana, and the laws and usat>es under 
 which the Spanish goyernmeut distributed land to its 
 colonists, I am perfectly satisfied that Congress has 
 been very liberal under every r«'isi)e(t in iis leoishition 
 and that all claims that were either legal or equitable 
 or possessed any merit liowever remote, have been satis- 
 fied and confirmed except a very few indeed which 
 have been the subject of a special report as containing 
 lead mines or salt springs. Had Congresis provided 
 for these few < laims either by exchange of an equal 
 quantity of land not containing lead minesi or salt 
 springs, or by confirmation complete justice would have 
 been done, but things have taken another course, and 
 a most ample provision has been made by an act of the 
 12th of April, 1814, in favor of a description of claims 
 which possess no kind of merit in law or equity, and in 
 doing" this Congress has departed from the cardinal 
 points upon which the best rights of U. S. to the na- 
 tional domains in the former province of Louisiana 
 turns, and from its aberralions the laud claimants thus 
 favored have received a new encouragement to press 
 and urge the confirmation of the residue of their claims, 
 not failing at the same time to argue a pari with some 
 plausibility or speciousuess. 
 
 88 
 
Your parliamentary experience lias no doubt lonjjj 
 before now enabled yoii, sir, to notice that whilst one 
 or two of the most prominent subjects of legislation 
 seem to absorb at every session the attention of all the 
 members of Couiiress to such a de<;r<M' that the »speakers 
 on those occasions stand, as it were, in the way of each 
 other, and the (h-bates become almost endless, ihere 
 are other subjects by no means unimijortani, altho 
 perhaps less entertaining or less attractiui* the ])ublic 
 attention, which are little or not at all understood by a 
 ^I'cat many, and whose fate often depends ui)on such a 
 report as the committee t(( whom the subject is re- 
 ferred may think proper to make. 
 
 Being persuaded from the reputation yon enjoy, that 
 3'ou are induced to serve your <'ountry from much 
 higher motives than tlie mere display or show of useful- 
 n<'ss. 1 beg lea^c to submit to you a few remarks in 
 order that 3'ou may be the better enabled to meet the 
 Spanish land claimants in the course of the present 
 session. If we judge from the number of pei"sons in- 
 tereste<l in these claims that have left St. Louis to 
 attend the pres<Mit Congress we would be induced to 
 believe that they are perhaps going to make greater 
 efforts than ever. If we should trust to their late decla- 
 rations, we w(Hild be induced to believe that they are 
 more sanguine of success than they ever have been be- 
 fore. Probably the subdivision which they have made 
 of late date of their largest claims, by sale, among in- 
 tluential men of the west is what renders them so con- 
 tident. 
 
 In turning to the files (»f the llonse of Representatives 
 it will be found that there are thi-ee bills coiiceining 
 these claims wiiich remain among the uutinished busi- 
 ness. The first of them was reported on the 10th of 
 
 89 
 
February, 1818, and is entitled "A Bill Snpplementarj- 
 to the Several Acts for the Adjustment of Land Claims 
 in tlu^ State of Lonivsiaua and Territory of Missouri." 
 I was then at Washington. Seveial eonspieuous mem- 
 bers were timely alarmed. The bill whose eonsetjuen- 
 ces would have been ruinous to the U. S. was seen under 
 its proper colors. Its few frieud^s became so sensible 
 of the fate that awaited il that th(\v adopted a most ex- 
 traor<linary course by ni(»vin_i» a r(d'erenc(^ of the whole 
 subject matter of it to the Secretary of the Treasury. 
 
 In pursuance of that reference I am informed that 
 the Secy, made a report at the last session, of a bill 
 whose iioverning principle is that the Spaniish land 
 claimants, under certain regulations shall be sent to 
 courts of justice, and stand there on a level with the 
 U. S. on the score of their claims. 
 
 I am likewise informed that the committee on pub- 
 lic lands also reported a bill at the last isession pursuing 
 the same principle. The land claimants, except a very 
 few, avs I said before, whose claims are for laud contain- 
 ing lead mines or salt springs, knowing perfectly that 
 their claims cannot bear judicial scrutiny, have used 
 their best endeavors to keep back these two last bills, 
 and I am credibly informed that altho they make a 
 great noise and assert very confidently that the treaty 
 between the TJ. S. and France of 1803, secures their 
 rights from any violation, yet they dread nothing so 
 much as to come before a comstirutional tribunal and 
 have there those very same rights ascertained, so much 
 so that some of the best informed among them have 
 declared that altho their present claims have remained 
 for fifteen years undecided, they would be willing to 
 wait fifteen years more sooner than to have their claims 
 referred to courts of justice. 
 
 90 
 
The wli(»l(' (Icpeiulauce of the laud claimants uow 
 rests upon tiieir favorite bill of February lOtli, ISIS. 
 There is uo <loul)t with uie but that tlie.v will li<' <"»i> 
 their oars and never will press their bills upon Hie 
 house but when the.v will believe that the alarm has 
 subsided or when they will find the house so thin and 
 so eompoised as to aft'oid fair hopes of success. 
 
 Congress, in its seveial acts of le<j;iiSlation from the 
 24 of March, ISO.-), until the 2d of August, 1S13 in- 
 clusively, had been invariably "governed by two lead- 
 ing principles, viz, that no concessions or «)rders of sur- 
 vey had any leiial effect or created any obligation on 
 the U. 8. unless they were issued i)rior to the first of 
 October, ISOO (the date of the treaty of 8t. Iblefonso) 
 and were duly registered, which evidently meant on 
 a Spanish registry. The act of the 12th of April, 1814, 
 entitled "An Act for the Final Adjustment of Laud 
 Titles in the State of Louisiana and Teiritory of Mis- 
 *;ouri" is the first that has departed from Ihovse princi- 
 ples, thus the most dangerous inroads on the rights of 
 the U. S. to the former Spanish Koyal Domains in 
 Louisiana have been made. 
 
 The pretension (tr powei- of the French or Spanish 
 governuH'uts to grant or give away the uaticuial domain 
 in Louisiana, not only after the 1st of Oct., 1800, but 
 even so late as the 10th of March, 1804, has been 
 acknowledged by Congress, so that tlu^ pretended con- 
 cessions, wariants or ordens of survey for laud made 
 by the Spanish Ciuumandants at St. Louis, in (]uantities 
 not exceeding a league square, for and during more 
 than three years after Si)aiii had parted with the right 
 of domain, have become obligatory on the T"^. S. This 
 prostration of priuci[»le has produced such ruinous con- 
 sequences as to legalize in the Territory of Missouri the 
 
 91 
 
concessions or orders of survey issued by the Spanish 
 commandant during nearly three months after the U. S. 
 had taken formal i)ossession of the province of Louisi- 
 ana, altho liis sovereign had ceased in right and fact to 
 exercise any power or jurisdiction over the province, 
 and he (the commandant) was under no kind of respon- 
 sibility, then, neither to his sovereign nor to the U. 8. 
 
 Let it be remarkcMl that the Spanish Land office for 
 the province of Louisiana had been closed several years 
 before, that the power of granting land had, by a royal 
 ordinance dated at St. Lorenzo in July, 1798, been taken 
 from the governor and transferred to the intendant as 
 a fiscal concein, and that the intendant (Inau Ventura 
 Morales) had, by hiis regulations published in July, 
 1799, expressly retained the power of distributing and 
 granting land and had only vested in the commandants 
 of posts the power or duty to state on the margins of 
 the petitions of the col()nists for grants of land, their 
 circumistances, such as the number of their families, 
 their qualifications as tillers of the soil (Labradors) and 
 other specifications reipiired by the regulations. 
 
 As the strongest proof that Carlos Dehault Delasus, 
 (who wais Spanish Commandant at St. Louis from Au- 
 gust, 1799, until the United States took possession of 
 Louisiana) knew himself that he had not the power to 
 issue coucec^sions or orders of survey, 1 state that I, as 
 a land commissioner, had the perusal of two documents 
 under his own hand writing dated some time in Oct. 
 or Nov., 1800, which were in answer to applications to 
 him for grants of land by colonists purposing the fol- 
 lowing, viz: "It is now out of my power to issue con- 
 cessions or orders of survey. This power exclusively 
 belongs to the intendant. The most I can do for you 
 is to make the most favorable statement in my power 
 
 92 
 
coneeminii voiir (|iialitications to receivo a concesfiiioii." 
 This is, however, the otticer whof^e eoucessions of a date 
 subsequent to those (locunieut.s. for h'au,ues square, 
 have IxMMi construed to be eiubiaced by the act of the 
 12th ol' April, fsll, and cousequentlv liavc been cou- 
 tirnied. 
 
 I have thus dwelt ujuiii the elTects (tf tlic ai i of 1814 
 because besid(- tiic undue advantaiL-c it has ^iven to 
 land clainianls, thcv are ('udea\(M'iuii td make use of 
 it as an ent«>rinii wediic, and by ext(Midinn its aberra- 
 tions and (hM'idiction (»f i)rinciple to another (h'scriptiou 
 of claims \vlii( h it had not embraced in order to obtain 
 by degrees, that whicli tlicy would be afraid or av^liamed 
 to ask at once. 
 
 The act of the 12th of April, 1814, is the prototype of 
 their favorite bill reported Feby. 10, 1818, witli this 
 additional evil that tliis last bill provides f(U' the open- 
 ing of an ottice (d' record, in order to enable, I j)resume, 
 the old (laimants more than any body else, to make 
 new entries of claims and al^o to autluuize tlieni to file 
 de nooo in the new ollice any claim which may have 
 been disallowi <1 by the former Board of Commissioners 
 and whose ])roof they may consider incomplete and 
 insnflicicnt. tliat they may have another opportunity of 
 improving upon the ttstimony, which is so muidi the 
 more dangerous as the tiNtinionv will be taken ex ])arte, 
 the bill not providing for the appointment of an agent 
 to app<'ai' in behalf of ili<' l'. S. and as froui j»ast ex- 
 ]K'ricnce niaiiv wituess(\v have ( viuced a great docility 
 and disposition to accommodate the land claimants. 
 
 Let it be observed that nothing is nntre dangerous 
 than to open an ottici' for new claims, csjx'cially when 
 the date of the treaty of St. lldefonso is abandone<l no 
 Spanish registry is required to authenticate the claims, 
 
 93 
 
and the conditions precedent under the Spanish laws 
 and customs are laid aside. 
 
 From various circumistances I have been induced to 
 suspect that some person had blank signatures of the 
 commandant who piece<led Dehault Delasus and that 
 they have been used to create claims, and as to Mr. 
 Delasus he now resides at St. Louis, lie is quite at 
 hand, and deeply concerned in land chiims. Should 
 that bill pass the national domains will be at his mercy- 
 I leave it to yon decide whether so i^reat a proportion oT 
 the most valuable i)roi)erty of the F. S. ounlit to be in 
 the jxiiver of any man and ])articnlarly of tlu^ former 
 commandant Delasus nndri tlu^ ciicnmstances ln^fori- 
 related. 
 
 From all I have been able to collect I am satisfied 
 that the objects of the land claimants is to render the 
 report of the former Board of Commissioners useless 
 and nei2;atorv. They have endeavored to impress the 
 idea that theii- claims were not confirmed by the com- 
 missioners foi' want of power. This assertion is en- 
 tirely false. The laws under which the latter acted 
 shows indisputably that they had the power to con- 
 firm absolutely any claim for land n(»t exceeding a 
 league s(|uare according to the French and Spanish 
 laws and customs, and were authorized and recinired to 
 report severally their o])inions upon any claim for any 
 quantity of land, whether in fav(U' or against. Let the 
 land claimants designate the claims on which the Board 
 has re])orted a favorable oi)inion, and if Congress refuse 
 to contirm them, then let them comi)lain. 
 
 For my part I don't know of (»ne in which an opinion 
 for confirmation has been given, and if so it is false to 
 say that the commissioners did not confirm t\u4r claims 
 because they had not the power, for the increase of 
 
 94 
 
])(»w(M- cdiild iKiT liMvr clianoed the oblij?ations to make 
 tlicir (h'cision accoidiiiii to tlicir ('])iiii()T) and jiMluiiicnf. 
 
 Xdlliiiiii scciiis to iiic more ol»vi(m,s and luoiicr tliau 
 w Ik II I he coiiiiiiissioiicis ajipoiulcd to act iiixm certain 
 (laiiiis lia\"»' iiixcii it as tlicir o]>iiiioii that those same. 
 (dainis oiiiiht not to be confirnied, and the (d;iiniants 
 contend lliat tlicy oiiiiht. th(^ niattci- oii^ht to he re- 
 leired to courts of justice, as rh(^ only const it ntion;il tri- 
 hunal to decide upon controversies. 
 
 Th(M-e is a mass of fraud in the "ireater number of 
 tliose (iainis wliich tlie eommissioner.s have not very 
 earnestlv en(h'a\(ti-ed to iiniavel or exiiose, hecaUv^e, al- 
 rhoujih the hnv under which they acted auiliori/.ed tliem 
 to compel tile attendance of witnesses, nevertheless 
 there was a huneness in tlieir poAAer, as they had no 
 ministerial otticer to enforce their ])rocess, and more 
 than (Mice tlie witnesses refused to answer to proper 
 (juestions, especially some of the old Spanish officers. 
 The commissioners were induced also not to insist on 
 that power, because almost all their claims were other- 
 wise ilU'iLial and unavailinii. Takinii- them all toucther 
 they present a foiniid;ible aspect, from their number 
 and the (piantity of land w liicdi they call for; it matters 
 of no less than se\'eral millions of dollars worth of 
 (lioice land of the territory, but in truth it is nothin;j, 
 more than a i;reat superstructure without a basis. 
 
 llaviiiu as ;i land coniniissioncr b«'en perhaps the 
 least favorable to land (daimants. of course I have be 
 come the most odious to them. This dislike has iu- 
 cHMsed fr(Mn the disappoint^ment of the iii*eat<'r pait of 
 tlieiii. w ho ;ire (d' I'^reiudi oriuiii and who, cd" course, e.\- 
 pecte(i iiioK kindnesN from nie than from tlie other com- 
 missioners. Many of tlR\se ^ciod people who act, mostly, 
 with honor amouj^st themselves, seldom or perhaps 
 
 95 
 
never have acted ever honestly with their sovereign. It 
 8eems that they cannot reconcile with the idea that, 
 with me, the interests of the U. S. should not give way 
 to theirs. 
 
 As a specimen of the course I have pursued as land 
 commissioner, I beg leave to refer 3'ou to the report of 
 Mr. (iahitiu to the President of the V. S. upon Deber- 
 que's (laim wliich is contained in the Sith, 85th and 
 80th pages of th(^ appendix to the Land Laws, being a 
 compilation made, as I believe, under the direction of 
 Ml-. (Jalatin. 
 
 Without being \\ illing to deviate from the independ- 
 ent course which 1 have taken with reispect to them all, 
 whethei- they be American or French, nevertheless 1 
 don't wisii to irritate them anew. I therefore request 
 3'ou, sir, to make such a use of my communication as 
 you may think best, without mentioning my name. Of 
 one thing y<Hi mnst certainly be satisfied, that if I have 
 not received a bribe from the U. S., my handis must be 
 clean and my motives pure. 
 
 Yourt?, 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 St, Louis, January 2d. 1824. 
 Philip Barbour, 
 
 (Substance of letter about the sanu^ as the preceding 
 to Geo. (Iraham.) 
 
 St. Louis, June 3d. 1827. 
 James Barbour, 
 
 Secy, of War. 
 Sir: — Having been re<]uested to submit to you my 
 opinion of the fitness of ^Ir. James Keed of St. Louiis to 
 till the office of Indian agent for the agency of IMairie du 
 
 96 
 
Chien which has become vacant by the death of the late 
 iiKUinbcnt, I hep, leave to state to you that from the ac- 
 tivity, I'cuiilar habits, correct conduct and the lon.i; resi- 
 (h'ncc of Ml-. Kccd's at the Council lUulT, and liis former 
 situatiou (d' a clcik of the supciintendent of Indian 
 atTairs at St. Louis, I Ixdicve him to be well (pialiticd to 
 till su(h a station. There arc other considerations that 
 would make uie wish jiini to have that api)ointment. 
 He is iudei>endeut of (Jenl. (Mark and expects nothinj>; 
 from him. Of ctnirse, he would be under the necessity 
 to be alwa,ys at his i)ost and would be kej)t under proper 
 checks which is not the case with certain other Indian 
 agents who are tlie favorites of Oenl. f'lark and are 
 suffered to loiter at home, receivinjii salaries which they 
 d»m't earn, not even in part. 
 
 Mr. Ueed is from Virginia, is married at St. Louis in 
 an ancient and respectable family of the former Spanish 
 inhabitants. ITis appointment would be a considerable 
 iiratilicatiou to this description of persons, who are 
 very f;ir froui luniuu luhl tlu'ir due proportion of the 
 favors and kiu<luess of the general government. Hav- 
 ing no i)rivate object to attain, but wishing merely to 
 see ])ublic ofiices phic(^d in proper hands and prevent 
 uiotiop(dy or coiuhiuatiou of 'power and influence in 
 any knot or set of lueu. 1 will meulion you another per- 
 son for the sauie ottice. His unuie is Auguste Pierre 
 Chouteau of St. Louis. lie has received a military 
 education at West Point. He is Indian trader, a man 
 of vstrict honoi- and eminently qualified for that station. 
 I believe he w ould accept the a])pointment. He is now 
 on iIk' .\rkans;is Kiver trading with the Osage Indians. 
 I mUiSt say. however, that I am not authorized by him 
 nor any of his friends to mention his name. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 97 
 
St. Louis, Feby. 10th, 1817. 
 Jos. Beatty, 
 
 Sir: — Mr. Devores, sheriff of the county of St. Charles, 
 has informed me on the other day that you had a slave, 
 I believe a mulatto man, for sale. I requested him to 
 inform you that from the character he gave me of the 
 slave, I was disposed to buy him and by assigning a 
 da}" I was willing to meet 30U at St. Charles, where most 
 probably we would close a bargain about it. Now, sir. 
 I will meet you there on any day you nv<\j choose to 
 mention provided the river can be crossed. I shall be 
 able to pay you the whole price in land. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, December 3, 1820. 
 G. Brown, 
 
 (In answer to his letter dated Vincennes, 11, Oct., 
 1820. I say that I remember to have been acquainted 
 at Pittsburgh about 1795. That there is no prospects 
 for him and Mrs. Tillinghast to find employ at St. 
 Louis as teachers.) 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 10, 1820. 
 Hon. J. C. Calhoun, 
 
 (The same as the preceding one to Wm. H. Crawford, 
 (•raitting only to mention that Benton is the friend and 
 relation of H. Clay.) 
 
 John Calhoun, 
 
 Sir: — Having lately received information that it has 
 been circulated during the last session of Congress that 
 I had written to divers members of Congress from the 
 non slave holding states and informed them that the 
 
 98 
 
persons opposed to slavery wer getting in power in 
 Missouri, in order to induce them to hold out against 
 the admission of this state into the union; that in conse- 
 quence of this Missouri is kirgely indebted to me for 
 the liumilijition (o which she has been subjected last 
 winter. 
 
 I also understand that such a report has been credited 
 by some in(Miibers from the slave holding states and 
 other gcnllcnicii. IN'ruiit me therefore to assure 3011 
 th;i( these reports ;ire utterly unfounded; that I never 
 have written anything at Washington or elsewhere to 
 any ixHtson directly or indirectly for or against the ques- 
 tions for authorizing the territory of Missouri to be- 
 come a state or for admitting Missouri into the union. 
 That I believe such report has originated with agents 
 and partners of the Spanish land claimnnts at Wash- 
 ington whose object is to interrupt the good understand- 
 ing that may exist between me and numbers of gentle- 
 men fi'om the sDutli as they sus])ect that I corres]M)nd 
 with them on subject of laud claims and may again 
 Mlarm them. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 31st, 1823. 
 Hon. J. C. Calhoun, 
 
 Sir: — Presuming that you are not ignorant that a 
 large balance of the Spanish land claims reported uj)on 
 by the commissioners remain in statu quo, and that 
 the land claimants have made various attempts to pro 
 cure the ])assage of an act suitable to their wishes, per- 
 mit me to suggest to you that far from being dis- 
 couraged, their eagerness and industry increases with 
 the difficulties, and that the absence of Mr. Lowndes, 
 
 Dl) 
 
perhaps of others, will probably give tlieni this session 
 a fresh encouragement to renew their attemptis. Un- 
 fortunately the interest of many influential men here 
 is at variance with that of the U. S. Notliinti is more 
 just though at the same time more objectionable to land 
 claimants than to have their claims referred to a court 
 of justice. Finding that they could not avoid in the 
 bill reported last year the reference to the judiciary, 
 they endeavored to chide its effects by interpolating 
 principles unknown to tlie Spanish hnvs trammel the 
 court. Knowing perfectly your devotion to the iservice 
 of your country, I make no doubt but you will put your 
 friends in Congress upon their guard. 
 
 Yours, &.C., &.C., 
 
 St. Louis. February 19, 1825. 
 
 Wm. Clark, Superintendent, 
 
 Letter to stating that I have repeatedly sustained 
 waste and damage from various bands of Indians and 
 especially on the 1st day of November, 1824, by a band 
 of Indians said to be of the Seneca tribe. This last 
 waste induced me to require Mr, Alexander, who, as 
 I am informed, was under employ in Indian affairs, to 
 have those Indians removed from my premises and at 
 the same time to satisfy me for the damage I had sus- 
 tained from them. They were removed, but as to the 
 damage done, lie said that he had no power to arrange 
 that matter. 
 
 N((w, sir, I beg leave to i)resent to you the euch)sed 
 bill of the damage which I have sustained, expecting 
 that you will pay a due regard to my claim. 
 
 100 
 
(Copy of Rill.) 
 United Statas Indian Affairs, 
 
 To John B. C. Lucas, Dr. 
 To waste and daina.i»e eoniniitted on my farm adjoin- 
 inii" ^t. Louis, on the 1st day of November, 1824, by a 
 band of Indians, said to be of tlie Seneca tribe, who 
 lia\(' (lit thereon a considerable number of saplings and 
 other timber for their encampment and fuel, $15.00. 
 
 St. Louis, July 22d, 1826. 
 Wm. Clark, Superintendent, 
 
 (Letter to, complaining that Indians are encamped at 
 my sprin;j,, — have done damage. 
 
 Kequested to remove them immediately, or I shall 
 take the legal means to do it.) 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 18th, 1827. 
 Robt. P. Clark, 
 
 Boonville, 
 Dear Sir: — I have endortfed a draft of Thomas Car- 
 rail on Mr. F. Maher of New Orleans which I am ad- 
 vised by a notary is protested for non-payment. The 
 draft is not yet returned. It iis for .f300. I request 
 of you the favor to see Mr. Carrall, who, as I am in- 
 formed resides at Boonville, and ascertain from him 
 whether he can indemnify me immediately, and in case 
 he should be able to refund the whole sum and all 
 expenses incurred, I authorize you to receive from him 
 such ])r()perty as you can get and give a discharge of 
 the whole in my name. Leaving all to your sound dis- 
 cretion. I felt a particular disposition to oblige Mr. 
 
 iOi 
 
Can-all altliough I don't remember to have heard of 
 him or seeii him but two days before I endorsed the 
 note before mentioned for him. He was born and 
 raised in my former neighborhood in Pennsylvania. 1 
 knew his mother m(ne than 40 years before she was 
 married. Uo\ernor Carrall was a particular friend of 
 my late son Charles Lucas, thus my feelings alone in 
 duced me to oblige him without retleetion. I heard 
 soon after I had made the endorsement for him a very 
 unfavorable account of him. From general report he 
 must be destitute of truth, honesty and property . Most 
 probably Mr. Maher owes him nothing nor has author- 
 ized him to draw upon him. This looks very much like 
 swindling. I beg of you to manage my affair with him 
 in the best manner; you can take property should it be 
 worth but one hundred dollars isoouer than to lose all. 
 lu order to induce him to some compromise, assure him 
 that if he evinces a sincere wish by his acts to indemnify 
 me as much as he can provided always it be to the 
 amount before mentioned I shall isay nothing of the 
 transaction to no one. I hope 3M)u will have the good- 
 ness to do all you can for me on the present occasion 
 and inform me as soon as convenient how far you have 
 succeeded or what are your prospects. 
 
 liespectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louii-s, Jany. 14, 1827. 
 Thomas Carrall, 
 Boonvllle, 
 Sir: — T have received notice by last mail from a 
 notary of New Orleans, dated IDth December, 1820, that 
 your draft in my favor on Mr. Maher for the sum of 
 three hundred dollars, dated 28th day of November, 
 
 102 
 
1826, was this day protested by him for nonpayment 
 and tliat the hohlcr looks to me for the payment as 
 cndoiscr tliereof. I told you at the time I endorsed 
 your dial'l lliat I was not in trade and of eonrse my 
 proiM'ity wais not in cash. The draft and protest has 
 not been returned yet. I request you to use the neces- 
 sary diligence to save me the difficulty of making that 
 payment myself, and in case you could not and have no 
 other means to indemnify me but b}' paying in property, 
 wishing to make some sacrifice sooner than to expose 
 you. I have authorized Robert P. Clark. Esq., to settle 
 with you on such terms as he may think reasonable and 
 give you a discharge for the same. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, November 16, 1821. 
 Daniel Cook, 
 
 (Letter to. informing him thai J went to Edwards- 
 ville to see him. Was too late. Saw Gov. Edwards. 
 Having been informed that I had been represented at 
 Wavshington last winter as communicating with mem- 
 bers from non slave holding states, advising them to 
 hold out against admission of state; that restrictionists 
 were gaiuinu jMtwer in the state, and clause inhibiting 
 slavery would be introduced in constitution, »S:c. That 
 this request was believed by members from the south. 
 Therefore I requested him to state to President, Mr. 
 Adam.s and others that I had never written anything 
 at Washington or elsewhere for or against the Mis- 
 souri questions, and also to state what he knew of my 
 private and public standing in Missouri, and to inform 
 him, Mr. Cook, of my wish that he would himself do as 
 much for me. That since that time I have received 
 
 103 
 
more purtifular information that such irports had been 
 made to the President for the attainment of a particu- 
 lar object in consequence of wliich I earnestly solicit 
 to make the statement in question to the president as 
 soon as pOiSsible, and to favor me witli a letter if he 
 finds it convenient. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 8th, 1822. 
 Daniel P. Cook, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your obli^inj^ letter of the 31st of Decem- 
 ber was received. 1 j;ive you my sincere thanks for 
 the offer you make me of your aid. 1 never requested 
 any person in the state of Missouri or Illinois to recom- 
 mend me to the Prevsident for the office of District Judj^e 
 or any other, if I had I sliould have as soon applied to 
 you a« to any other persons for that purpose, but. sir, 
 having lived long time and believing also that my pri- 
 vate and public character is well known at Washington, 
 I have merely intimated that such an appointment 
 would be acceptable. 1 never felt a strong desire to 
 obtain the appointment, much less did 1 feel a dispo- 
 sition to be solicitous and importunate about it. The 
 period of life which I have gone through, together with 
 my peculiar relish for independence could not allow 
 me to go further than I have done. You have com- 
 plied with my request to the full extent. 1 had chietly 
 in view to prevent my calumniators at Wa.shingtcm 
 from taking anything by their villany, and have the 
 ]»resident, the Secretary of State and others undeceived 
 in case the reports in question had made any impression 
 on their minds. I am, dear sir, 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 104 
 
St. Louis, Foby. 24, 1820. 
 Hon. Daniel P. Cook, 
 
 Sir: — I forwarded to von, some time since, a skelcli of 
 tlie ar.mimenl which I delivered Ix'forc the District 
 Court at St. I^ouis in November, 1S24. Notwithstand- 
 ing; the multiplicity uf business wliich absorb your at- 
 tention, I hope that you iiave been able t(» a How some 
 share of your attention to that argument. 1 shouUl like 
 very much to h'arn if it lias operated a conviction on 
 your mind. In endeavoring; to be concise perhaps I 
 have failed or fallen short of persi)icuity. If I had the 
 o])])ortunity of conversiuj; with you, I think that I 
 shouhl be able to satisfy you upon any point that might 
 rise a doubt in your mind. 
 
 You know, 1 presume, that Mr. Bates has avowed 
 himself to be a can<lidate for Congress. In ca«e he 
 Lshould succeed, the ottice of District Attorney woukl be- 
 come vacant. You woui<l «h» me a iKirticular favor if 
 you woukl recommend W'm. Lucas to the ]Hesident fo^ 
 that situation. It is my opiiuon that he is fully compe- 
 tent to discharge the duties of that office. I presumt^ 
 Uiat Mr. Barton knows enough (tf him to give you an 
 opinion of his qualifications and ciiaracter. 
 
 Kespect fully, &c.. 
 
 April 29, 1823. 
 H. Cozens, 
 
 I am really sorry that mj' re]H'ated calls upon you 
 for these three months past, for the arrears of house 
 i« lit you owe me had no effect. Let me repeat to you 
 that if 1 was not in real waul I should hM you coose 
 your time and consult solely your consciimce. True it 
 is, the sum due is small, but in these hard times prop- 
 erty fetches but little, and that; little is the more 
 
 105 
 
wanted. At any rate, if tlie sum iis small, it can be the 
 more easilj' paid. I have borrowed some money about 
 two months a<»o which I must now return. I have no 
 means to do it if you don't let me have what you owe 
 me. I mi*»iit do, however, for the pre.sent, witli $50. I 
 have notes to the amount of |500 which will be due 
 to me next September, but this cannot answer the pres- 
 ent purpose. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, December 20th, 1822. 
 Wni. H. Crawford, 
 
 Sir: — Havini» been informed that the commission of 
 surveyor of the public lands and now held b}' Wm. 
 Rector, is going to expire, permit me to mention you the 
 name of Mr. Stephen Glassock of the County of Hall in 
 the State of Misisouri, originally from Virginia, as a per- 
 son well qualified in my opinion to discharge the duties 
 of that oflBce. 
 
 T am pei'sonally acquainted with Mr. Glassock. He is 
 a practical surveyor and had the surveying of one or 
 more districts under Mr. Hector. He is a man temper- 
 ate, of great industry and application. For further in- 
 formation concerning Mr. Glassock T beg leave to refer 
 to one of his former neighbors, Thomas L. More, Esq., 
 repreisentative in Congress froni Virginia. I am, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 4th, 1821. 
 Wm. H. Crawford, 
 
 Sir: — You will, I suppose, recollect that I joined in a 
 recommendation three years ago with several gentle- 
 
 106 
 
mon from Vormont, in favor of Pasoal V. Enos. Esquire, 
 for tlio appoint iiiciit of reccivor iji some of the land 
 offices in the state of Missouri, lieing informed that 
 lie has not yet been appointed, and that he residets now 
 in the state of Illinois, the fair and honorabl(» character, 
 which from the best information 1 am satisfied he en- 
 }oyn in the state of Vermont, couph'd with tiie personal 
 knowledj^e 1 jjossess of his honeistj and titness since 
 he has rasided in these parts of the country induces me 
 to assure you with an additional dej^ree of confidence 
 that he fulh^ deserves the patronage of the government 
 and would in my opinion discharji,*' with advantage to 
 the public the dutieis of receiver iu a land office. 1 un- 
 derstand that he would prefer such a situation in the 
 
 state of Illinois. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 26, 1821. 
 Wni. H. Crawford, 
 
 (Letter to, ^tating that I 'having last year intimated 
 him the wish t<» be appointed judge of the Distiict Court 
 of U. S. for State of Mist^ouri, I am inductnl to believe 
 that the friends of land claimants are the pensons who 
 have reported at Washington last year that I have writ- 
 ten to several members from the non slave holding 
 states that if they persisted to refuse their assent to 
 the admisKion of the state of iMissouri the restrictionists 
 gaining strength daily would be able to have introduced 
 at last in the constitution a clause inhibiting slavery. 
 
 I declare that I never wrote a line at Washington or 
 elsewhere for or against the Missouri (luestions. That I 
 have reason to believe that such report has originated 
 
 lUT 
 
with the agents and friemls of the hiiul claimant*^ iu 
 order to create prejudice agaiust iiie and secure the 
 phice of judi>e to one of their creatures. 
 
 Having been for more than 15 years a judge of the 
 territory of Mii>souri and being the senior judge iu com- 
 mission, I think that my pretensions to the office of Dis- 
 trict Judge are reasonable. 
 
 I request you to accjuaint tlie President witlt this 
 declaration. Messrs. Edwards and Cook from the 
 Illinoiis who reside within 20 miles of IJ^t, Louis are 
 proper persons to inform you of my standing, public or 
 private in Missouri. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 December 14, 1823. 
 Wm. H. Crawford, 
 
 It being probable that the office of surveyor which 
 Wm. Rector holds will be vacant some time during the 
 present session of congress I beg leave to mention the 
 name of Col. Justus Post as a person fit in my opinion 
 to fill that office. Mr. Jones, former Sey. of the navy 
 made a particular en(|uiry of him to me when I was 
 at P'hia 5 years ago. He spoke very favorably of him. 
 He was employed lately by the state of Illinois to ascer- 
 tain the practicability and means of making a canal 
 from the Lake Michigan to Chicago. As an engineer 
 I doubt not of his qualifications, etc. 
 
 (Way mail letter.) 
 
 Jany. 27, 1824. 
 Wm. H. Crawford, 
 
 Sir: — There is a number of i)ersons that have lately 
 taken their departure from this part of the country for 
 
 108 
 
Washington iiiidcr one pretext or another. The real 
 motive of sexeral of tJHMi! is to liiiiit for offices. Mr. 
 McNear is certainly one of thciii and most ])rol)ably 
 Thois. Kedclick is anoMicr. Thcv arc holh inscdvent. 
 McXcnr is a man of lilllc or no inform.il ion, jtiKSsessed 
 of tlje manners and a(hlress snilahh' to gain [)oi)nhn'it_v 
 on a frontier ,iiu\ no where else. He was nolorionsiy a 
 bnlly on tlu^ side of tlie federalists at the (dectioms in 
 I'a. in file veiy same disii-ici which I formerly repre- 
 sented in Congrevss, .Mr. Lowrie might have heard of 
 him. Mr. Faridly mnst certainly know something of it. 
 Keddick has gone for these 15 years throngh the vicissi- 
 tudes of an intriguing man, who never had any capital 
 of his own, bnt succeeded in obtaining credit for merch- 
 andize, etc., gave but little or no attendance to busi- 
 ness, spent his time in i>leasure and gambling, and at 
 last was made president of the Bank of Missouri when 
 this establishment became so situated that no man who 
 valued credit and character could be found to be put at 
 the head of that institution. Mi-. Keddick is plausible 
 and possesses an appearance of anhtr throngh which he 
 has some time uained an nnmerited contidence. 
 
 I'nini circnmstancev^ and rei»orts I am induced !(t be- 
 lieve that bargains and compromiises have been made 
 lately liere in consider;il ion of which these visitors to 
 ^^'ashington have obtained recouimendations. If Col. 
 St rot her uho is now canclidate fur Congress is elected 
 there will be a vacancy of icccivt r wlii* h might be very 
 acceptable to some one. An insolvent man. however, 
 is very ill suited to that office. 
 
 It is expected licic that an office of Indian agent for 
 .sonu' i>artis of Misisouri or jMississippi adjacent to us will 
 be created this year. If so, McXear will not fail to be 
 an applicant for it. It is probably superfluous to men- 
 
 lOi) 
 
tion that there is much duplicity used by some of our 
 representatives at Waishini'ton. If I am rightjy in- 
 formed they have a tale aud pursue a certain course 
 suitable to the meridian of Washiniiton aud another for 
 this country. Perhaps you don't know that Mr, Benton 
 has a lien on the press of the editor of the St. Louis En- 
 quirer which must secure him nearly as much influence 
 over the En<juirer as when he was the editor of it him- 
 self, lie was ( xtremely active last year in procuring; a 
 recommendation ()f the Missouri legit^lature in favor 
 ol Henry Clay as candidate for the pre.sidential 
 cliair. The St. Louis Euipiirer sii])ports now (May and 
 Calhoun, whilst, if I am correctly informed, Mr. Benton 
 pretends at Washington to be much interested in f^vor 
 of another candidate. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany., 1825. 
 Wm. H. Crawford, 
 
 Sir: — Having lately' been informed that the office of 
 receiver of the public monieis at Edwardsville, (State of 
 Illinois) has become vacant, peiuiit me to recommend 
 to your attention Mr. Joseph Charless of St. Louies as a 
 person well (jualified to fill that station. He owns 
 several valuable houses in St. Louis where he resideis foi 
 these sixteen (u- seventeen yeans. He is an industrious 
 man, a good manager and the head of a respectable 
 family. I believe him to be perfectly clear of debts. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Kespectfully, &c.. 
 
 St. Louis, February 17, 1824. 
 Mahlon Dickenson, s 
 
 Sir: — The wa^^te of blood aud public money conse- 
 quent to the hostilities committed by the Vicaras last 
 
 110 
 
simimer uixin the ]»;irty of Wm. Ashley, will, I hope, in- 
 duce Coiiiiicss ti» make some amendments to the acts 
 leniihitinii iiitereoiirse w itii the Indians. I eall it waste 
 because Mr. Aishley liad no just claim for protection, 
 beiuii himself viohitor of tlie hnvs of his country. In 
 tnrninn to his own h'Ker of Ihe 4th of Jun<', \S'2l\, to 
 Major O'FaUou, a co|>y of w hicii is contained in t lie docn- 
 uients accompauyiuii the messajic of the president it 
 will be seen that Mr. Ashley had purchased or traded 
 with the Indians for forty or fifty hoiseis a liMh' before 
 they made an attack ni»oM his party. It a})pears from 
 tile same documents that lie ha<l a license to carry on a 
 trade with the Indians ui) tlie Missouri. This business 
 is of a general nature, it does not embrace the base of 
 trading for horses. There must be a license for that 
 special purpose. See Sect. 10th of Act Regulating in- 
 tercourse, is of March 30th, 1802. Mr. Asnley had no 
 such license. Of course tlie kind of trade he had just 
 carried on was unauthorized by law. Lie was not then 
 an authorized or licensed trader. It will also be seen 
 by his h'tter :liat his party was composed of JIO men. 
 It was originally comp(tsed of a much hu'ger nuuiber 
 who had deserted him some time before, lint even 00 
 is a much larger numbei- than is necessary to «arry on 
 trade, but it ikH too great foi- the purpose of huntiug 
 and trapping. From this circumstance it is inferrible 
 that the purpose of Mr. Ashley's ( \])edition was unlaw- 
 ful thi'oughoul. All exliaci of a letter from the Secy, 
 of War to (Jeiil. Win. (Mark. sui>erintendent, ^K:c., which 
 is a part of the same documents, also shows that Major 
 ()'I<"'allon :jn Indian agent, knows nothing about the 
 laws regnlaiing intercourse with the Indians, as he 
 supposes that (Jenl. Ashley and Major Henry have ob- 
 tained licenses to trade, trap and hunt on the upper 
 
 111 
 
• Missouri. It sliows also that the law regulating inter 
 course is a dead letter on upper Missouri. This ^A•ouUt 
 well justify an enquiry into the subject of Indian affairs. 
 
 For my part I am well satisfied that so long as licen»ses 
 will be granted to tiade with the remote Indians as 
 has been ])i(tvided by a subsequent act, the practice of 
 hunting and trapping by the whites will continue, pil- 
 lage and hostilities by way of retaliation on the part 
 of the Indians will also continue. 
 
 If the British have the good will of the Indians up 
 the Missouii and the prefei-encc upon us is trade, it 
 is because they cany it fairly. Tliey leave to the 
 Indians exclusively the benefits of hunting and trap 
 ping, and the business of rra<le cicates a reciprocity of 
 convenience and interest Avliich affordts more security 
 than any militaiy post could. Should a military force 
 be posted higher up the Missouri, the number of points 
 of contact would increase in the ratio of the advance- 
 ment and the conse(iuent increa»se of collision would 
 multiply the causes of hostilities. There would be then 
 as much reaison to march from the jiost (100 mih's west 
 as there was last year for iiiaiching frcni the Council 
 BluttVs against the Vicaias. 
 
 Mr. Ashley has stated also in his letter that Vicaras 
 were killed in an affray with some men of the Misisouri 
 Full- ('omi)any. The caus(^ of that affray is not stated; 
 it often happens that the Indians pillage the tra])j)ers. 
 whicii bringiS murders in retaliation. 
 
 There ij< in our part of the country an interest among 
 SOUK' whicli iis somi' time discrepant and t'ven entirely 
 opposed to that of the V. S. This kind of intercvst may 
 find advocates in the Senate. In consideration of these 
 I have thoujiht that these communications might be 
 
 112 
 
useful. They are made in a true Kepublioan spirit, in 
 
 the nienntime I beg of you to considiM- them as conti- 
 
 (k'Hlial. 
 
 KeispectfuUy, 
 
 February 17, 1824. 
 TJufus King, 
 
 (Letter to, of same tenor as the foregoing of same 
 (late t(» Malilon Dickenson.) 
 
 February 17, 1824. 
 Saml. D. Ingham, 
 
 (Letter to, of same tenor as the foregoing of same 
 date to Dif'kenson ^lahlon.) 
 
 St. Louis, December 21, 1821. 
 ^A'nl. Eustis, 
 
 Sir: — As you have been long time absent from the 
 U. S. and you have but lately resumed a seat in Con- 
 gress, therefore, lest you should not be sufficiently in- 
 fornuMl of the many defects of the Spanish claims to 
 ]an<l in the State of Missouri which remain uncon- 
 firmed; lest also you should not be sutlicienlly aware 
 of the Mi'tfnl iiicMiis wliicli li;iv(^ been heretofore used 
 and will, no doubt, be recurred to during the i)resent 
 session of Congress, to procure the passage of an act for 
 conlirming the same or f(»r putting them in a proper 
 train for coiifirmatioii, permit me to observe you that 
 by the 4th section of an act of Congress of the 8d of 
 March, 1807, &c., (the sequel is the same as in the letter 
 to W-ttlter Lowrie of the same date.) 
 
 113 
 
St. Louis, Jany. 25, 1822. 
 Hon. Wni, Eiistis, 
 
 Sir: — Seeing that a resolution has been brought in the 
 house of representatives, &c.. the same except the 1st 
 line as letter to Walter Lowrie of same date.) 
 
 St. Louis, December 7th, 1821. 
 Merrion Edwards, 
 
 Sir: — Having received additional information! that 
 the requests invented and circulated against me at 
 Washington concerning supposed communications to 
 retard or prevent the admission of Missouri into the 
 union had originated in a deeper design than I had 
 originally imagined and had been productive of greater 
 effect than I was aware of, permit me to solicit you to 
 state as soon as you conveniently can to Messrs. Nath. 
 Macon, Barbour, Dickerson, Condit, Ruggles, Walter 
 Lowrie, Szc the declarations which I madf- to you and 
 also what you know from your OAvn knowledge or from 
 genera] reputation of ray public and private character, 
 likewise of my present standing in Missouri. 
 
 It is reported here that there is much canvassing at 
 St. Charles on the subject of our next representation in 
 Congress. Messrs. Green, Geyer, Tompkins are spoken 
 of as candidates. 
 
 1 should feel happy if you could make it convenient 
 to write me a few lines. 
 
 Yours respectfully, &e., 
 
 February 4, 1824. 
 Nenian Edwards, 
 
 Sir: — It being generally expected here that another 
 office of Indian agent for some parts of the Missouri or 
 Mississippi will be created during the present session 
 
 111 
 
of Conjiress, I beg leave to intimate the desire which I 
 have to fill tliat station. I hope you will be so rjood 
 as to consider this connniinicatiou as coiifideiitial. You 
 are the only jhtsoii from ]Missoini or Illinois to wlioiu I 
 do or \voul<l 11111 Ue such an application. Yon may ascer- 
 tain at Wasliiunlou. if you have not already done it, 
 that I have becMi uudeviatingly and uninterru])tedly an 
 active i('i)ubli( an for these 35 years, That I was par- 
 ticularly so in 17!)S-<)I) and 1800. That in IT'M) I was 
 ai)pointed judge iu Pa. by (Jov, Thomas McKean, etc., 
 etc. 
 
 1 have received the packet containing the public 
 documents which you had the goodness to direct me. I 
 cordially thank you for it. 
 
 I shall be under a particular obligation for any in- 
 formation yon may think proper to favor me with. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 November 26, 1825. 
 (Letter to) 
 Thomas English, 
 
 (("oncerning Simon Black informing that Simon is 
 discontented, ^VishevS to go back with him. Has great 
 regard and affection for Mns. English. Would sell him 
 for |250. Request answer. How much he would give. 
 1 will dispose of him within courvse of three months. 
 Prefer to sell him to you on his account. Perhaps 1 
 would let him go for les»s. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, December 27, 1821. 
 Patrick Faiiaily, 
 
 Sir: — Presuming that you are the same gentleman 
 who resided about 18 years ago on or near Erie on 
 
 115 
 
Presqiiisle. whom I knew from reputation, and to whom 
 I was probable known in the same way, I beg- leave to 
 submit to Your consideration a short statement relating 
 to the French and Spanish claims to land in the state 
 of Missouri which remain unconfirmed as I apprehend 
 from the intrigue and artful means that have hereto- 
 fore been used similar one with an additional influence 
 derived from the late incidents will, no doubt, be 
 exerted. The residue is tiie same as in letter to Walter 
 Lowrie, dated December 21st. 1821, except reasons be- 
 cause, &c., which are omitted. 
 
 St. Louis. November 22d. 1819. 
 Albert Gallatin. 
 
 Sir: — I beg leave to recommend to your civilities and 
 attenti(Ui M. Everist Maurv, Avho has for several years 
 past resided at St. Louis. Miss. Territon, and where he 
 still has a considerable interest in land and other 
 property. He informs me that he is about to take a 
 journey to Europe and visit Italy, from whence he 
 originally came. Being a citizen of the U. S.. probably 
 he may also under that respect be in a particular want 
 of your aid and support in the attainment of some im- 
 portant objects. 
 
 L am, &c., 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 18, 1825. 
 Albert Gallatin. 
 
 Dear Sir: — I ha\e learned that the office of judge of 
 the Ty. of A. is vacant or going to be. so I beg leave to 
 inform you that I should wish to obtain that appoint- 
 ment and request your support witii the president if 
 you deem me to be worthy of it. 
 
 116 
 
If instead ol" iciiiovinii (o Missouri 1!) veal's ago T lia<l 
 i('iU(>V('(l ill rciui. ii is juobablc lliat louu before this 
 tiiiH' 1 should have ac<|uired a standing which would 
 justilv my ju-etonsious to a higher situation than this, 
 but as it is 1 hope you will be i>leavsed to take into con- 
 i!<ideraliitn llial in my self-denial by thus retiring in the 
 wilds of Missouri I have not become entirely useless to 
 the U. S. Although 1 have not received the recom- 
 pense usually attending good and useful deeds such as 
 reputation. At the express request of the judge of the 
 district court and of the district attorney of Missouri 
 I have taken i)art in belialf of the U. S. in an argument 
 before that eiturt against a claim derived or pretended 
 to be derived frcun the Spanish government for 10000 
 arpens of land. This is the 1st claim brought before 
 the court of the U. S. under the late act of Congress to 
 try such claims. I need not to sa} that this circum- 
 stance has opened wider than ever the breach existing 
 between the land claimants, their adherents and myself. 
 
 No doubt but Thomas \V. Benton, their agent and 
 counsel to whom they have procured a seat in the 
 Senate in order tt) have their interests the better 
 attended to in (.'ongress, will second their views against 
 me at Washington so far as will lie in his power. 
 
 I am, 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. IS, 1825. 
 J. C. Calhoun, 
 
 (Letter, to same as the foregoing to Albert Gallatin.) 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 9th, 1821. 
 Gales & Sea ton. Printers, 
 
 Gentlemen: — Having lately been informed that an 
 extract from your editorial remarks contained in the 
 
 117 
 
2suti()iial Intelligencer of the lOtli of Marcli ulto. which 
 has been pnblishecl in the St. Louis Enquirer of the 14th 
 of April, ulto., with a comment thereon under the name 
 of a Missourian has uiven occasion divers peiisons to 
 circulate or i^ive to understand that I was one of those 
 that had i^iven the incorrect information alluded to in 
 jour remarks, and was the indefatii;al)le ai»eut of mis- 
 chief spoken of in the comments of the Missourian. 
 This report being utterly false and calculated to bring 
 an undeserved odium upon me both at Washington and 
 in the state of Missouri. I therefore request 3'ou to re- 
 publish the following extract and part of the comment 
 which relates to the same, so that the charge being 
 before the public it may be known that T meet it entire. 
 
 From tlie St. Louis Enquirer, April 14, 1821. 
 
 "Communicated'' 
 From the National Intelligencer of March 10. 
 
 "We believe, indeed, that such as o]»pased the ad- 
 mission of Missouri in order to compel her, by refusing 
 to admit her on any other terms to introduce into her 
 'constitution a clause inhibiting slavery, labored under 
 the disadvantage of incorrect information and of a mis- 
 apprehension of the effect of the course which they pro- 
 posed. The private letters from Missouri ought not «o 
 much to have been relied on as the unanimous declara- 
 tions of her authorized agents." 
 
 For sixteen years a system of scM-ret ('((mmiinications 
 has been carried on from this ]>hi(e t<i tho seat of the 
 general government. It has attacked the characters of 
 individuals, &c., &c. 
 
 Finally this indefatigable agent of mischief has at- 
 tacked the sovereignty of the state of Missouri and has 
 undertaken to array a majority of Congress against her 
 
 118 
 
rights by iiiiposiu*; on tlic members fioiu the uon slave 
 hokling states the most unparalleled falsehoods. Secret 
 comimmicalioiis have been made to elTeet this object, 
 statinji; tli;il (he restriclionisl^s were gettiui*- into power 
 iu Missonri and that a majority of the people w^ere now 
 in llicii- favor. \'arious information has given intelli- 
 gence of their infernal work, and there rests not a doubt 
 but that Miissouri is hugely imhbted to it for all the 
 humiliation to which she has been subjected last win- 
 ter." 
 
 Whether your belief of incorrect information and 
 private letters from Missouri, cS:c., &c., was founded on 
 your own knowledge of the fact or of the reports cir- 
 culated is of no importance to me, 1 shall sspeak only for 
 myself, I do positively declare that for these three years 
 past I have not been at the city of Washington, nor 
 have been more than 25 miles beyond the bounds of the 
 state of Missouri, that I never have written anything 
 to any member of Congress nor any other person at 
 Washington or elsewhere, neither when the question ot 
 authorizing the territory to become a state under cer- 
 tain restrictions wais agitated before Congress, nor since, 
 when the question of admission of Missouri into the 
 union was before that bo<ly, nor at any other time that 
 was directly or indirectly in favor or against either side 
 of the questions. I further declare that I never wrote 
 or otherwise suggested to any person at Washington 
 or elsewhere, that in case Congress should refuse the 
 admission of the state into the union on account of the 
 clause in the constitution concerning free persons of 
 color, the jx'ople of Missouri would change in any man- 
 ner tilt' provisions of the present constitution on the 
 subject of shnery, nor did I believe they would. Neither 
 did I state in writing or otherwise that a majority of 
 
 119 
 
the people of Missouri were uow in favor of restriction 
 on the subject of shiver^', nor that the revstrictionists 
 were j»ettinj» into power in the state of Missouri and 
 that a majority of tlie people were now in their favor. 
 Gentlemen, I am, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 N. B. — You will be pleased to iuvsert the contents in 
 your paper. If you think proper to charge me for it I 
 will satisfy you. 
 
 St. Louis, June 22<1, 1827. 
 Stephen Glassock, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir: — I should have availed mys(df of tlie in- 
 formation you nave me by your favour of tlie .SHi Janu- 
 ary last about the sale intended to be made of the 
 negroes belonging to the estate of Mr. Lane's, but the 
 weather was so intensely cold and the notice was so 
 short that I despaired to be there in time. I regret 
 very much you did not know that I had changed my 
 residence as it deprived me of the opportunity of seeing 
 you when you were at St. Louis, I thank you for set- 
 tling the taxes of our land in Ralls County. As you 
 had the goodness to inform me that in parsing through 
 Bowlingreen you would examine if our land iu Pike 
 County had been listed. I should wish to let me know 
 the result of your euquirieis on that subject. 
 
 I have not been able as yet to buy a negro woman for 
 my son. If you could hear of one between 12 and 20 
 years old, sound and known to be a tolerable good 
 negro you would oblige me much in letting me know it, 
 and mentioning me also the price it could be got for. 
 I should forthwith go to your part of the country and 
 try to close the bargain. 
 
 120 
 
I never heard if you had succeeded in obtaining a 
 
 sufficient number of subscribers to the ])iiiit('d petition 
 which I transmitted to you. At any rate the hnid chiim- 
 antc^ have hitely iniv<'ii a sii^nal evith'iice that they view 
 the claims for whicli they have instituted suits before 
 the District (\)urt of the U. S. as liopidess. They tried 
 a^aiu at the hist term of the District Court h<'hl at St. 
 UeueA'ie\'e about two weeks aiid and at the same court 
 now sittiu«> at St. Louis, to have tiieir cawes continued 
 but they c(»nld not sncceed in conseciuence (»r winch 
 sooner tlian to come to a trial they hav(^ dismi.^stMl all 
 1 iieir suits but one at St. (lenevieve, and t he other at St. 
 Louis. This a plii^ht and discomtiture wiiich speaks a 
 volume against the le|iiality of th(KSe claims. In tlnus 
 runninii, away from th<' court authorized to decide the 
 land claims ui>on the broad jninci]»les of justice and 
 ((piity conformably to the laws and usages of the re- 
 s|)ective lioveiiimeiits under which those claims ori<iin 
 ated, tile lan<l clain»ants and their counsel of whom 
 Henton is one, virtually acknowledged that I could not 
 as a commisNioner report C(Uiscieutiously In favin* of 
 their claims, and that 1 have been slander«'d and perse- 
 cuted for these 22 years in conse(|uence id" my having 
 served the L'. S. with fidelity and resisted the tempta- 
 tions of wealth and popularity. 
 
 I hope you will favor me with an answer as soon aB 
 you conveniently can. I am. 
 
 Respectfully, &e., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 14, 1828. 
 Hon. neo. Graham, 
 
 Sir: — Your letter of .... of July last ccmcerning lead 
 
 mines, salt springs, their number, the titles of the same 
 
 121 
 
was duly received. Not beinsi; possessed of any satis- 
 fac'ton' iiifonnatiou ou that subject, I delayed answer- 
 iiijj until uow in expectation that possibly I mi«ht ac- 
 quire some. I sincerely regret not to have had it in my 
 power to obtain any sufficiently accurate to be worth 
 meutioninn. The information which I once possessed 
 as one of the conimissicmers to ascertain to ascertain 
 Titles and adjust claims to land, in the district of Louis- 
 iana, is too far g<me from my memory to rely much uyum 
 it. More than eleven years have elapsed since the com- 
 missioners re})ort was made to the Secretary of the 
 Treasury'. It is, I' presume, lodged in your office, and 
 it affords a more specific and surer answer than all I 
 could say. There is a separate and special re])ort made 
 on lead mines and salt licks. I remember that it is 
 not as comprehensive and minute as it ought to be for 
 the agent of the U. S. did not collect and lay before the 
 board any information although the act concerning that 
 subject prescribed that he should do it. Another re- 
 port has been made b}' the recorder of land titles and in 
 1810 under the authority of an act for tlie final adjust- 
 ment of land claims, &c., of the 14th of April, 1814. The 
 particulars of this report are unknown to me, but you 
 are in possession of it. The recorder, Mr. Bates, is 
 much better qualified to answer your enquiries, having 
 received additional 
 
 (Manuscript torn.) 
 salt water could be gotten in hundreds of other places; 
 particularly up the Missouri; as to the lead mines it is 
 well known that the lead region extends from the head 
 waters of St. Francois to near Prarie Des Chieus and 
 cross the Mississippi into the Michigan and Illinois 
 state. New discoveries are daily made tind notwith- 
 standing the provision of the law not to.^ell lead mines 
 
 122 
 
or land containiiiji iiiincral, llx' provision proves nuj^a- 
 tory, and indeed there would be or should not be anj 
 land Nold in the counties of Washiniitou, of T.a Mine. 
 \«*. Mineral is found on the best farniinj; land and 
 where it is some times the h'asl expected, I there- 
 fore think that all the i)ubli(' lamls oii^lit to be oft"ered 
 for sale without reserve, with this dilTerenee, perhaps, 
 that where th(» land is known to contain lead, mineral 
 or very valnabl*' sail licks, llu' niininnini price oiinlit lo 
 be hij^her than for common land and that one or two 
 sectionis of land oui;ht to be annexed to each salt lick, 
 in order to secure fuel. 
 
 In turninj; to the sjx'cial re])ort of the commissioners 
 eoneerninj; lead mines, salt springs, you will perceive 
 that non«^ of the claims for that descri]>tion <tf land were 
 confirmed, not because they were all destitute of legal 
 merits, but becauise the commissioners had onW power 
 to report opinions on the same, and as Congress has 
 not as yet acted u])on these claims, the bidders thereof 
 are kept in suspense and uncertainty ever since, which 
 })re vents enterprise, (dieeks, industry and population. 
 A j»Teat many of tlu'se claims are for small (luantities 
 of land, they are held by actual settlers who had 
 
 (Manuscript Destroyed.) 
 ^Ir. Benton was the counsel and aiient of the claimants 
 for large claims of land before he was elected to the 
 ?5enate. He chiefly owes his seat, there to theii- influ- 
 ence. He is entirely devoted to them. There is a judg- 
 ment entered against him in favor of the V. S. in the 
 l)istrict Court for the State of Missouri for a balance of 
 money unaccounted by him w liilsl he was an otlici^' in 
 the army. He owed twelve or thirteen thousand dol- 
 lars to the Bank of ^lissoui'i. This debt has been since 
 transferred to the U. S. There were at the last term of 
 
 123 
 
the court for the county of St. Louis several executions 
 issued auainst him. His property was advertisod for 
 isalo, but all of it is incumbered with mortgages for 
 sunus equal) to the value thereof. He has not been 
 in this state since the last session of Congress, All 
 his hopes rest upon the confirmation of the large claims*. 
 If he dof'8 not tsucceed he is irretrievably lost. You 
 may imagine that he will not be idle during this ses- 
 sion. 
 
 I propose to present you in the course of a week or 
 two a minute view of the French and Spanish land 
 claims in order that you ma^' be the better able to in- 
 form your friends in congress and put them on their 
 guard. I have done so nnself for these many years. 
 Mr. B. is not without guessing that I am endeavoring 
 to bailie his schemes. I am fully determined to go the 
 whole length and to be consistent to the end of my 
 days as a public and private man. The republic or the 
 public thing re(]uires a corresponding public spirit from 
 every member of the community. Indeed, a citizen 
 has, strictly speaking, a public character. Omnis homo 
 miles omnis homo civilis. Not doubting that this is a 
 practical axiom with you, I feel the greatest encourage- 
 ment in giving you any information that I may possess 
 or obtain. I am, 
 
 With respect, &e., 
 
 December 26, 1823. 
 (Substance.) 
 Geo. Graham, 
 
 Advising him that Benton has reported in Senate, 
 19th February, 1823, a bill on the petition or memorial 
 of the Legivslature of Missouri. The memorial pray for 
 definitive decision of French and Spanish land claims 
 
 124 
 
by competent tribunals. The bill provides for reference 
 of claims to iccoi'der of land titles for opinions, etc. 
 This bill has ])ass( d the Senate and is now before the 
 house of represenlatncs. The same latter states that 
 a bill originated in ami passed (he senate durinj^- the 
 session before last, providinji for the reference of same 
 claims to a court of the U. S. for decision. A similar 
 bill was repoiled in I lie lious(^ of re]»resentatives same 
 session. J>oth thes<* bills are on the tiles of the house 
 of representatives. 
 
 Mr. Scott has taken good care not to call them up. No 
 doubt but Mr. Scott, who is a laud claimant, act in con- 
 cert with Mr. Benton who was agent and counsel of 
 land claimants before he had a seat in the Senate, and 
 who owes his seat chietly to the intrigues of the land 
 claimants. 
 
 Both of them dread nothing more than a referrence to 
 the judiciary, and they will use every possible endeavor 
 to procure the final passage of the bill for the referrence 
 to the recorder where land claimants may proceed ex- 
 parte. Should they .succeed the proceedings of the 
 former board which was composed of three commission- 
 ers will be revised, enlarged by the recorder alone, or 
 rather, the same thing will be done over again by a 
 single officer, and with less safety. Messrs. Lowndes 
 and others well versed with the subject were of the 
 o])inion that the claims against w hich the commission- 
 ers had reported should be referred to a court of law. 
 This opinion was i>revailing when two bills were re- 
 |i()il(d in the respective houses adopting that prin('ii)le. 
 The same reason exists as did then. The memorial of 
 the legislature demands it in concurrence with the in- 
 terest Qf the U. S. 
 
 125 
 
You have it in your power to advise and alarm your 
 friends in tlie liouse of representatives and make them 
 a^are of the dangerous tendency of the bill referring 
 the claims to tlie recorder. 
 
 With respect, 
 
 January 21st, 1824. 
 Geo. Graham, 
 
 Sir: — Permit me to introduce to you Col. Justus Post 
 of Misst)uri. Mr. Post is settled since seven or eight 
 years nvwv St. Louis. I hav<^ the ])leasure since nearly 
 that time to h«* acquainted with him. He has been 
 empU)yed last fall as an engineer under the authority 
 of the state of Illinois to ascertain the practicability of 
 making a canal from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi 
 by the Illinois Kiver, &c. Of course he is able to give 
 very interesting and minute information relative to this 
 important subject. As from recent transactions it is 
 considered here as probable that the office of surveyor 
 of the U. S. for Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas will be- 
 come vacant perhaps before the adjournment of Ton- 
 gress, 1 have taken the liberty to recommend Mr. Post 
 to the Scy. of the Treasury as a person ])erfectly quali- 
 fied to fill- that office. I beg leave to request your sup- 
 port in his favor if you have not taken any engagement 
 to recomuieud any other person. 
 
 Respectfully yours, etc., 
 
 The foreaoinu delivered to Col. Post. 
 
 August 4, 1824. 
 Gk Graham, 
 
 Sir: — Having leanuHl that Mr. Fred Bates has re- 
 signed or is about resigning the office of Kecoi-der of 
 Laud Titles for the state of Missouri, permit me to 
 
 12(> 
 
recommend to your attention Tlieodore PTnnt of the 
 couuty of St. Louis, and solicit your support in his favor 
 for that ofllcc. 1 believe him fully (lualitied to dis- 
 ('har^<' tlic (lnli«'vS lliercdf. 
 
 The wife of Mi*. Hunt is my dau^ldor. He is, at this 
 time, out of business, and 1 am very anxious of seeing 
 liim doing something. 
 
 I am. &r., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Wm. H. Crawford, 
 
 (Same tenor as the preceding.) 
 
 Augiivst 4, 1824. 
 
 August 4, 1824. 
 
 '& 
 
 James Monroe, 
 
 (Same tenor with this addition.) 
 
 This extreme anxiety will, 1 hope, excuse me with 
 you for this direct application. I assure you that it 
 never shall be repeated on any other occasion. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 (Letter to, by Col. Fairis, Newport, about 12th No- 
 vember.) 
 
 St. L.uiis. December 7th, 1824. 
 Geo. Graham, 
 
 Sir: — Having been reciuosicd by the attorney of the 
 V. S. for the (lislrict of Missouii. and also by tin* judge 
 of I lie same district to take part in the arguments on 
 the 1st case brought before that court under the act of 
 Congress proxidiug for the trial of the Spanish and 
 
 127 
 
French land claims within the bounds of the state of 
 Missouri; as tliese .aeutlemen expected, I presume, tliat 
 from the opportunities I have had as one of the former 
 hind commissioners to understand the principles gov- 
 erning those claims I niiglit throw some light upon a 
 subject as yet but little known and unexplored by the 
 Bar and the Bench. 
 
 I have consented to undertake that arduous task in 
 consequence of which I liave argued the case at full 
 length upon a demurrer. 
 
 Tlie counsel of the claimants have read in court out 
 of a manuscript, what they term to be the 81«t art. of 
 an ordinance of the Inteiidants of New Spain, and some 
 other extracts from other art. of the same ordinance 
 which Mr. T. H. Benton, one of the counsel of the laud 
 claimants has stated to have been translated from a 
 Spanish book found in the office of the Secy, of State. 
 If the book could not be obtained, at least the ordinance 
 ought not to have been copied off partially. There is 
 eA'ery reason to suspect that a cutting has taken place 
 to suit only the purposes of the land claimants. In 
 my opinion the interest of the U. S. and of individuals 
 who have adverse claims urgently requires that the 
 Spanish book ineiHioued by Mr. Benton should be trans- 
 mitted to the attitrncy of the U. S. for Missouri or to 
 myself, and il it is not practicable, at any rate the whole 
 ordinance which contains that 81st act ought to be 
 transmitted both in S])anish and translated, duly cer- 
 titied, together with a statement of the title of the book 
 from which it is taken. 
 
 It is also not less necessary to procure the 4th book 
 of the collection of the laws of Spain, and if not a cer- 
 tified copy of the law 15, title 12tli, contained in the 
 same book. The regulations of Count O'Keillv of the 
 
 128 
 
18 Februar}', 1770 relative to the distribution of l:iii<l 
 in Louisijinn; tlio order of tlie kinii of Si)ain of tlir 241 li 
 Aujiust, 1770, whereby the jxtwei- of i;Tantinu land in 
 the province of Louisiana was placed iu the military 
 and civil iioverninent, are likewise wanted. 
 
 I hope sir, I hat from your well known zeal for the 
 l)ublic .service, and from the sitnati<tn which you oc- 
 cupy, no endeavors will be wanting on your part to pro- 
 cure those documents, or such of them as can be ob- 
 tained. I need not mention to you that the laud claim- 
 ants are not lackinj; of alertness and activity. Keniiss- 
 ness might be fatal to the best interest^; of the U. S. 
 There is not less than ir)000()0 arpens of the be.st land of 
 Missouri depending on the proper and improper man- 
 agement of the cases which will be tried before the 
 district court. 
 
 I beg leave to remark that na executor of the last 
 will of ( 'harh^s Lucas, deceased, who was my son, I have 
 an interest in several concessions issued by the last 
 Spanish lieutenant governor of St. Louis for about 2500 
 ar])ens of land which he held by purchase. Notwith- 
 standing this I have taken my stand against the conces- 
 *<ious of the sniiH' kind, whilst I have no interest what- 
 CA'er adverse to any of the Spani.sh claims, but a New 
 Madrid location for 820 acres of land which I have pur- 
 chased at the sheriff's sale. This must necessarily con- 
 vince you that nndeviatiiigly I attend to tli*' interests 
 of the r. S. at any sa<ritice of peace, popularity and 
 
 wealth. I am. ,, ,, ,, 
 
 Kespectfully, 
 
 St. Louiy, Feby. 15th, 1825. 
 Geo. Graham, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Yonr favor of the 0th ult. was received 
 a week since. You inform me that you had not in your 
 
 120 
 
power to see Mr. Benton until loday (to-wit, 9tli) to 
 obtain from him the title of the book from which he 
 took the extract alhided to. 1 certainly should prefer 
 to have the opportunity of perusing the Avhole book. 
 But, nevertheless the purpose will be answered if a 
 duly certified copy or transcript of the ordinance of the 
 intendants of New Spain and of the regulations of the 
 year 1754. I presume that this can be accomplished 
 without taking the book in question from the ofl&ce of 
 the Secy, of State. The object is well worth while the 
 trouble or expense of transcribing that ordinance in 
 extenso. There is nothing less than ISOOOOi acres of 
 choice land in Missouri depending upon the decision of 
 these claims. Permit me to suggest to you that at the 
 same time it may still be useful to obtain through Mr. 
 Livingston any book concerning the domains of Spain 
 and the manner of disposing thereof. But the latter 
 means of information by or from New Orleans is too pre- 
 carious and dilatory to be entirely depended upon. It 
 is perhaps necessary to inform you that Mr. Benton 
 certainly was, and I believe is as yet the counsel of 
 several land claimants, that he has received the zealous 
 support of the land claimants generally at his election 
 to the Senate. That to my certain knowledge, on all 
 questions before the Senate relating to these claims, 
 he has acted and spoken in the spirit of a private agent 
 and not of a senator. It is he who has procured an 
 extract of the Spanish laws before alluded to. 
 
 I have no kind of confidence in his extracts. There 
 is in my opinion no safety but in having a transcript of 
 the whole law. Lest you should suspect me to be un- 
 just, or at least to entertain groundless apprehensions 
 with respect to Mr. B. permit me to lay before you a 
 few specimens of his want of common honesty. There 
 
 130 
 
is at this day or if not there was six months af;o an 
 unsatisfied jndoment against him in the District Court 
 (»f th(^ V. S. for a balance of ])uhlic money placed in his 
 hands as far back as <hu'ing last war whilst he held a 
 commission In the army. He was one of the directors 
 of the Hank of .Missouri at the time he stopped pay- 
 ment. You know that the U. S. had a deposit in that 
 bank .finoooo. Well sir, Mr. B., contrary and in viola- 
 tion of the eliaiter of that bank, which provides that 
 no more than |.'i()00 shall be loaned to any directcu', has 
 collusively with the other directors obtained a loan 
 of not less than |>!()()0 and in virtue of the transfer made 
 by the bank to the U. S. of its right and credits is 
 actually indebted to the U. S. for that sum. A merch- 
 ant of rhihulelphia nained Counsier transmitted him 
 some years ago, a note or two for collection for about 
 12000. After a reasonable time had elapsed the merch- 
 ant wi'ote him resjiectively and never had any answer. 
 At last an agent of his came to St. Louis about two 
 years ago. ^Ir. B. was not there. The agent found 
 that a judgment had been obtained by Mr. B. but there 
 was no satisfaction entere<l. lie ai)plied to the person 
 against whom the judgment had been obtained who 
 showed him by the receipt of Mr. H. that he had satistied 
 the judgment long before this. Seeing the agent and 
 attorney to direct a suit against .Mr. B. On the return 
 of the latter to St. Louis, which wa^s some time last 
 summer, instead of (lischarging this sacred obligation, 
 he confessed judgment in the clerk's ottice for the sum 
 due. 
 
 The real property which he owns in St. Louis and any 
 where else in this state! is mortgaged and bound by 
 judgments for more than it is worth. There would be 
 no end in relating to you what I know of the particu* 
 
 131 
 
lar circumstances which characterize Mr. B. I hope 1 
 have said enough to justify mv suspicions. I am, 
 
 May 3d, 1825. 
 Geo. Graham, Commissioner, 
 
 Sir: — The two transcripts of certain Spanish laws 
 and ordinances in Spanish and English which you have 
 directed to me liave been received. The event has fully 
 justified m^^ suspicions. 
 
 The meagre extract which has been exhibited in 
 court proves to be nothing else but a selection made by 
 Mr. Benton, of such parts of an ordinance of the king of 
 Spain as might answer but the purposes of the land 
 claimants in Missouri. The course he has adopted is 
 unworthy of a counsellor that would value candour and 
 reputation. What shall we say then of a senator so 
 far forgetting himself? Although the counsel of a 
 claimant in court for 10000 aipens of land, declared that 
 the extract had been made under the direction of Mr. 
 Benton and contained every provision relating to the 
 subject, nevertheless, the transcript which I have re- 
 ceived from you proves beyond all doubt that Benton is 
 guilty at least of the suppression of important truth. 
 He had the precaution, for example, to insert in his 
 extract but a small part of a preamble of a law in order 
 to avoid mentioning a reference made in the same to 
 two royal ordinances, the one published by I^hilip the 
 5th, and tlie otlier by Ferdinand the 6th, of the 4th of 
 July, 1718, and of the 3d of October, 1749. Most prob- 
 ably he had a sight of them, and there is every reason 
 to suppose that they don't answer his end, therefore wo 
 must be kept ignorant of the existence of these laws. 
 He has likewise (tmitted io insert in his extract several 
 articles of the law which he has extracted from, al- 
 
 J32 
 
though they have a direct bearing on the case before 
 the court, and lie has also omitted entirely the 22 laws 
 contained in one of the transcripts which I have re- 
 C(Mve<l from yon, stiled, "Of the Sale, Composition and 
 Grant of Lands, Ground and Waters. Liber l\\ 
 Title 12." These are fatal to the generality of the laud 
 claims in Missouri. The impropriety of thus cutting 
 and selecting from a law by a party to a suit is too mani- 
 fest to need a comment. Nothing less than the des- 
 perateness of Mr. Benton as agent and partner, could 
 induce him to attempt to impose so grossly upon the 
 court and his country. If the laws of Philip and Fer- 
 dinand before alluded to could be conveniently pro- 
 cured, 1 sliould like to have a copy of them, although I 
 am persuaded that we are pretty safe without them. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 St. Louis, Aug. 21st, 1825. 
 George Graham, 
 
 Sir: — Having an interest in the enclosed patent cer- 
 tificate for one moitie of the land for which it is issued, 
 1 request you to issue a patent upon the same as soon as 
 convenient. 
 
 I hope you will have the goodness to direct it to me. 
 
 This is the only claim \> hich I have of this kind. 1 
 bought it at the sheriff's sale. I am. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 Ma\ 23, 1827. 
 Geo. Graham, 
 
 Sir: — Believing that my letter to you of Aug. 21st, 
 1825, enclosing a patent certificate has come safe to 
 your hand, I expected long since to receive a i>atent in 
 
 133 
 
consequence of the same, I have heard, however, that 
 a caveat or notice against issiiiuji siicli a patent has 
 been entered in your office by the heirs of James Makay, 
 deceased, as they chiim the land to which the said cer- 
 tificate relates in pursuance of a concession alleged to 
 have been issued under tlie Spanish government. It 
 may be observed that no notice was tiled at any time of 
 that claim in tlie office of recorder of kind titles under 
 the various acts of Congress providing for the same. 
 That no survey appears of record nor ever was made 
 in pursuance of that concession, and if the location of 
 Baptiste La Fleur in whose name a patent certificate 
 has issued under the authority of an act of Congress for 
 the relief of the inhabitants of th(- late county of New 
 ^Madrid had not been made the same land would have 
 been sold or at least offered for sale along with the pub- 
 lic lands situate in the same parts of the state, and at 
 all events, should the representatives of James Makay, 
 the original grantee, be able to establish the legality 
 of their claims, they would be entitled under the act 
 enabling the claimants to land in pursuance of conces- 
 sion or grant derived from the French or Spanish gov- 
 ernments to try the validity of their titles, &c., an equi- 
 valent out of the unapi)ropriated lands of the U. S. if 
 the land which they claimed has been previously dis- 
 posed of, so the caveat which they have entered con- 
 sidering this and also their latches and neglect is at 
 best vexatious and oppressive. But, sir, inde|)endent 
 of these considerations, permit me to submit that the 
 powers and duties which the act for the relief of the 
 inhabitants of the late county of New Madrid, &c., con- 
 fer or imposes upon the commissioner of the general 
 land office are merely ministerial. That under the 3d 
 sect, of the said act "a certificate issued by the recorder 
 
 134 
 
of land titles in favor of a party boini; transmitted to 
 the commissioner of the general land office shall entitle 
 the party to a patent to be iissued in the like manner 
 as provided by law for other pnblic lands." 
 
 I see nothing that can qualify the obligation the com- 
 missioner is under to issue the patent demanded but 
 tliesc: "as the same section makes it the duty of the 
 recorder of land titles to transmit a report of the claims 
 allowc^l and locations made under this act to the com- 
 missioner of the general land office." It is self-evident 
 that if such a report has not been made of the proceed- 
 iugs of the recorder, or if made, such proceedings pre 
 sent on their face any sub.stantial departure or omission 
 of what the law prescribes the recorder to do or even 
 any material discrepancy between these proceedings 
 and the patent certificate, then, and only then. Baptist 
 Lafleur or his representatives are not entitled to a 
 patent. If there is such a defect I hope you will be so 
 good as to let me know it with as little delay as possible. 
 If there is not, I renew my application to you for a 
 patent to which the laws "entities'' me. Could a caveat 
 predicated only on the suggestion of an adverse claim 
 prevent the issuing of a patent, there might be a pre- 
 vention ad finitum for nothing is more easy than to 
 suggest again and again a clash or interference. 
 
 It is reported here that you are sustained in re- 
 fusing patents in such cases by the opinion of the ai- 
 torney lieneral. Sir, permit me to remark that pro- 
 vided the recorder of land titles has transmitted to your 
 office a report of the claims allowed and locations made 
 under this act, and provided also the patent certificate 
 in favor of H;'>])tiste Lafieur present no discrepancy or 
 variance from the same report, the patent certificate is 
 the entire and complete evidence which entitles a party 
 
 135 
 
to a patent in either case the ministerial course of the 
 commissioner is so plainly marked out that it is unac- 
 countable to me that the attorney jicneral should have 
 been consulted. He mij>ht possibly have suggested a 
 better project of a law if he had been consulted before 
 this one was passed, but there is no reason or argument 
 however strong that can do away or suspend the pro- 
 vision of a law and particularly when it partakes with 
 the character of contract and entitles a party to a 
 patent. 
 
 However, should you persevere in refusing a patent, 
 I then request you to send me back the patent certifi- 
 cate without delay as I shall be under the necessity to 
 make an exhibit of it at a trial wiiich is to take place 
 at the next term of the District Court of the U. S. com- 
 mencing at St. Louis on tlie 3rd Monday of June next. 
 
 St. Louis, June 25, 1827. 
 Geo. Graham, 
 
 Sir: — By the enclosed certificate it will appear to you 
 that the only obstacle which I suppose existed in your 
 mind to the issuing of a patent upon a patent certificate 
 of the recorder of land titles, &c., in fav(U' of Baptist 
 Lefleur is removed there is no more case subjudice. If 
 you have yet the certificate in your possession, I hope 
 you will be so good as to have the patent issued as soon 
 as you conveniently can. If you have transmitted it 
 to me as T eventually requested you to do it by my 
 letter of the 23d ulto. I shall send it to you back again 
 as soon as received. 
 
 Mangre all the airs of confidence, T. H. Benton and 
 other agents of the land claimants in Missouri had put 
 on, they have shrunk when they have been brought 
 
 136 
 
to a crisis; tlipy have preforrod dismissin*^ all their 
 suits, ISl in imnibcr, iK'iHlin<i, before the court sittin<:: at 
 St. Louis, tliMii to conic to a trial. This lli<iht frdin a 
 coui-t (if hiw si>(';iks ;i voliiiuc against those clainu^. It 
 justifies the decisions and opinions whicli I hav<- 
 formerly ^iven on those chiinis as land eoniniissioner, 
 and the ar«>unienfs wliicli I have ur^ed two or three 
 years ago before the Dislriet Court sitting at St. Louis, 
 wIk'u th«^ jiKliie and the district attorn(\y requested nie 
 to speak upon a certain case embracing geneial jtrinci- 
 ples. It operates as a virtual acknowledgment that I 
 have b«'en ciuelly slandered and i)ersecuted during 20 
 years for having discharged public duties with correct- 
 ness and tidelity. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 24, 1828. 
 J. R. Hayden, 
 
 Sir: — I have received your favors of the 8tli December, 
 1S2T, with the enclosure. T have delayed until now 
 sending you the papei-s here enclosed, exi)ecting a pri- 
 vate opportunity. Lest, however, you should be pre- 
 vented to institute your wuit before the next term of 
 coui't, r have at last determined to forward them by 
 mail, to-wit: Deed of (}uit Claim (»f James Tanner, 
 dated lS2(i, for 500 arpeiis originally owne<l by Thos. 
 Duff Senior which recites and contirni the original deed 
 fr(un the same to C. Lucas. 
 
 Certiticjite and plat of survey, patent certificate, cer- 
 titicate of recorder of land titles, vouching that a cer- 
 tificate of location has issued fiom his ottice. 
 
 1 shouhl have insisted with the (lenl. Surveyor for a 
 copy of the certificate of location which is lodged in his 
 
 137 
 
office, was it not that in ni}- opinion the patent certifi- 
 cate ri.ses a legal i)re.sumptiou that everything which 
 the law prescribes has been complied with. Be pleased 
 to let nic know as soon as possible the receipt of the 
 letter and of the muniments it contains. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 Jany. 4th, 1822. 
 David Holmes, 
 
 Sir: — Altlutugh T had not the pleasure of seeing you 
 since we were in Congress together, nevertheless I have 
 not failed of frecjueut opi)ortunities to hear of you since. 
 Long before now I intended to go to New Orleans. If I 
 had realized that project I certainly should not have 
 passed without giving you a call. The idea that I have 
 formed of your feedings and disposition induces me now 
 to call your attention upon a subject of no importance 
 but to me. 
 
 It has been reported at Washington during the last 
 session of Congress that I had written to several mem- 
 bers of Congress. (The residue about the same as to W. 
 Lowrie, December 27, 1821. About speaking to Presi- 
 dent omitted.) 
 
 St. Louis, Augt. 29th, 1818. 
 Theo. Hunt, 
 
 Sir: — I saw a day or two ago Mr. Terrell of New Mad- 
 rid. I showed him the bundle of papers on the wrapper 
 of which is written "Theo. Hunt and Charles Lucas 
 Deeds". He appeared to be very conversant with the 
 (Subject. I asked him if he would take the agency of 
 these claims in case you would give your consent. He 
 told me he had no objection. Believing that from local 
 knowledge previous communications with the late 
 
 138 
 
Charles Lucas and other opportunities, he is as weU 
 qualified as anybodj else, an<l ])erha])s better, to trans- 
 act this bnsiiu'ss, 1 j)i(ip(»se to have him ai)pointe<l a^eiit 
 in the abov*' mentioned eoneerns. If you concur with 
 mc (111 this, you Mill In- pleased to come to St. f.ouis as 
 soon as possibh' to execute a power of Att<n*eny. If you 
 have any objection to call at my house you may desig- 
 nate any place where we can meet with. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 N. B. — Mr. Terrell informs me that he will remain 
 here about two weeks from this time. 
 Capt. Theo. Hunt. 
 
 St. Louis, Sept. 18th, 1818. 
 Theodore Hunt, 
 
 Sir: — Your letter of the 31t<t of Augt. has been re- 
 ceived. Owing to a pressure of business 1 have been 
 thus dilatory in writing again. For the purpose of be- 
 ing, if possibh, more explicit than I have been in my 
 letter of the 29tli of Augt. and also to do away any 
 mi.sconception and obtain from you that direct auvswer 
 which 1 expected by your letter, I beg leave to state to 
 y«)U, lest you should have forgotten, that the papers to 
 which I allude in my tirst letter and I showed to Mr. 
 Terrell contain a detxl of sale by indenture of Joshua 
 Humphrey's and Mary his wife to Theodore Hunt of St. 
 Louis, dat<'d 1st February, ISKI, of sundry tracts or par- 
 cels of land, and aLso number of other deeds of sale 
 made or executed to Chas. Lucas of divers tracts of land 
 or claims to land situate in the county of New Madrid 
 together with other tithes and <1ocumeiits relating to the 
 same, believing then and believing likewise at present 
 
 139 
 
that you and Charles had an interest common in all 
 those claims, 1 thus proposed Mr. Terrell to be ap- 
 pointed agent in those concerns. I am still in the same 
 intention. Whether since the death of C. Lucas you 
 have made in the same count}' new purchase or not is not 
 for me to enquire. If j'ou have it is quite supertluous to 
 inform me that you have, or are going to appoint Mr. 
 Terrell or any other person as your attorney;, for it mat- 
 ters not to me how 3'ou conduct your business, when un- 
 connected with the estate of the late ('has. Lucajs or any 
 interest of the said estate. In order to understand each 
 other better hereafter I beg leave to put two or three 
 questions to you. 
 
 1st. ^^'als there a partnership or common concern 
 existing at any time between you and Charles Lucas in 
 the purchase made by you or him of land situate in the 
 county of New Madrid? 
 
 2d. Had Charles Lucas at any time an interest in the 
 purchase or purchases of land or claims to land which 
 you made of Joshua Humphrey's and Mary his wife? 
 
 4th. Had Charles Lucas at the time of his decease an 
 interest in the purchase made by jou of Humphrey's 
 and for what part? 
 
 I hope that you will be pleased to convey your writ- 
 ten answer to these questions by a sure opportunity 
 within a short time. 
 
 This will be handed to you by Adrian. You may 
 send me your answer by the same opportunity. 
 
 I think it more advantageous for the estate to rise 
 funds from the sales of tlie New Madrid land or claims 
 that are held in partnership, than from any other source. 
 
 I still propose to give to Mr. Terrell the agency as 
 spoken of in my letter of the 29th whether the land ojj 
 
 140 
 
claims to land be licld in vour name or tliat of Charles 
 provided thcv bv sucii as tlir rslatc lias an interest in. 
 
 I have nitt found the certificate which Mr. Richardson 
 wishes to iMircliase. I think it better not to conclude 
 with Mr. Douuhiss. I am informed that a licntleman 
 with liis familv now a1 Louisville is wisliin^ to have a 
 farm near St. Louis. Probably this mav suit him. 
 
 Your s'v't, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 P. S. — You may have the bundle papers on the wrap 
 per of which is written de«^ds of Theodore Hunt and 
 Charles Lucas on giving nie a recei])t for the same. Vour 
 answer to this, however, i<^ expected before the deliv<'rv. 
 
 Thir<l <iuestion omitted in the copy and inserted here 
 from the repetition of questions in Mr. T. Hunt's answer 
 of the 28th of September, 1818. 
 
 3d ()uestion. Did Charles Lucas ])ay or not an eipial 
 part of the purchase money mentioned inl the deed 
 above mentioned of Joshua Humphrey \s and Mary his 
 wife? 
 
 January 10th. 1820. 
 Theo. Hunt, 
 
 After having presented to you, thro the hand of 
 \\'m. Lucas, for your {signature and seal, the necessary 
 iustiumeiit of writing, to convey to the heiis and repre- 
 sentatives of ('. Lucas, deceased, one half of the right 
 you have to the tract of land, situate near Cote lirilliaut 
 whicli you hold as repre.scntative of Habtiste I^tieuer. 
 After also jiaving urged you i('])eatedly in person to do 
 that act of justice to the estate, which you owe both as 
 an individual and as an execut(U' of the estate of C. 
 Luca.s deceased. I expected that if the f<uiu of the writ- 
 ing presented to you did not p<'rfectly come to your 
 mind, at any rate you would have another drawn in your 
 
 141 
 
own way that would substantially attain the object, but 
 to my astonishment you have not offered any substitute, 
 altho a lonn time has elapsed ssince. In order to obviate 
 a^l possibh' objections, and save you any trouble, I have 
 drawn a new instrument of writin«», providing- amply 
 for the security of 3'Our right in every possible emer- 
 gency, which will be handed you by W. Lucas. 
 
 I request you, sir, to execute the deed demanded, in 
 the inann(M' and form ]»r(»\ ided in that writing, or in any 
 other way that will answer the sanu^ purpose. Tht 
 long delays I have met with on the ])resent occasion, 
 ami)ly justihcs me in requiring of you that tlie deed in 
 cpiestion be cxcciitcMl ;ni(l di^livcrcd to me not later than 
 Wednesday next, or rise any further delay will be con- 
 strued by me as an absolute lefusal. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 St. Louis, July 5, 1821. 
 Theo. Hunt, 
 
 Sir: — Contrary to my expectation on of the deputies 
 of Mr. Brown, Sheriff, presented me a few days ago past, 
 an execution in favor of Isaac Patterson, for one hun- 
 dred dollars, prin(ii)al, and nineteen dollars of cost, in 
 pursuance of a judgment obtained against me at the 
 last Ai)ril term of the Circuit Court for the county of 
 St. Louis. 
 
 Remembering but imi)erfectly the transaction which 
 you and myself had with Patterson, I have looked to the 
 ])aj)(M>; which gave occasion to it. I have found on the 
 back of a certain bond under the hand and seal of C. 
 Lucas, the following: 
 
 "Received this 12th day of November, 1810, |100 in 
 full of all considerations for the within bond, one-half 
 
 112 
 
beiujj; paid b,v John B. C. Lucas and Theodore Hunt as 
 executors of the estate of the late Charh's Lucas, and 
 tlie other half paid 1)3' Theodore Hunt as witness my 
 hand and seal the da^^ and date above written. 
 
 (Signed) ISAAC' J»ATTEKSON. 
 
 Witness 
 
 W. M. LUCAS." 
 
 N. B. — This receii)t is in your han-l writinji. I n^-ol- 
 lect also that you advised the propriety of taking- 
 such a course with respect to Pattenson. You know 
 also that the money due to Patterson by the estate of 
 ('. Lucas was not actually \rAu\ as mentioned in the re- 
 ceipt. Two notes were drawn by yom-isclf each for one 
 hundred dollars, in favor of Isaac Patterson, which were 
 sijiued and sealed by both of us. One of those notes 
 dated 12th of November, 1819, was presented to me on 
 the 26th of February, 1820, I paid it then. Nothing is 
 more clear than that each of us assume<l or rather in- 
 tended to assume to pay one moety of these |200. For 
 that purpose two notes were drawn and if I signed them 
 both it was 1 i»i-esiinie for the satisfaction of Mr. Bat- 
 tel sou and couhl not»be f(»r any other puri)ose. 
 
 Beside these it appears from the tenor of the above 
 receipt that one-half of the .|4()0 has been paid by you 
 and myself as executors which w<tuld not be truly the 
 case if I had to satisfy the judunicnt for which an exe- 
 cution is n<tw issued, 
 
 1 i-etpiest you. sir, to salisl'y it without <lelay. or let 
 me know that you will not do it, that I may i)repare 
 ill (irder to avoid having my property executed and sold 
 tor your <lebts. 
 
 I beg leave also to inform you that a summons has 
 been served on the 2Tth ulto. ui)ou me to appear at the 
 next term of the circuit court f«u- the county of St. Louis 
 
 143 
 
to answer the demand of a certain Thomas Bray, assig- 
 nee of Maximiis Gilbert, for the payment of three 
 promissory notes executed at Washin<«ton on tlie l«t 
 day of March, 1817, by Kufus Easton and C. LiicaK in 
 favor of (lilbert, the 1st beinj; for |735, the 2d for |775 
 r»nd the 3d for f21. I wish to advise with you about 
 what may be (U)ne about this suit. 
 
 I am your svt., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 13, 1822. 
 Theodore Hunt, 
 
 Sir: — Ilavinii been served with a notice of an order of 
 the court of St. Louis as one of tlie executors of the last 
 will and testament of (\ Lucas, deceased, to settle at the 
 next term of the same, which commences on the 3d 
 Monday of this month, the accounts of the said adminis- 
 tration, so far as it «>oes. haviui;" also examined the in- 
 ventory sijiued by you and myself which is filed in the 
 clerk's office, this inventory bcinn jiartinlly made, ow- 
 ini*. I presuuK'. to want of due time before my journey 
 to W ashiniiton in December, 1817, 1 think it necessary 
 to file before ihe settinu of the court, an additional in- 
 ventory, full and complete. 1 therefore beg leave to 
 name to you Friday next to have the same signed and 
 tiled. I have at home the memorandum or list of all 
 the items. If you have any objection to meet at my 
 house, any other [)lace will suit me that you will be 
 pleased to designate. 
 
 I expect from you the favor of an answer as soon as 
 
 convenient, sir. I am, 
 
 Yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 144 
 
St. Louis, April 7, 1822. 
 Theodore Hunt, 
 
 ('a])t. Jos. r. Brown has hitely informed nic that 
 owiiii; td tlir iiitcrfci'ciicc of a prc-nnption r'l^hi chiiincd 
 by Matlicw Kcir with the New Madrid hx-atioii for (140 
 acres behui^ini; to the estate of tlic hitc ('. Lucas ad- 
 joininji' th«' Iniid claiincd iiiuhi SwainV settlement. 
 Voiii' nic of o|»iiiioii tliaf the survey be altered so as 
 to add to tlic .Miidrid location out of the land claimed 
 under Swain's the s.-iine (pianlity which intei-feres with 
 Kerr's claim. 
 
 I beg- lea\'e to propose to 3'ou two other modes of dis- 
 posinii' of the location, the first is to remove the location 
 entirely, iu which case I am perfectly sa tithed from the 
 information I have ol)t;iiued during my late journey up 
 the Missouri and on Salt Kivei*. There is an abundance 
 of the very best land well timbered and watered re- 
 linquished under the law jirantin^- relief to purchasers 
 of public lands w iiiiiu seven or eiiiht miles from Frank- 
 lin and up the Missisf<ippi above Salt Kiver. of which 
 in my oj)inion a section is worth three of such land as 
 about Swain's place. The country is now perfectly well 
 exphucd and a most valuable location can be made 
 with certainty and ease, if this proposition does not 
 meet with your a])i)robatiou. 
 
 I ue.xt propose to locate the Madrid claim upon the 
 whole {section 'M\, ami the residue on the fractional sec- 
 tion 24, whi(h is the strij) marhed (1) in the draft here 
 enclosed, so tiuit at the time of the sale there remains 
 but nine aci-es to be bouiiht of the U. S. 1 should prefer 
 uiuch my first proposal. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 14r) 
 
June 6th, 1823. 
 Theodore Hunt, 
 
 (Requesting him to come tomorrow to sign another 
 answer to Rufus Easton. Bill of complaint intended to 
 contain in addition to the list of land an omitted item 
 of sundry pieces of Joiner Work belonging to the estate. 
 Apprized to |82.50. This letter sent same day by ex^ 
 press. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 4th, 1824. 
 
 (Letter to the same as preceding to John Randolph, 
 with this addition after the words "mere nominal 
 check", third line last page. 
 Samuel D. Ingham, 
 
 Even if the recorder should recommend one-half of 
 their claims and Congress should sanction it, they 
 would still contend that they are not concluded for the 
 balance and for that remaining part, Congress would 
 stand in the same situation as it is now. 
 
 Would it not be more congenial with the spirit of 
 legislation through representatives that Congress con- 
 firm, I should say grant, at once all the claims and 
 take to themselves the whole responsibility to their 
 constituents, than to throw it upon an obscure individ- 
 ual or at least divide it with him. 
 
 Mr. Scott will not fail to make every exertion during 
 the present session to procure the passage of the bill 
 for the reference to the recorder. To my certain knowl- 
 edge Mr. Scott is a Spanish land claimant. He ought 
 not to vote on such a question on calling for the read- 
 ing of the memorial on which this bill ought to be 
 founded and is nominally so. 
 
 14(; 
 
The discrepancy will fully justify an amendment 
 which ouiiht to <i,o to a referrence to the judiciarv with 
 all the clauses niid conditions specified in the hill con- 
 tainini* thai priuciph' which ori<»inatcMi in the Senate 
 
 at the session hcfoic the hist. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 4th, 1824. 
 Thomas Newton, 
 
 (Letter to, substance about same as the preceding to 
 John Randolph and Samuel D. Ingham.) 
 
 Samuel D. Ingham, 
 
 Sir: — Permit me to introduce 3'ou Mr. Wm. Russel of 
 St. Louis. 1 am acquainted with him this great while 
 and he was an intimate friend of my late son C. Lucas. 
 I am confiihmt that if the latter was alive, he would 
 have recommended him to your attention and politeness* 
 <lnring his short slay at Washington. 
 
 Ml'. Knss« 1 is a minute and accurate observer. None 
 had better opportunities tlian him to exercise that 
 faculty in ^Missouri and Arkansas, for, being owner of 
 large quantities of land in both places, he had a particu- 
 lar interest to exploiare and ascertain the various quali- 
 ties of soil, mineral, their (pialities, i)roportiou, situation 
 and otluM' natnral advantages. 
 
 As our infant state must, at least, for a while, be 
 frequently in need of the fostering hand of Congress, 
 yon or any other of its members cannot but receive with 
 plcasnrc the infoiniation which Mr. Kussel is fully com- 
 petent to impart concerning our localities. 
 
 Kespectfully, etc., 
 
 147 
 
St. Louis, May 3d, 1822. 
 David Johnson, Eecorder, 
 
 (Letter to, in answer of his of 28 Jan^., 1822, request- 
 ing to pay tax for patent. Observed that he had 
 omitted to mention date of patent. Informing that I 
 have put his business in charge of Amos Wheeler, Land 
 Agent. Remember me to ^Icssrs. Lacock vt Moore and 
 other friends. 
 
 Kespectfully, &c.,) 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 4th, 1822. 
 Richard M. Johnston, 
 
 Sir: — Not having the advantage of a particular ac- 
 quaintance with you, I should not presume to call your 
 attention upon a subject of very little importance as it 
 concerns me solely, if the sensibility of 3'our heart was 
 not perfectly known to me. 
 
 It has been reported at Washington during the last 
 session of Congress. (Much same as to letter to Walter 
 Lowrie of 27th of December, 1821.) 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 16, 1821. 
 Ruffus King, 
 
 Sir: — Having made to you in my letter of the year be- 
 fore last a short exposition of the merit of the large and 
 numerous claiuKs to land in the then territory of Mis- 
 souri which are predicated on Spanish concessions, real 
 or supposed, and have been reported against by the 
 commissioners a])pointed for quieting and adjusting 
 claims to land. «S:c., I shall at this time merely state to 
 you that I am persuaded that greater efforts than ever 
 
 148 
 
are going to be made to obtain the passage of some act 
 in favor of tlios*^ claims. Every plausible^ tale will be 
 told, every possible art will be us(m1 to insuare the Con- 
 gress iuto some unguarded aet which will operate in a 
 manner unforeseen. The aberrations from the funda- 
 mental principles governing the rights of the U. S. to 
 the form«M- Spanish domains which have taken place 
 in llie act of the 14th of April, 1814 entitled "An Act 
 for the Final Adjustment of Claims to Land, &c., will 
 be urged as a sound provision and precedent which 
 ought to be extended to all the claims remaining un- 
 contirmed. No doubt but T. H. Benton will take the 
 lead on that f^ubject in the Senate. HiwS circumstances 
 are desperate, lie is one of tho«e direct<ns who, sans 
 ceremonie, divided among themselves all the capital of 
 the Bank of Missouri, and after that stopped payment, 
 liaving embezzled the deposits of the U. S. and of indi- 
 viduals, lie is the one, wh(» since the failure of the bank 
 lias bought Mivssouri bank notes at 50 per cent of dis- 
 count, and thus unbhishingly profits by the |)nblic <lis- 
 iress and calamity consequent to his own wrong, lb' 
 was elected in the Senate through the influence of the 
 Spajiish land claimants, by one vote of majority. He 
 was before his election their counsel and agent. 
 
 I am credibly informed that part of his fees for his 
 service are contingent to the confirmation of Spanish 
 land claims and in the quantities that may be confirmed. 
 The S])anisli land claimants having singled me as thb 
 mo«t particular (d.ject of their resentment in conse- 
 quence of having been generally less favorable to their 
 claims than the other commissioners, and probably also 
 because being mostly of French origin, and actually 
 calling themselv(Y^ Freucli men they have been more 
 disappointed with me. This has given an opi»(U'tunity 
 
 U9 
 
to Mr. Benton and other American citizens interested 
 in the land or otherwise jealous of m}' political stand- 
 ing, to widen the breach as much ais possible between 
 me and the ancient inhabitants. 
 
 For these three or four years I have been represented 
 as having made to several members of Congress, secret 
 communications against the Spanish land claims, and 
 more particularly I have been charged to have eucouir- 
 aged several members from the uon slave holding^ 
 states by false representations and other means to in- 
 sert in the bill for authorizing Missouri to become a 
 state, a clause inhibiting slavery, like to oppose the 
 admission of the state on the score of the clause in the 
 state constitution concerning free persons of color say- 
 ing or giving to understand that if they held out against 
 admission, a clause inhibiting slavery would at last be 
 inserted in the constitution as the restrictionists or 
 emancipators were daily gaining ground. 
 
 It appears that Mr. Benton has secured some persons 
 in the post office at St. Louis, in order to know with 
 whom I corresponded at Washington, and who wrote 
 to me from Washington, for I had no sooner written 
 to you and received your answer, than I was denounced 
 in his paper, the St. Louis Enquirer, as keeping an in- 
 tercourse with Rufus King, »S:c.. &c., and reproached for 
 doino this in the same manner as if I had committed 
 treason. 
 
 I freely confess that I have written to several other 
 members of Congress, in order to alarm them and bel- 
 ter guard them against the intrigue and insidiousness 
 of the Spanish land claimants and their agents, but I 
 never have written a word to any person at Washington 
 directly or indirectly for or against what has been 
 termed the Missouri questions. 
 
 150 
 
I believe I owe also to Mr. Beutoii <1h* circulation of 
 the last report a«iainst nie at Wasliiii^lon. At any rate 
 I am sure that he has circulated it at his rcturu from 
 \Vashiu«'(()n. In <loini»- so be expected to draw at home 
 the public odiuni on nie ami destroy or disturb at Wash- 
 iu|;ton the i^ood understandinii that exists between me 
 and s«'veral numbers liom the slave holding states with 
 whom he may suspect that I correspond on the sub- 
 ject of Spanish land claims. 
 
 You sir, and several other members from the north 
 have been two years ago placed on the list of proscrip- 
 tion in tho St. Louis Enquirer by its editor. I have on 
 file the number that contains it. On making enquiry 
 of him it will be found that in North Carolina where 
 is born, in Tennessee where he did live for a long time, 
 all is of a piece including bis directorship. Permit me 
 to suggest that the safe and constitutional way is to 
 enable the Spanish land claimants to present their 
 claims within a given time before a judicial tribunal 
 for trial. This is the only place for fair investigation, 
 where tales and ex parte evidence will tiud no admission. 
 
 I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 14, 1823. 
 Rufus King, 
 
 Si,.:_Y()ur favor of the 28th of Feby. last, together 
 with the bill reported by Mr. Benton from the com- 
 mittee on public lands, to which was referred the memo- 
 rial (►f the legislature of Missouri .Vc«'.. was duly re- 
 ceived. I was extremely surprise<l that Mr. Benton 
 t^h(uild 1. resume to report a bill entirely o])posed to the 
 views and wislies expressed by the memorial, for the 
 
 151 
 
countrj' being greatly injured by tlie large tracts of 
 land flaimed under the color of Spanish concessions 
 which remain a perfect wilderness and intersect the 
 settlements in various parts of the state, the people of 
 this state havc^ the greatest interest that these claims 
 be proiiiplly (hnided, whilst this bill takes a circuitous 
 way to a^'oid decisions and refens tlie subject for a third 
 time for the report of opinions only by the recorder, 
 which, when done, will bring back the subject where 
 it now is. I am still more surprised that the Senate 
 would pass such a bill as it departis entirelj^ from the 
 principle they had sanctioned at the preceding session 
 in the bill which they had passed on the same subject, 
 which provides for the reference of all the Spanish 
 land claims to a court of justice for tinal adjudication. 
 If this last bill had not been ch)gged with amendments 
 in the House of Kepresentatives it would have certainly 
 passed through that house, and the great majority of 
 the inhabitants of Missouri would have been fully satis- 
 fied of having before them the prospect of a nearly ap- 
 proaching decision of those claims. 
 
 You will perhaps be at a loss to account why Mr. B. 
 has shown by the bill last reported so little regard to 
 the wishes of the people of INIissouri as expressed by the 
 nieuu)rial of the legislature. Let me repeat to you that 
 Mr. B. owes in a great degree his seat in the Senate to 
 the influence and intrigue of th(^ large land claimants, 
 that he was their agent before he was elected; that he 
 has an eventual interest in almost all the large claims; 
 that he knows perfectly that those claims cannot bear 
 the test of judicial investigation and that the first bill 
 which he reported on that subject for referring those 
 claims to a court of justice was not agreeable to his 
 views; that he did do it out of necessity to make sem- 
 
 152 
 
blance at home of doing something, and have the ap- 
 pearance witli the niultitnde in the state to be an 
 cllicieut meinlx'i' in llie Senate, being at the same time 
 very contident llial hi.s friend, Mr. Sci»tt, would hang 
 the bill in the House of Kepresentative*?. Mr. Seott hail 
 a similar bill rei)orted in the House of Representatives 
 contuining also the principle of reference to a court of 
 law, N\ Inch lie look cai-e ne\'ei- to call up. He was 
 governed b\ the same UKtlives as Mr. B,, whose i'du) he 
 is. All these were false attacks, mere ru^ses de guerre, 
 but their r«'al aim, their true attack, is the last bill, 
 which avoids the judiciary and refers the subject to 
 the recorder alone without even an agent to cross- 
 examine the witness that may be brought forward by 
 the claimants. Thus you must .see that the interest of 
 the many is at variance with that of the few, and that 
 Mr. Houton ath'uds only to interest of the latter. If 
 .Mr. II. would sejtarate the small claims from the large 
 ones, and rejioii a hill for the lirst only, Cimgress might 
 be disjtoised to exerci^se more freely its liberality 
 towards it, but, sir, this is contrary to his policy. He 
 has no share in those small claims and he makes use of 
 tiieni as a cork to keep afloat the large ones. It ap- 
 pearing evidently that M<\ssrs. Scott and Benton could 
 not avoid a reference of the land claims to the ju- 
 diciary in the bills which they respectively reported at 
 the session before the last. That this reference was the 
 govorniug ojunion in both houses; t'.iat it was the <mly 
 means to bring those < laims to a tinal decision; that the 
 menioiial (d" the legislature was in atliiiuance of that 
 measure as it prayed f(U' a prom|)t decision. We can- 
 not resist the con(lu«lon that the bill for ref<'rring the 
 subject 1(» the recorder for hif; o]>inion has passed 
 thritugh the Senate by inadvertence or surprise and con- 
 
 153 
 
trary to the wishes of the legislature of Missouri. Let 
 me add that a great majority of the memberfc> of the 
 legislature of Missouri are poor pensous who hold their 
 lamls by iirc-emption. They of course, have feeliugs 
 and interests quite at variance with those of Mr. B. 
 Among other things they will not thank him particu- 
 \ar\y for that clause of tlie bill. Second, what claims in 
 his opinion (the recorder) are now entitled to the indul- 
 gent considmation of the government of tlie U. S. Sir, 
 I can asvsure you that there are many actual settlers 
 on those large claims of land who did not know of the 
 existence of those claims, much less of their extent, 
 when they first made their settlements. They have 
 fought and bled during the last war in defense of their 
 homes and of the frontier of the state. They have 
 gone through all the hardships and difficulties of open- 
 ing farms in wilderness. Some of them have made 
 very valuable improvements. They mostly have large 
 famili(\s of children. Now, sir, if the land they are 
 settled upon prove to be public laud, they are entitled 
 to a right of pre-emption and they are safe. If not 
 their situation becomes desperate. Congress cannot be 
 indulgent towards the Spanish land claimants, without 
 being unjust, nay, cruel with respect to the actual 
 settlers. Take also into consideration that the Spanish 
 land claimants are to be indulgently dealt with for 
 thousands of acres of land, for which they never have 
 nor will pay a farthing in money or labor, whilst the 
 actual settler claim of right one quarter section or two 
 at the usual price fixed by law. 
 
 The bill is also very deficient in as much as the refer- 
 ence is made to the recorder alone. This is confiding 
 too much in one man. Not less than two commissioners 
 ought to be added. Congress has given away more 
 
 154 
 
than 500,000 acres of land by confirming the opinions 
 of the recorder of land titles for Missouri reporte<l in 
 pursuance of the act of the 14 of April, 1S14. I think 
 that congrtsss has nior<' than once pui-sucd a ruinous 
 economy. 
 
 Vou know better than me that the })lurality of offi- 
 cers i« congenial with republican jealousy and watch- 
 fulness; that is is more easy to deceive, bias or brib(^ 
 <mc man than three, and tiiat an agent may be of great 
 use to cross-examine wilncvsses to meet the arguments 
 of the land (laimants; to inforui and check the com- 
 uiisvsioners. 
 
 I ho]ie you will do me the justice not to suspect that 
 I isuggest the creation of offices that 1 ma}' have an op- 
 portunity^ to fill one of theui. 1 was appointed last 
 July one of the <'ommissioneis to examine the titles 
 and claims to land in west Florida, and 1 declined it, 
 and even now my opinion is clearly for refeiTing the 
 claims to the judiciary. Besides these I beg leave to 
 refer you to Alessiis. Edward and Cook from Illinois. 
 They both reside Avithin 20 miles from St. Louis. 1 
 hope they will be able to state to you that I have denied 
 myself to use the fairest opportunity of becoming rich, 
 and that I have made a sacrifice of my rest, peace and 
 popularity in (trder to atten<l to the best interest of the 
 U. S. I should not have entered into these long and 
 ])erhapf< tedious details, had I not been persuaded that 
 you are devoted to the service of your country from 
 higher motives than ostentation and vanity. I am, 
 With great respect, &c., 
 
 X,. r , Jauy. 1st, 1820. 
 
 ^^ m. Lowndes, "^ 
 
 Sir:— In my letter to you of the 22nd of Nov., 1818, 
 
 I informed you that James Mackay having in pursuance 
 
 155 
 
of his petition prc^sented to Congress at tbe session be- 
 fore the last, succeeded, &c., to have a law passed in 
 his favor, &c. He is now petitioning again for another 
 claim also unrecorded, &C, This second petition shows 
 more forcibly tlian ever the danger that exiists in de- 
 parting from general principles and legislating for piu- 
 ticular cases made up with ex parte testimony, for it is 
 ex parte testimony every where whether in th<^ i)e- 
 tition or in the report of the recorder, and that unless 
 Congress shuts up every avenue to such inroads, there 
 will remain no point where it will be able to stop at. 
 Various other arguim^utK to show that those claims 
 have neither equity nor law, — that the commandant 
 wlio issued the last concession had no power and is still 
 at hand, and it has been and is actually in his power to 
 issue more concessions of the same kind, to-wit, un- 
 registered concessions. 
 
 It is not my intention to suggest that he would do 
 such things, but only that lie could, and I leave you to 
 conjecture from the past what he might be capable of. 
 There is between him and Mr. Mackay a great appear- 
 ance of friendship and contidential intercourse. I shall 
 make no further remarks referring you to my letter of 
 the 22/d Nov., 1818 on the same subject. 
 
 Having been lately very sick and being yet much ex- 
 hausted I have been under the necessity to have this 
 letter written by one of m^- sons. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 J. *B. C. L. 
 
 January 21st, 1820. 
 Wm. Lowndes, 
 
 Sir: — I have seen by the last newspapers that John 
 Scott delegate of the territory of Missouri has presented 
 the petition of C. B. Penrose for a full compensation for 
 
 156 
 
his services as former land commissioner. I had pe- 
 titioned with Mr. Penrose last year for the same pur- 
 |)(»s('. A 1)111 was rei)(»rted favorably and aurced in 
 coiiiniittcc of tlu' wliolc. The report of llic coiiiinittee 
 of the whole wjks opjxised in the house ;ni<l the hill wm 
 «ienerally postponed by a small majority. 
 
 Bein.ii disj»nsted with tluM refusal, aiul believiuj» the 
 most active oi»])oneiils to the bill were the most active 
 frieuds of ( h(^ claimauts ;ni<l did jtartiike with their 
 spleen and hatred towards uie. I declined to join in the 
 petition of Mr. Penrose thi« year. 
 
 There is no doubt with me but that Mr. Scott and 
 others will use their nn»st earnest endeavors to obtain 
 for ;Mr. Penrose the prayer of this jietiliou as 1 stand no 
 more in their wa}' and am not to be beuetited by their 
 executions. 
 
 Altho I can reconcile Avith the refnt<al, however 
 unjust, which T met with last year, I could not ludp con- 
 sidering the uiantinjj^ Mr. Peurose full couijM'USMtion 
 without extendinji the same })vovision to uiv as a nu)st 
 direct insult. For an instance of the relative merits 
 of Mr. Penrose and myself as commissioners. I beo- leave 
 to refer you a.nain to Dubenpie's claim in the S4th. S.'ith 
 and 86th paj>es of the ai)peudix to the Land Laws, and 
 to tlie Secy, of the Treasury aud tlu' couimissiouer of 
 the jieneral land othce. 
 
 If you IxM'oine satisfied ;liiU I ;iui as <leservini: as Mr. 
 Peuiose, 1 hope of youi' jusiicc that you will move the 
 insert ion of my name in the bill if any is reported in 
 favor (d' Mr. Penrose, and that my ri<::ht and honor shall 
 not be sacriliced to the resentment of the land claimants 
 and their aj^ents. 
 
 I direct you a number of the Missouri (Jazette con- 
 taining a copy of one of Mr. Scott's electioneering hand 
 
 ir. 
 
bills, wherein to gain the better the confidence of the 
 land claimants, he declares that he poissesses several 
 claims which are unconfirmed. 
 
 JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 December 1st, 1820. 
 Wm. Lowndes, 
 
 (The same purport as letter to John Quincy Adams, 
 dated December 1st, 1820.) 
 
 St. Louis, November 26, 1821. 
 Wm. Lowndes, 
 
 (Letter to, intimatinii that land claimants having suc- 
 ceeded in having their friends and partners elected to 
 senate and house of representatives, it may be expected 
 that greater efforts than ever will be made this year to 
 obtain the passage of law in favor of their claims, prob- 
 ably towardvs the end of the session when the house will 
 be thin and members exhausted. 
 
 Report has circulated during laist session of Congress 
 that I had written to several members from the non 
 slave holding states to encourage to refuse their absent 
 to the admission of the state of Missouri into the union; 
 that the restrict ionists were gaining ground in the state 
 and probably a clause iuliibiting slavery would at bust 
 be introduccMl into the constitution. 
 
 I declare that I did not write at Washing-ton nor 
 elsewhere anything against or for the Miscsouri (]ues- 
 tions at any of their stages before Congresis. 
 
 I believe that such a report Ikim originated with some 
 of the agents or friends of the Spanish land claimants 
 in order to disturb or interrupt the confidence and good 
 understanding that may exist between divers membei-K 
 
 158 
 
from the soiitli ;iih1 myself, as they v^iispei t tliat T eor- 
 n'si)i»n<l wifli them on tlie snhjeet of tlie land claims. 
 
 Altlionjili I don't wisli to liave il known that I have 
 (•ommnnieat<'d to divers mcmhei's my opinion on those 
 clainiis, I should not, however, decline t(t ajtpear at the 
 bar of either honse of Coniiress and state at larjiic the 
 reasons of my opinion aj^ainst those claims and vindi- 
 cate that opinion if necessary. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, February l«t, 1822. 
 Wm. LowndeSj 
 
 Sir: — A resolution having lately been broup^ht before 
 the House by Mr. Scott from Mifjsouri for the ])nrpose of 
 having the French and Spanish claims to land in the 
 state of Misseuri referred to a tribunal, permit, &c., 
 the same as in letter to Walter Lowrie, Jany. 25th, until 
 "hereafter its liberality with discrimination'' — if it ex- 
 ercises it at al! and under i pro]ter responsibility to the 
 people of the Tnited States, w hich hat^ been heretofore 
 evaded by civiiiii away laruc tracts of land under the 
 cover of confirmation of e<iuitable rij:»hts. Cousidf'rinjz;. 
 however, that th<' ancient inhabitants of the ])rovince of 
 Louisiana have come under the ])i()tection of the United 
 States bv purchase and not by theii- own act, consider- 
 ing; alMo that they used to recei\c from their former 
 sitvereijiTis moderate «;rants of land upon,' easy con- 
 ililions and almost uratutiously ; tlu' nn>st riMUote e(]uity 
 or justice which any (d" theii- claims may possess oun'ht 
 to be attended to with parental tenderness. The I'nited 
 States are bound by every tie not to leave them any rea- 
 sonable cause t(» re«;ret their former sovereigns, and the 
 change of their former condition. 1 am, 
 
 Respectfully, «&c., 
 
 15!> 
 
December 21, 1821. 
 Walter Lowrie, 
 
 Sir: — I have delayed much longer than I first intended 
 in presenting to your view the many defects of the 
 Spanish claims to land in the state of Missouri, which 
 remain unconfirmed. 
 
 Permit me now to observe you. that by the 4th sec- 
 tion of an act of Congress of the 3d of March, 1807, the 
 board of coiiiiiiisNioners for adjusting the claims to land, 
 ^i., of \\ liicli I \v;is (tne, was iiutliorized to confirm all 
 claims to laud not exceedinu llic (lunntity contained in 
 a leagtie sfpmrc, ac( ordiug to the laws and usages of 
 the r«^spectiv(' govcinuicnts, Fr(>uch or Spanish, under 
 which they ha<l originattMl. That the c(uuniissioners 
 ascertained that no Spanish law and usage allowed the 
 granting of more than a league square to each individ- 
 ual, and therefore were competent to do full justice to 
 the claimants, which I am perfectly satisfied t']](:'y did. 
 They have made a rejiort to the Secretary of the Treas- 
 ury of all the claims which the3' did not confirm, to 
 gether with all the written and oral evidence in su\) 
 port of the same, likewise their o])iuion. to-wit: that 
 it ought not to be confiruunl. This report was made in 
 the beginning of the year, 1S12. The land clainiant,s, 
 after varions attempts, succeeded in obtaining the 
 passage of an act on the 12th of April, 1814, which 
 recognized the concessions of warrants of survey, issued 
 by the French or Spanish governuu'uts at any time be- 
 fore the liHh day of March, ISOf, without auy regard 
 to the non-compliance with the condition precedent, 
 to-wit: cultivation during three years, provided the 
 land thus conceded and claimed had been duly sur- 
 veyed or specially located, and each claim did not ex- 
 ceed the quantity contained in a league square, by 
 
 IHO 
 
which means, the principle contained in the treaty of 
 rh<^ :iOth of April, 1803, between fhe French Kepublic 
 and the V. S., to-wit: that thi^ Ficiicli liepnblic ce«led 
 to the U. S. foicvcr and in fnll sov(*reij;nty, the said ter- 
 ritory (Louiisiana) with all its ri.iihts and appnrtenances, 
 as fnlly and in the same manner as they have been 
 a((inired by llic I'icnch Kepublic. In virtue of the 
 above mentioniMl treaty, to-wit: the treaty of St. llde- 
 fonso <tf tlie 1st of October, 1800, is given up. 
 
 This (lej)ar<ur(' or aberration from a fundemental 
 principle, will, no doubt, be urged as a precedent which 
 ought to be extended to all claims remaining uncon- 
 tirnied. 
 
 Mr. Scott, in the house of representatives ivs a laud 
 claimant himself, — of course will have a double motive 
 not t(» be idle on thit> subject. Messrs. Barton and 
 Benton \\ill not be less active in the Senate. Benton, 
 specially, will be strenuous and indefatigable. 
 
 Notwithstanding the great efforts and interest which 
 the land claimants have made to procure his ^lection, 
 nevertheless he gained it by the majority of one only. 
 He has been heretofore the counsel and agent of the 
 land claimants. 1 am credibly informed that his-; fees 
 are contingent to the confirmation of the S])anish land 
 claims; moreover, his pecuniary circumstances are des- 
 perate. He is one of those directors of the Bank of 
 .Miss(turi. who, without c<'r<MUony, divided among them- 
 selves the capital of that bank, and then stopped pay- 
 ment, having embezzled the depocsits of many individ- 
 uals and particularly of the U. S. to the amount of more 
 than .i>ir)0,000 He is (he one. who since the failure of 
 that bank lias bought Missouri Bank Notes at 50 per 
 cent of discount, and thus unblushiugly profits by pub- 
 lic distress and calamity. He is the very man who has 
 
 101 
 
swindled Charles Lucas one of mx sons, out of his life. 
 It will be found on enquiry, that in North Carolina, 
 where he is born, in Tennessee where he did reside for a 
 long- time, all is of a piece with his directorship and 
 other incidents of his life in Missouri. 
 
 When the question of authorizing;- the people of the 
 territory of Missouri to form themselves into a state 
 was agitated in Congress, he sat no bounds to his abuse 
 and revilings against the members who were in favor 
 of a clause restricting or inhibiting slavery. He filled 
 AA'ith the names of the leading members from the north 
 a list of proscription, which he published in the St. 
 Louis Enquirer. I have on file the number that con- 
 tains it. He was then the proprietor and editor of that 
 paper. 
 
 Being fully persuaded that the Spanish land claim- 
 ants have no kind of right in law or equity, and that 
 all their hopes of success lies in their unremitting in- 
 trigue in the extension of their interest by making 
 transfers of part of their large claims to influential per- 
 sons, perhaps to some members of Congress, and lastly 
 in their watchfulness to seize the opportunity of a thin 
 house towards the end of the session, to obtain their 
 end. 
 
 I beg leave to suggest that the safe and constitutional 
 way to put their claims at an end is to provide by law 
 that they shall present their claims within a given time 
 before a judicial tribunal for a trial. This is the only 
 place where plausible tales, pitiful stories and ex parte 
 evidence will not find admission and will be of no avail. 
 
 Let me add that many of those claims are antidated, 
 but as they were not duly registered and were de- 
 ficient under other respects, the commissioners thought 
 it unnecessary to go to the trouble to enquire particu- 
 
 162 
 
larly iuto the fraud, and have proof thereof adduced. 
 It iiiny be ]>i'(»per to observe that there is au essential 
 (lilTcreiicc between (hevstate of the hmd ehiims in lo\v«'i- 
 and n])|>ei* Louisiana, now ^lissouri, and the reason of 
 it is (luitr obvious; in ;is much as the inhabitants of 
 lower Louisiana wci'c ncneiallv i»lanters and a.nrieul- 
 turisls, whilst I lie chief pursuit of the ancient inhabi- 
 tant's of ui»|)ei' Louisiana, now Missouri, was boating, 
 huntinn, trapping and trading with the Indians. These 
 laist sat little or no value upon land except when they 
 hear<l that the country was ceded to the V. S., and 
 therefore, when it was too late, they applied for large 
 quantities of land for the purpose of speculation and 
 then they missed their object entirely for the conces- 
 sions under which they claim were issued by the com- 
 mandant or lieutenant governor at St. Louis, whilst by 
 a royal ordinance isisued at St. Lorenzo on the 22d of 
 Octobei', 179S, llie i)ower of granting or distributing 
 the roval (huiiains was exclusively lodged in the in- 
 tendant whose place of residence was at New Orleans. 
 
 The uncontirnied claims ought not to be contirmed 
 Isl because the concessions are not duly registered and 
 of course not authenticated. 2d, in most all cases the 
 concessions have not been issued by the proper otticer. 
 8d. because the concessions call for a gn'ater quantity 
 of land than is allowed by Spanish laws and usages. 
 l(h, because the condition precedent, such as cultivation, 
 &c., have not been complied with. 5th, because in 
 almost all cases the right of domain was no more in th^ 
 crown of Spain at the time its otticei's issued the con- 
 cessions or orders of survey. 
 
 Was I at Washington when these claims will be un<h'r 
 the consideration of congreciis, 1 should, if called upon, 
 appear with pleasure at the bar of either house to en- 
 
 1()3 
 
large upon the reasons here before suggested. I should 
 be now the most wealthy and popular man of the ^state 
 of Missouri if I had been willing to betray the interests 
 of the U. S. as land commissioner. I should have at 
 present a seat in the Senate of the U. S., but official 
 purity has not become as yet a recommendation in 
 Missouri. I am, &c., 
 
 Kespectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, December 27th, 1821. 
 Walter Lowrie, 
 
 Sir: — I have lately discovered that it was reported at 
 Washington during the last session of Congress, that I 
 had written to several members from the non slave hold- 
 ing states to encourage them to refuse their assent to 
 the admission of Missouri into the union; that this re- 
 port has been credited by several members from the 
 south. 
 
 I declare this report is false, &.C., and hari been cir- 
 cuhited by Benton or other partners to interrupt good 
 understanding with the members of the south and in- 
 duce the President to believe that I am malevolent and 
 hostile to the people of Missouri. 
 
 I wish you to enquire of Messrs. Merrian Edwards & 
 Daniel P. Cook, who live small distance from St. Louis 
 and are strangers to local jealousies, what is my stand- 
 ing in Missouri. If from their report you are satisfied 
 I liave pursued a correct course, consistent with my 
 public life in Pennsylvania, please to impart your im- 
 pressions to the President. Whether the President will 
 appoint me or not to the office of Judge of the District 
 ConrI is not important, but it is of moment that the 
 S])n nish land claimants should not have their favorite 
 
appointes. Probably Mr. (hey will be proposed by 
 Benton & Barton. He is the same Captain Grey who 
 was so intemperate and addicted to drunkenness whilst 
 he was in the army, that he had received a hint to resign 
 in order to avoid disgrace. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 25, 1822. 
 Walter Lowrie, 
 
 Sir: — Seeing that you are a member of the committee 
 of the Senate on public lands; seeing also that a resolu- 
 tion has been brought in the house of representatives 
 for the purpose of having the French and Spanish 
 claims to land in the state of Missouri referred to a tri- 
 bunal, permit me to suggest you something more on 
 that subject. It must, I hope, be satisfactory- to you 
 that the commissioners who acted upon those claims 
 and made a report thereof ought to be of some service 
 and utility to the Congress. It ought not to go for 
 less than to inform the consciences of the members of 
 Congress and. induce them to put in litigation their 
 claims within a given time or else all that labor must 
 go for nothing. ^Ir. Scott in his resolution having used 
 the word tribunal, may probably in the <letails of the 
 bill qualify that tribunal so that it may at last be not h- 
 ing else but a reference to one or more commissioners, 
 which would be doing the same thing over again, and 
 in that case there might be a possible chance on the 
 part of the land elaimants to gain some undue advan- 
 tage as the proceedings would be ex parte. New en- 
 couragement would thereby be given to fraud and per- 
 jury. Unless these commissioners confirmed the claims 
 In toto, there would be no end to new applications to 
 Congress for confirming the rejected claims. The act 
 
 1G5 
 
of the 12tli of April, 1814, entitled "An Act for the 
 Final Adjustment of Land Claims, &i'.,'' presents in its 
 operation a stronj; instance of it. There was nothing 
 final in that act but the sound of the title. The whole 
 tenor of it amounted to a dangerous surrender of im- 
 portant rights on the part of the U. S. being surrep- 
 titious in its effects it operated as an entering wedge 
 in favor of the land claimants. After having obtained 
 under that act the confirmation of claims which had 
 not even the merit of legal incipiency. The claimants 
 have become more clamorous than ever about the 
 claims that were not confirmed. Nothing short of a 
 total surrender of all the lands they claim will satisfy 
 them, and indeed their rights being secured by treaty, 
 and the United States being in the present case a party, 
 none but a judicial tribunal can finally and constitu- 
 tionally decide between them and the United States. 
 Therefore the tribunal to which these claims may be 
 referred ought to be a judicial one such as any of the 
 Courtis of the United States. At the same time I think 
 it would be proper that the judges should be directed 
 to mention in their adjudications when made against 
 the claimant, whether the claim in their opinion had a 
 legal incipiency or was null ab initio, whether they en- 
 tertained doubts about the sufficiency of the claim; in 
 order to enable Congress to exercise hereafter its liber- 
 ality with discrimination, for as these land claimants 
 have come under the protection of the U. S. by pur- 
 chase, and not by their own act, as thej used to receive 
 from their former sovereigns grants of land upon easy 
 conditions and almost gratuitously the most remote 
 equity or justice which any of their claims may possess 
 ought to be attended to with parental tenderness. The 
 U. S. are bound by every tie not to leave them any occa- 
 
 166 
 
Kxou 1(1 i'('<;i-et their former so vereigiu^, and tlie change 
 
 of their eonditioD. 
 
 Respectfully yours, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Jany. 22, 1822. 
 Will. Lucas, 
 
 Dear Will.: — Your letter of the 4tb of January was 
 received yesterday. I reciprocate you my best wishes 
 at the bejiiuuiuo; of this year, and particularly that you 
 may be Nuccnssful in your change of situation and your 
 new pursuits, but let me remember you that these 
 wishes will be of very little avail if you don't helj) y(Uir- 
 self to the utmost of your power. You cannot dissembh 
 to yourself that you have lost already a precious part 
 of your time. One loss may be repaired, two would be 
 ruinout<. It is with regret that I advert to the past. I 
 do it from the best motives. Your good sense and the 
 energy which with health and youth you certainly must 
 possess, afford me pleasing and ^strong hopes that you 
 will go through life with comfort and honor. As to 
 fortune the pursuit of so tickle deity gives much more 
 trouble and uneasiness than its possession is worth. 
 Beside this, fortune' is a mere matter of accident, other- 
 wise its a])pellation would be wrong. 1 am happy to 
 hear that my standing is good in the part of the country 
 you live, not only f«»r myself, but for you also. Long 
 cilice, I thonglit that my enemies in St. Louis were an 
 injury to you and that you would be better off any 
 where (^Ise. 1 was absent when Mr. Bead went off, 1 
 intended to send yon by liiin the deed of Clemson to 
 have it recor(le(l. I expected to overtake at St. Charles, 
 a Mr. Barton wIkmii 1 had met a <lay or two b< fore on 
 the road near N'ailliant and had delivered mc a few 
 lines from you to Adrian, but 1 was disappointed. 1 
 
 167 
 
handed your watch and a letter from Adrian to Colonel 
 Allen the representative of your county. I have re- 
 ceived lately a louix and artful letter from James. He 
 speaks highly of you. He say.s he loves you as him- 
 self. Saml. Perry called tins day a week at my house 
 as he was going- home from the legislature. He told 
 me that Geyer had declared hinuself candidate for 
 Congress. Judge Stewart had offered himself before. 
 I am informed the latter is preparing to go through the 
 state and show himself. He is now at St. Louis. He 
 is a laughing stock there. The French speak of him 
 with great contempt. I don't think he will have any 
 support from them. As to (leyer, from every enquiry 
 I have made from the members of the legislature and 
 others I am induced to believe that he stands no kind 
 of chance. He is considered to be almost in a .state 
 of insolvency. 1 was informed that his library is exe- 
 cuted. Judge Pettibone told me the first time I went to 
 St. Charles since your departure that he heard several 
 express an appreheuvsion that I shoidd be a candidate 
 I should carry the election unless the opposite interest 
 was consolidated on one candidate. He told me last 
 time I was there that such opinion prevails among my 
 friends and foes. Antoine Janis also told me last time, 
 that I was fast gaining ground among the Americans, 
 and that the French would certainly be for me. He 
 tokl me likewise that Pettibone is my friend. That 
 he knows he speaks much in my favor. Saml. K, Cald 
 well, senator from Peck, says that I stand better than 
 any other in his count}- as politician and as a judge. 
 The French are loud in my favor. Labaddie and few 
 others think that I should render the most services in 
 the state legislature. They seem to wish to diminish 
 the effect of the reaction as much as thev can. 
 
 168 
 
Mr. Stokos told mo that T was ablo to ronder p;reat 
 services in Coimrcss, but that the state stood in iiieater 
 want from me in tlie state le^ishiture. Lawyer Cozens 
 told me a few days ])ast, that if I was not opposed to 
 the hind claims in (olo I conld be elected t(» ('onnres;s, 
 bnl as to the state le^islalnre none conld onl poll me. 
 •Mr. Strother ov<'rtook me a day or two a^o in the street 
 .nid t<dd me that if Scott was not candidate, he would 
 <;ive me his snp])ort, but at all events he would not 
 op]»os(' me. That my i)0])nlarity was inrreasin<i, fast. 
 That he doubted Scott would hazard to be a candidate 
 a«ainst me; thai pro\ided 1 exjxtscd in the newspapers 
 the defects of tlie constitution, their i^cneral tendency, 
 an<l commented on the votes of ^Ir. Scott in the con- 
 vention, he was persuaded that I should succeed in the 
 election. Le Vieux Cadet is now (|uite polite to me; 
 bi'iui; in the Senate Chamber he invited me to the fire 
 and br«>ui;ht me a chair, he t(dd the fate of his case 
 with Mde. Chevalier before Jud<»e Pettibone, and the de- 
 sertion of Benton has opened his eyes. \\'arner tells me 
 that he declared on the other day in pi-escnc*' of Ciamble 
 and Lawyer Peck, that if 1 was candidate for Con<;ress, I 
 should have his support in preference to any. They 
 both orave me an apparent approbation. Mr. Strother 
 wishes me to ride this s])rin|Li the circuit with him, he 
 says that it is absolutely nec(^ssary that the people 
 should sec me. Strother told uie that he expected the 
 French would vote for me; as he supi»os(Ml I would 
 sn]>port such of their claims as are equitable. Posse- 
 mn is very warm in my favor, lie says that I shall 
 have a very ureat support from the French and 
 Americniis in St. Louis; that the merchants and grocers 
 will iicuerally be for me. Mr. Strother told me that he 
 heard Dr. Strother say that if Scott is not candidate, he 
 
 169 
 
will give me his support. Jeremiah Connor was then 
 present. La Croze says that he is satisfied from all he 
 hears and overhears, there is a .great change in the 
 public opinion in my favor, Didie says that he is 
 sure the Aiigt. Chouteau will support me, and that as 
 for himself h<^ will, contrary to his fcunner resolution, 
 be ats active as possible for me. Nothwithistanding all 
 these I continue to declare that 1 am not a candidate. 
 Cook, of Madisson is an<»ther candidate for Congress. 
 I desiie you to appear prettj- indifferent about the 
 candidates. This is the way to render you acceptable 
 to all persons, and there is a clear benefit in such a 
 course both for the purpose of society and practice in 
 your profession. Be forbearing and indulgent to 
 others; use severity only towards yourself. You may 
 derive now a great advantage from your experience by 
 applying it to your present situation, which may be 
 termed a new moral existence if through some confiden- 
 tial friends oi- other indirect means you could know 
 or learn something of my standing and that of Scott in 
 Boon county or Moutgomei*y. I hope you will inform 
 me of it as soon as possible. If 3'ou were asked if 1 
 ishall be a candidate for congress, say that it may or may 
 not be, but you know not. The piece which I forwarded 
 to the eidtors of the National Intelligencer has been 
 published in their paper of the 11th of December. I 
 have some intention to take a ride through the state 
 early in the spring. 1 have rented the stone house 
 to Lawyer Cozens for 10 dollars per nnmth. The books 
 will be put at auction in a week from these. Adrian ex- 
 pects to be able to send you in about two weeks those 
 that he will buy for you. 
 
 Money is more scarce than ever. One dollar in specie 
 commands two in loan office paper. The Illinois bank 
 
 170 
 
Dotes are not so depreciated. DIevores tells nie that I 
 stand fair in St. (Muirles County, and have a good rhanee 
 to hav«' a majority in niy favor for Congress. 
 
 Mr. Barton has written nn^ a v<M'y inii)ertinent letter 
 the same tlay that Adrian iccciNcd the law l)oid<.s fiom 
 him at his olhcc. 1 havo made him an answer which in 
 substance and form ought to cur*' him of his turn for 
 injustice and impudence. 1 regici very much the cir- 
 cumstance, but I could not get over so much insolence. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 In my next I shall endeavor to answer your question 
 on the communante' under the contume de paris. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 31, 1822. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Dear Son: — Agreeably to the promise I gave you in 
 my lett<'r, I am going to transcribe here some of the 
 leading principles goveijnng the rights of husband and 
 wife l*ar la contume de paris. Ait. 220 — and comments, 
 225—237. 
 
 I have made here a selection of leading principles. 
 If they are not sutticient state particularly any point 
 and 1 shall endeavor to give you further information 
 from the law or its analogy. 
 
 .Mr. (Jeyer is considered to be broke and insolvent. 
 From all I can hear the public ojiiniou seems to be tixed 
 again supjiorting insolvent men any nn)re for officcvs. 
 M(<'allister from St. Ferdinand in my favor for cong. 
 1 shall run well in JetTerson County so say.s Col. Ham- 
 mond. 
 
 Farrar says that he is not going any more to raise 
 false friends over his head. He don't know but I am 
 
 171 
 
his enemy, but lie knows I never shall use dishonorable 
 means. He prefers such men to false friends. O'Fallon 
 says that he re<j;Tets that a clause for the «»Ta(lual abo- 
 lition of slavery was not inserted in the constitution. 
 Had no particular objection to me for Congress. Could 
 not isay that he would vote for me but felt no dispo- 
 sition to oppose. 
 
 A person of weight and influence said that as a 
 politician I wa8 acceptable to him, but when he was 
 pressed to declare in my favor, he said that my con- 
 duct towards Mr. Hunt's family operated in his mind 
 as a great draw back. It was then observed to him 
 that Mr. Hunt's comi)laints ought to have no weight, 
 to which he reported, but if it is Mrs. Hunt, and stopped 
 short. Mr. Soulard luus told me since that it was gen- 
 erally reported in 8t. Louis, that I had urged Mrs. Hunt, 
 after her husband had become poor, to leave him and 
 come with her children to stay at my house. Such in 
 fernal calumnies, if really thej proceed from my 
 daughter, receive a new force and when handled by 
 my enemies must tear and damn my character, if it is 
 
 not adamantine. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, June 5, 1822. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 (Letter in answer to letter of 25 May, requiring with- 
 out delay account of popularity in Callaway and Gas- 
 conade. Informing him of my journey to the south. 
 Majorities in my favor except, &c. Some account of Mr. 
 Stewart's depression seeing that I stood fair at St. 
 Louis, his boastings that his election is sure if I am not 
 candidate.) 
 
 172 
 
May 20th, 1823. 
 (Siibstanoo of letter.) 
 Will. I.ucas, 
 
 ( "ojircssidiis of Sfi'ollu'i' oil polilicMl siihjocts; i*('sii>ns 
 ollice of receiver, next fall iioe.s to W'asliiiintoii. invites 
 nic <o iio als«» lo assist Iiiin in iiavinji lainLs contiiniod, 
 nicaiiinii I lie fair claims; says that he and I conhl ac- 
 complish that object; says thai licnlon was federalist 
 in Tennesse<', Scott has no weiiihl. neither of tln'm can 
 ])rocnre the contirmalion of the laml clainit^. lie de- 
 clared before that he will be candidate for Conjjjress. 
 He commits himself daily, lose j;round, was fined flO by 
 conrt for contempt. Is openly for Crawford. Says the 
 Missonrian is fedeial ])aper antl viinved as .snch up 
 Missouri. The Kartonis, Bates, «S:c., decidedly for 
 Adams. Tol. Cook wishes to dissemble but is for 
 Adams. 1 have spoken well of Adams and said that 1 
 could not reconcile to support him perhajis from no 
 other reason than party pride, as he was once federal- 
 ist. Said that I would not tak(^ active part in jiresi- 
 deutial election. 1 saw Thomas Senator decidedly for 
 Crawford. Says that tlie old staunch republicans stand 
 for him; says also that 1 am relied on at Washinjjton 
 as iindeviatinii re|>ubiicaii. (Jallatin exi»ected fr<»in 
 Fi'aiK-e next fall. His family remains in I'^'raiice, The 
 object of his joiiriiey uiitlerstood to be to use intliienc<' 
 in rallyiuii republicans in favor of republican can<lidaie. 
 His etliciency much deixMids upon. I.owrie, senator 
 IKmi Pennsylvania told him liiat 1 had a hiiili standiui; 
 ill the (listricl where he li\'es. Thomas wishes me to 
 ^l»eiid next winter in Washiiiiitoii and I'ennsyh aiiia, 
 that 1 iiiiiiht be very useful. Dulf (Jreen called at my 
 house with Strother not lonj; since. He stated, what 1 
 had heard, that he was nominated to the Senate for 
 
 173 
 
register of land office of Missouri. Was rejected by 
 ►Senate. Was nominated again. Senate adjourned be- 
 fore acting on wecond nomination. Edward advised liim 
 to ask my interest in the Senate. That I stood very 
 well with several senators. I answered him that there 
 existed no friendvship nor enmity between him and me, 
 that I conld not solicit but was willing to make a fair 
 statement of facts. He appeared to be satisfied. 
 
 No plowing done 3'et. Land too wet. Adrian mo.st 
 always abroad. Ludicrous pasture well stocked with 
 horses. Mrw, Le Due dead, «&c. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 June 6th, 1823. 
 Wm, Lucas, 
 
 The resignation of Pettibone regretted by me and 
 others. Make the best you can of Tucker, If you be- 
 come his favorite, never praise him. Circuit Court sit- 
 ting. Geyer seems to court Stewart. Scott is here. 
 Understood' by many tliat ho will be candidate for 
 Senate. We had yesterday a full sight of each other. 
 
 Strother gave yesterday night an entertainment to 
 LSeveral g(Mitlemen of Ste. (lenevieve. They well under- 
 stand his objoct. Tills canvassing earlier than usual, 
 calculated to ontra]). Elector ought to retain as long 
 as possible his discretion untrammelled. Other per- 
 sons more modest and ais deserving may be proposed at 
 a later time. 
 
 I saw McNear and Scott speaking long time together 
 yesterday, perliai)s advisable to suggest that so early 
 canvassing is improper. Barton not returned. Bates 
 married. Kector is returned. A dinner by subscrip- 
 tion is given to him to-day. I refused to subscribe. 
 Bishop Dubourg returned. Gone again. Com])lained 
 
 171 
 
from pul])it jiuainst Uw Fn ncli. Enloj^ize the Irish 
 Catholics. -IcMiits arrived. (Joiiii; to be established on 
 Hkshop's farm near Flenristsante. KentiMl uiy house to 
 \*\\7A'V. Mississippi vny lii^li. Aj>proaohini»' dissolu- 
 lioii of yiv. Read alTccis iiic niodnatcly. I am familiar 
 with such events. Look with indifference on my turn. 
 Sole ai»prel!ension is to outlive. Keasonable strength 
 of mind and body. Farrar carnal J)r. Mason. Fined 
 130. 
 
 December 5th, 1824. 
 (Substance.) 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Keceived two letters from you, one Nov. 4th, the other 
 Nov. ITth. Success in your ])rofessi(ui make me very 
 happy. Adrian incurable. Lleard of many of his in- 
 discretions at St. Louis since departure. Your house 
 vacant. By Gamble's appointment, liates will take it 
 under (Jamble. 
 
 Xotwithstandino- Barton's e_iire»>ious falt.s, challenge, 
 &.('., succeeded not by his merit, by odium of adversar- 
 ies. !McNear went ott" with dis«;race. lie neutralized 
 his efforts by ottering for Senate. He denied it. Grant 
 assured Bates he had. Scott, Benton, Victor and all 
 posse share in defeat. Members of Legislature had con- 
 sulted toiicther. They were going to re(|uest Benton to 
 go to his post. Benton got the win<I, saved distance. 
 
 A great many from St. Loui.*^ attended first week of 
 session. 1 did not go. My whole attention was taken 
 ui> with Soulard's case. 1 was both nursing and i)re- 
 pariug niyseir. 1 addressed couri on Monday, 22d — 
 morning, afternoon, continueil next day until 1 o'clock 
 — objections of Lawless, — my answer — Judge and Dis- 
 trict Attorney exi)ressed wishes. Went on I think 
 pretty well morning, — not so well afternoon. EX- 
 ITS 
 
hausted next dav in body and mind. Probably you 
 have Iieard by this time something of it. Was often 
 interrupted by Lawless. The latter followed me. He 
 was perfectly at loss notwithstandin«»- his great labour. 
 Read from liistory of Louivsiana by Stoddart. ]My re- 
 marks upon Stoddart's two reports. Strother and Law- 
 less comment, ^v. Keflections. I explained. Lawless 
 said it was worse told. Ketract, refusal, interference 
 of Penrose. 
 
 Bates concluded. Offered to me previously to con- 
 clude. He was particularly polite. He did pretty well. 
 
 Testimony Lassus. Principal partially interpreted. 
 Bates rather c^asy. Is much courtiMl by L. C. T was 
 present all time. I was a check. I hope to be efficient 
 in ray ease. The means are turning. I wish that the 
 
 motto may suit me as well as you, though I am 
 
 much less elastic. I hope also to take part in argu- 
 ments of 1st case after te^timcmy will be closed. 
 
 Wm. Christy and others, my warm partisans talk in 
 Barber's shop favorable to me. ^ome surprised at my 
 law knowledge. Agreed any way tliat I was full nuitoh. 
 T. Hunt has removed to St. Louis immediately after 
 appointment, new recorder of service to obtain docu- 
 ments. I liad thi'ee imjxutant dUes. I sliall look for 
 more. 
 
 I am on poi)ular sides of (question, ^^trother seems to 
 feel X. I too uiak<' question still more ])o]>ular by 
 showing in next speech its bearing on interest of settlers 
 on Sapnish L. Claims. 
 
 Yours, &c, 
 
 St. Louis, Jan. 26. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Dear Wm.: — 1 lioi)e you liave not. or at least will not 
 fail to go to Spanish Needle Prairie settlemt^nt and 
 
 176 
 
make yourself acquainted, as far as possible, with the 
 (luaiitity an<l <|iiality of hiiul that have been rcliu- 
 (luislied, how much lies couti<;u(Uis and perhaps you 
 uiay ol)t;iiu some iiifonuatiou beside that which you 
 have received from Mr. .Moore. Vv. Stepheu (Jhiss- 
 ock, Ch'rk of the court of Kail Couuty, has caUed at 
 uiy house hitely. I have requested him to make also 
 enquiry on the same subject in his part of the country. 
 He has ;niveu me some hope tliat he wouhl be able to 
 find a ^ood section (tf laud some wh<'re near the line 
 between Pike and Kali. As it is ])robable that the loca- 
 tion which we intend to make will be sold, we ou<;ht to 
 be governed in our choice not only by the quality of the 
 land and situation, but also by the relative value sat 
 upon it. As the limitation fast approaches, no time 
 oujiht to be lost. 
 
 I am informed that the directors of the Bank of 
 Missouri have at last submitted to any terms imposed 
 upon them lo satisfy the <lebt of the U. S. No doubt 
 but this sudden chaniie of conduct is the result of the 
 ;idvice and direction of Benton who thereby imaj^ines 
 that he will palliate the iniquity of the orii^inal trans- 
 action, avoid furlhci' ])ublic investijjation, and claim at 
 Washiuiiton the merits of haviiiii broujLiht about some 
 thiuii like an equitable arran.iicment. It is certain and 
 publicly known that Benton is indebted to the Bank for 
 a sum of upwards of 111,000 and Scott for |10,000, part 
 to the ])riucipal bank and to the branch bank at Ste. 
 (lenevieve. 1 think you oujjht to state the fact on every 
 occasion and e.\]Kitiate ui)on it. State, for instance, 
 that the most influential friends of Scott, had the bank 
 in their power; that they have loaned to tluMuselves 
 and their i)olitical associates not only the capital of 
 the bank but the deposits made by the U. S. and others. 
 
 177 
 
That throuoii them the bank has failed and through 
 them the hohlers of the notes of the bank at the time of 
 the failure have lost 50 per cent upon them; that this 
 institution has answered the doubh^ purpose of — — and 
 of raising its favorites into power in the federal and 
 fitate governments. Ycm miglit mention that I owe noth- 
 ing to the bank, that I did not boiTow from the bank 
 to pay my stock, nor liave I been instrumental in any of 
 the evils consequent to the failure of tlie bank. Advise 
 you to be moderate and cautious. 
 
 I have received, yesterday, a letter from James Lucas, 
 dated 12th of December. He says that he was not long 
 before at Chouteau's camp on Grand River. He was 
 received with much attention by Chouteau. Saw 
 Christoph Sanguinet. He says also that he is going to 
 settle in Crawford County, to which the emigration is 
 very great. He states that he has been urged to offer 
 for the legislature and has derhired himself accord- 
 ingly. He expects to be elected without difficulty if no 
 unforeseen accident happens. 
 
 I was informed a few days past, that the young per- 
 son Avas sick at Fte. during some time before her friends 
 knew anything of it. Mrs. K'd went to see her and took 
 her home Avith her. I have heard yesterday that she 
 is much better. Perhaps you had better to come soon. 
 I shall probably be able to help you Avith some money 
 if you need it. I am going to complete the inventory 
 and file it with the clerk, and also make a settlement 
 of. accounts until this time. 1 should like very much 
 you Avere here to induce Mr. Hunt to do his part. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 178 
 
St. Louis, January 6th, 1826. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 My dear Win.: — Your letter of tlic 16th of Decern Vxt 
 was received. I ;iin much gratified to hear that tlie 
 sketch of aruuinciil lias ni(^t the general approbntion 
 and vours ])arti(iil;irl.v. I liave transmitted about 70 
 pamphlets containing the same to the city of Washing- 
 ton. I h:i\(' ;ils() sent several to Phihidelphia, Pitts- 
 burgh and other ]);nts. Although such a subject ought 
 to be dry and very litth' entei'taining, the generality of 
 rendeis. it api)ears, however, that I have so far suc- 
 ceeded as to render it sutticiently clear and interesting. 
 I am much mistaken if it has uot been as well j'cceived 
 in St. Louis as among your acquaintances up the Mis- 
 souri. Judge Peck has delivered lately his final opinion, 
 which is essentially the same as before. ^Ir. Lawh^ss 
 has taken an appeal. All the other cases are continued. 
 He says that he will not proceed to a trial of these 
 cases, but uniil he obtains a decision of the Supreme 
 Court. He is an indefatigable man. 1 attended dur- 
 ing all the time necessary to arrange the testimony, 
 take exce])tious to diverse decisions of the court as to 
 what was received or lejected, in order to make a full 
 record. I couhl discover at last some signs of despon- 
 dency on the part of Mr. L. through his pretende<l ap- 
 pearance of confidence. 
 
 It is probable th;it Pates will be candidate for Con- 
 gress. If so, there will be a vacancy to fill. I should 
 be very glad to see you on various accounts. You have 
 e?een, I sui)pose, uiy criticism on the French Prospectus 
 of Foreman and Kt'cmle. Their i-eply has compelled 
 nu' to say much more than I first intended. 
 
 It app(Mrs to be here the prevailing opinion that they 
 have been much worsted. I sent vou a few hand bills 
 
 179 
 
which I presume you have received and circulated 
 amono: your friends. 
 
 I am glad to learn that you have taken the necessary 
 arrangements to redeem the land in Cole County. I 
 have received yesterday a notice of Sarah Morin. and 
 Geo. Jackson, guardian of the minor children and heins 
 of Jolin Morin, deceased, dated December 26, 1825, that 
 they intend to apply to the next court to be holden in 
 Howard County for a decision of the estate, &c., which 
 court will be holden in April next. I here enclose the 
 notice, I hope you are provided with such authority 
 and instructions as arc necessary to make the choice 
 yourself, if not, 3'ou will let me know what is necessary 
 to do. 
 
 I have looked in the papers in vain for the documents 
 relative to this land. I have some confused idea that I 
 gave you a writing on that subject, however, it is not 
 probable as you would have mentioned it in the receipt 
 you gave me for the papers concerning Isidore Dupuir's 
 location. As you have a better recollection than me I 
 wish you to let me know if you ever saw such a paper. 
 I think it best to enclose the notice just spoken of to- 
 gether with an authorization to make the selecticm for 
 us. I think it would be well to look into the county 
 records for the deed of John Morin. Some information 
 might be obtained there concerning the share we have, 
 at any rate you would ascertain tlu- name of the person 
 in whose name the location hais been made. There are 
 •sever perscms who wish to buy that land. You might 
 know from Geo. Han-ison the guardian or other neigh- 
 bors what it might sell for. 
 
 180 
 
February 13th, 1826. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 My (Icnv S(tii: — I am inipationtly waiting for a letter 
 from jou. I am becoming more fond of yon than nsual, 
 I presnme il is bccanse I hear frequently very favorable 
 accounts of you. Now, my dear son, you are sensible 
 that you are assuming a respectable ground in society. 
 It is by becoming useful to yourself that you become 
 useful to others, and that you rise in the public opinion. 
 1 assure you that nothing iis more gratifying to me. I 
 know that I am doomed to lose soon my grasp of the 
 world, in<l(MMl, I have been gradually prepared for it, 
 but I think I shall retain a considerable concern for 
 it if 1 see any of my eliildren filling a respectable space 
 in the social order. 
 
 1 wish to know whether you Avill be a candidate or 
 not. I am informed that Mr. Grant intends to run for 
 the Senate. I saw him the other day at St. Charlet>. 
 He appeared distant. 1 approached him and en- 
 deavored to humour him. I did put one of my pamph- 
 lets in his hand. I am told that Dr. Talbert will run 
 for the Senate also. I should regret you should be a 
 candidate if your ])rospects are not the very best. Vou 
 know, I presume tliat Bates is caudidate for Cougresvs. 
 Mr. Giger looks for the Senate. He says, I am told, 
 when he is asked if he is, he answers, the Senate is a 
 high situation which ought not to be sought after nor 
 refused. As fai- as 1 could kiKtw, it is doubtful that he 
 would carry over Renton because he is not personally 
 popular. He is com]dained of for having used roughly 
 and mercilessly in debates the country members be- 
 cause also they say the same objection lies against him 
 as against 1>. lie is also much disliked by Bates and 
 his friends. 
 
 181 
 
It appears on all hands, however, his intimate friends 
 excepted, that B. is unpopular. I am told that Steven- 
 son from Wasliin^ton has said before a number of 
 members at St. Charles, I could beat Benton for the 
 Senate. I was asked at St. Charles durinj; session if 1 
 would offer for the Senate. I answered that I never 
 would i)ut it in the power of the people or any set of 
 men in Missouri to j;ive me a refusal. That the le«»isla- 
 ture in their electorial capacity ouoht not to be acted 
 upon as the multitude, they ought to consult among 
 themselves and point the person whom tliey believed to 
 be the best (|ualitied and then ascertain if he would 
 serve if elected. 1 ascertained whilst at St. Charles 
 that my argument had been well received and made a 
 very favorable impression so far as it liad circulated. 1 
 distributed many pamphlets to the membeiw. 
 
 I have written to Adrian to come and stay a while 
 at ni}' house. If he does you will probably see me at 
 Callaway at tlie court. Perhaps 1 shall go to Mont- 
 gomery. I have many things to say to you which can- 
 not find room in a letter. If I can raise funds probably 
 I shall go to Pennsylvania in April. I think Congress 
 will not adjourn before the middle of Ma}'. 
 
 Your affectionate father, &c., «&c., 
 
 October 23, 1826. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 Agreed for sale of lot of ground of Adrian Lucas .|-150. 
 |!150 in hand, the remainder in two yearly payments. 
 Have not heard of you since your departure. My case 
 against representatives of Makay continued. District 
 Court adjourned t<» 1st Monday January. Major Bidle 
 candidate in earnest, has exposed Benton in the upper 
 counties, Ford's remarks, great depression in Benton. 
 
 182 
 
Torch lij^lit juiiilcd in pamphlet. T have drafted pe- 
 tition to Con^icss. Object is to have ( lainiants in conit. 
 IJcnton lias taken petition from claimants to the presi- 
 dent. 
 
 Jany. 24, 1827. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 (Letter to, not important, exi)hiinin,n why 1 have not 
 been writini:: during session of Lejiishiture, Source of 
 information not at St. Louis, it was at Jefferson.) 
 
 KSt. Louis, July 21st, 1827. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — T was just ii<)in_u to write to you when 
 your letter of July Kith was receive<l. T atten<led tli<' 
 public sales of the relinquislied lands durin«>- 2 days and 
 out of more than (JO quarter sections cried out on the 
 1st day, none but i quarter section was sold. I bouoht 
 on the 2d day the half (]uarter relinquished beinj^ ])art 
 of the Jialf quarter where Adiian resides, at the rate of 
 |1,25 cents per acre. No on<' bid over me. None that 
 I know of has been sold for more than the minimum 
 price. I saw there Christo])her Talbert who purchased 
 but little land. I had no sooner shown him some little 
 politen<'ss than he directly apidi(<l to me tor a loan of 
 money tt) help him to make his jiayments. Perhaixs it 
 is for want of funds that he did not bid over nu-. 1 am 
 sorry t(» Invir that Adrian is so impatient to {;et mar- 
 rie<l. Vou miuht sugjjest to him that situated as he is 
 he i-aunoi many but some very low and trifiiuii woman, 
 and beinj; destitute of bodily jMtwer and possessinj; very 
 
 183 
 
few means as to shift and management be will inevi- 
 tably sink in poA^ert}' and perhaps be slighted and de- 
 serted by his wife. That in waiting' a little longer he 
 may with his own funds and a little pecuniary assist- 
 ance from me, have a black woman and some children 
 who will afford him a present comfort and better pros- 
 pects, whilst at the same time it will enable him to 
 marr}" to better advantage. If he jield to my advice I 
 will also give him the half quarter section adjoining 
 him. 
 
 I am informed that Col. Strother has bought of the 
 widow of Louis Chancellier of St. Charles, her preten- 
 sions upon an arpent and a half on 40 sold to me by 
 Auguste Chouteau, originally granted to Joseph Ga- 
 niache and Rene Riercereau. From examination of my 
 titles and the laws of Spain, I feel perfectly at ease 
 notwithstanding the blustering of Strother and Law- 
 less. The latter hinted to Mr. Hunt the other day that 
 the trouble and expense of attending a suit before the 
 District Court of the U. S. at Jefferson would be great. 
 That i>erhaps it would be more advantageous to me to 
 make a compromise. I know that their sole hope is to 
 ransom me, but they shall be disapi>>>iuted. 
 
 The trade of St. Louis is daily increasing. Perhaps 
 it may be checked for a while by the hostilities of the 
 Indians at the mine of Fievre River. I was offered some 
 weeks past, |1500 for the square north of Capt. Brent by 
 Mr Collier of St Charles. 
 
 You know, T presume, that the French and S|>anish 
 land claimants have signalized their defeat by causing 
 all their suits pending before the District Court at Ste. 
 Genevieve and St. Louis to be dismissed except one at 
 Ste. Genevieve and one at St. Louis. The number dis- 
 missed at St. Louis is 180 including that of Makay's 
 
 184 
 
heirs interfering with Baptist Lalleur h)eati()u where 
 Herry and Vailliant reside. 1 received a patent for the 
 Manie one week after the dismissal. Mr. Benton was at- 
 torney of record in several of the suits dismissed. 1 
 keep something; in reserve to eoufouud him. It is re- 
 marked here that Benton is shunned and ncj^h'cted. 
 I'robahly many of his friend.s arc avshann'd of liim. 1 
 presume you have seen in a hitc number of I he Kcpiib- 
 liean how he has behaved with J(din Jones, formerly 
 brick layer at St. Louis in a certain pecuniary trans- 
 action. 
 
 I found the other day anions my papers a letter «)f 
 James Bcaty rcfcrriuii explicitly to his bond and urj^ing 
 me to make selection for 100 acres of land a<;reeably 
 to the same. If you know where Beaty is let me know 
 it. I b«dieve a partition has been made of the same be- 
 f(tre, haviui; been serv(Hl with a notice for that j»urpose 
 two oi* three yeans since. I ho]>e you liave paid the 
 taxes for the land near tlie mouth of Manitou and at 
 Cotes Sans Dessein. 
 
 It seems to me that from the standiun I understand 
 you occupy at the bar and the many counties which 
 you attend, you ouiiht t(( receive a tolerable remunera- 
 tion. Perhajis you cany your liberality too far. This 
 is the only fault your friends chari»e you with. Thi.^ 
 is certainly an honorable fault, but 3'ou oui]!;ht to reflect 
 that in thi^; country, but with very few exceptions, no 
 one is i»ropeily an object of charity, and that knavery 
 and baseness ouj^ht not to be encouram'd. If y(»u are 
 determined to be easy and liberal let it' be only with 
 sound discretion. If many of yt)ur clients cannot pay 
 you imme<liat(ly at any rate never miss to take an evi- 
 dence of their debt, payable some time however re- 
 mote. I make these remarks because T have been often 
 
 i 
 
 185 
 
sufferer from my own honorable disposition and had no 
 thanks for it. 
 
 My intended journe}' to the east ma}' be pr()tracted 
 until September or October next. I see no one to whom 
 I can leave tlie manai;ement of my concerns but you. 
 I wisli you (((uld make it oouvenient to come to see me 
 in Au<;ust. Sh<tnld you purchase a piece of land some 
 where and commence improving it, I could give you my 
 farming utensiks and a couple of horses, probably some 
 houisehold furniture. Simon is returned from Memphis 
 greater villian than ever. He is now run away. So 
 much for my forbearance. From all I can see the 
 prospects of Adam are improving. Jackson has com- 
 mitted himself particularly- in his letter concerning the 
 G militia meji. He is now at issue with Clay by his 
 letter to Carter Beverly and tlie denial of Clay. The 
 member of Congress of high respectability alluded to in 
 Jackison's letter is supposed to be either Scott or Benton 
 Such is the opinion of Gyer and others. 
 
 Dear son, I am yours, 
 
 JOHN B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louivs, Augt. 12, 1827. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — Since my last to you of the 21st ulto. 
 various incidents having taken place, I feel induced to 
 write to you again without waiting for your answer. 
 At bust 1 have received through the marshal a written 
 notice under the name of Daniel Strother of Jefferson 
 County, Kentucky, to give him up the possession of two 
 arpens of land bcumded on one side south by land orig- 
 inally granted to Baptiste Berket and on the other 
 side north, by Louis Bissonet, which included the arpent 
 originally granted to Bene Kencereau and the other to 
 
 18G 
 
Joseph (Jauuulu'. 1 iiiHlerstand tluit this Daniel 
 Stiother is the brolher of O. F. Strother and that a con- 
 veyance lias been made to him in onh'i* to avoid the 
 jurisdiction of Judi»e Carr, and brinj; suit before the 
 Distrit-t Court of the V. S. -lud^c ( 'arr is threat iiicd to 
 be ksued also by Str<»t hci' and Lawh'ss for the recovcrv of 
 the arpent on which his dwcllinj^ liouse stands. O'Fal- 
 lon's house stands on tlic same arpent. Carr, seeinjjj 
 that he and I arc sonic what isimilarlj situated has In- 
 vitc<l me to a conference. 1 accepted tlu' proposal, 
 calh-d at liis iiouse the day foUowin^. 1 ini])arted my 
 idea of (h'fense. he r<'cii»i*ocated me hivs own. He ap- 
 peared to be very well satisfied with my ccunmunicatiou. 
 
 The day after Tuesday ia^it the action of of the 
 
 widow Marty aiiainst Tessou lionctre for the house and 
 lot occu])i(Ml by the latter was tried. I attended during 
 the whole time. 1 heard moisl attentively the defense 
 of Tesson by (Jyer. lie said nothing new to me and 
 omitted many things. Probably out of suraboundance 
 of meaiiis anions (tther thiniis he relied upon a prescrip- 
 tion under Sjjanish laws in consiMiuence that TTonore 
 had a possession of ten yeaiv before the common law 
 had been introduced by the statute of the territory. Mr. 
 Carr in his charge to the jury sustained that position. 
 It was late in the eveninii when the argument was 
 close<l. The court directed the jury to seal their ver- 
 dict when agreed, and meet in the morning. It is un- 
 derstood that the jury made up their verdict in a few 
 minuteN. The case was argued by Strother for the 
 plainlilT. The widow had agreed to h't him have one- 
 half of the house and loi if she liained and if she lost 
 she was to be clear of all costs and ex|»enses. Strother 
 is extremely odious ami (heap, lie did not deny in his 
 argument the principle of prescription by ten years 
 
 187 
 
possession between individuals, but he contended that 
 the title was still in the king and that no prescription 
 run against the king. The public opinion secerned to 
 run strong against Strother and his client. It is the 
 same, I am persuaded, in his claim against me, 
 Auguste riiouteaii, ]\faj(»r (Miristv, O'Fallou, Carr seem 
 to be glad as 1 understand of the intended attack of 
 Strother and Lawless against me, believing that I am 
 able to make a good defense. 
 
 I shall call for your services as counsel as soon as the 
 writ will be served upon me. 1 expect it every day. I 
 have lieard nothing from f^trother in the course of his 
 argument for the widow Marty but what I could answer 
 with the gn'atest ease, not excepting his distinction as 
 to the effect of prescrijition. 
 
 There is, of hite, a ver^'^ great increase of lawyers at 
 St. Louis, say 8 or 9. It is said that John O'Fallou will 
 be candidate for elector for Adams. Kutger's place ad- 
 joining Ju<lge Bent has been purchascxl for the use of 
 an arsenal. They are already hauling timber to it. I 
 had a short visit from Adrian. He appears to be more 
 reserved than usual. He is very saving. I made him a 
 deed of the whole quarter sectionj where he resides. 
 He left me on the 5th or 6th inst, to go to Loutre again. 
 
 Let me repeat that I shall be glad to see you at St. 
 Louis as soon as you conveniently can. I wish you 
 would suggest to Adrian, next time you see him, that 
 you believe that I shall help him up in procuring him 
 a negro man and a negro woman. That being crippled 
 and unable to rise a crop himself it would be the heighth 
 of folly to pretend to have a wife and rise a family. 
 That thus circumstanced no decent girl nor her rela- 
 tions could think it reasonable that she should marry 
 a crippled man without any means to support her, but 
 
 188 
 
bv waitiiii; niilil lie li;is a foiiph^ of slaves he may make 
 a iiiatcli wliicli may uive him comfort all his life with- 
 out t^o now and shame. Von miiilit add as yonr o])inion 
 thai in case he should disiiaianc himself bv makiui; 
 liastil\ an iuii»i()|i('i- cjioicc of a com|»aniou lie mi^lit for- 
 U'\\ my i;(»od will au<l alfection, and feel the ett'ects of it 
 both whilst 1 live and even after my death. 
 
 Adieu, «S:c., 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 10, 1828. 
 Wm. Lucas, 
 
 My dear son: — I received Avith much pleasure your 
 letter of the 23d ulto. The aboundanc<' and richness of 
 the silver ore which y(»u speak of cannot fail to be of 
 j^reat benefit both ])ublic and priAate. 
 
 Von appear to be disposed to give up yimr professional 
 pursuits in or(l<*r. 1 suppose, to take an interest in those 
 mines. Perhaps it would be ])roper that you should 
 consult the most approved books and mineralogy and 
 satisfy yourself from your own observation and actual 
 ex])eriments what may be the probable expense and 
 benefit attending the working of that mine, for any 
 miscalculation might be attended with ruinous conse- 
 quences. PeiliajKs by diligent enquiry you might find 
 more land containing such nnneral which is not yet 
 sold, and if so you ought to come ])romptly and pur- 
 chase it. H'you were wanting funds 1 should en<leavor 
 to help yon in procuring tli( ni. On snch occasions the 
 least dclav might be fatal. 
 
 If .V(ui had no interest in \iew in that silvi'r mine, 1 
 think that the extraordinary ])rofits which many one 
 have made and are making at the Fever Kiver mines 
 w(tnld well justify that yon should go there to explore 
 the mineral region and examine clo«ely all the advan- 
 
 ISU 
 
tages that may be derived from adventuring in business 
 there, obtaining lease, mining, &c. In my opinion the 
 isurest way to succeed woukl be to form a partnership 
 with some jjerson able to advance a capital sufficient to 
 procure goods suitable to the place and carry on smelt- 
 ing. We have before U8 the examples of many who have 
 been astonishingly snccessful. l^]ven the (Jratiots who 
 certainly are not \ery well versed in business are mak- 
 ing extraordinary profits. I have heard (tf i^everal 
 others who liavc already made little fortunes, for in 
 stance, Forgucsson. the rehition of .Tolin Scott who was 
 a noted ganihler at St. Lonis, wJMm you know well, 
 has been very snccessful. He arriv<Ml the other day at 
 St. Louis with a draught from the (Iratiots on Pratt 
 & Co. for |(it)0() due him for lend ore. There are a few, 
 however, that are not successful. Alfred Sangrain is 
 lately returned here from the mines after an unsuccesvS- 
 ful attempt at mining. It is reported that he has been 
 very industrious ther(\ That he has been working him- 
 self and ])erseveringly too. lie has sunk about |800. 
 The wages of winking liandis is very high, say from .^20 
 to $25 per month, thus, if one don't hai)])en to strike the 
 vein or stratum in short time, a small capital is soon 
 exhausted. From yoni- saying tiiat you have succeeded 
 very well at the late courts, not in makinu money, but 
 in increasing your re])utatioii at the bar, it ap])ear.s 
 to uu^ evidently that yon have now a cai)ital, wiiiidi, if 
 not transnnssible to your heir<s, cannot fail from be- 
 coming productive whilst you live in the ratio of the 
 increase of the wealth and ])o])ulation of the country 
 wherein you lyractice law, and this im-rcMse mnst 
 necessarily take place. You have begun with the 
 country and you are growing with it. This is an ad- 
 vantage which but few in your profession enjoy, and 
 
 100 
 
which on«»ht not to be slijihted. We are the artifirers 
 ill a nicat dcuico of our (twii liap])iii('iss T ,im well 
 satistird tluil many a ojn' liavc dcriM'd not inconsider- 
 able ctiniruii jioni sidiations niucli less cinijiblc than 
 yours. I assure you thai 1 feel a L!;reat <;ratiti<atioii 
 from havinjLj often heard that yon onjoy an nnnsnal 
 share of (he personal f^ood will, contidence and att'cction 
 (d' the peojiie that i-^urronnd you. Tliese sentiments are 
 b;ised Upon somethin;^ mmh ukuc solid than political 
 poi)uiarity. There is iiothin;:, evanescent in these ad- 
 vantaj»('S. They have been ac(iuired by the ii-ennine 
 emanations of your iiKual chaiacter and cannot fail to 
 be retained by the same means. This is a valuable 
 ingredient in the sum of happineiss which is allotted to 
 man. 
 
 I have been much worse with the cold I had when 
 you went away. I thoujuht for some days that I was 
 uoiug to make a ]»rompt exit. I am recovering though 
 shtwly. 1 ha\«' giv(Mi up long since all hope of going 
 to the east this time. Capt. Gjer expects to be in your 
 part of the country some time before next March. He 
 has told me he would call on you. There were two 
 jtoliiical UH^etiugM at St. Louis, as you \u\yv learned, that 
 for AdauKs was the most numerous and under other re- 
 spects more respectable. 1 declined to be one of the 
 committee to report the preamble and the resolutions. 
 1 voted against the preamble without stating any rea- 
 sons. 
 
 I am correctly iurormed .i uumlur of person}^ amongst 
 whom 1)1-. La lie ami I>en O'Fallon are couiit»ML have 
 been iiiiich olTeM(le<I ill coiisequ*'Uce of (Jov. Miller, 
 Benton, ^^tc, having designated or selected \Vm. Ashley 
 f(U' (uie of the electors without previous consultation, 
 1 am persuaded that the elements of discord amongst 
 
 101 
 
them will reoeive a full development in a short space of 
 time. From what I have heard there is no doubt but 
 that there will be a strong opposition made to Bate^ 
 at the next election, however. I iiave been able to dis- 
 cover that they are at loss for a person to oppose him 
 with probability of success. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 Let me hear of vou as often as vou can. 
 
 St. Louis, May 1st, 1822. 
 James Lucas, 
 
 Sir: — The law books belonginji to the estate of C. 
 Lucas have been sold some time since at auction. The 
 greatest part of them have been bought by Adrian 
 Lucas. I have taken them from his hand by assuming 
 to pay the price which he had bought them for. 
 
 1 have given a part of them to ^^'lll. Lucas. 1 intend 
 to send you the other part when yon will have given me 
 directions how and where to send them. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, April loth, 1823. 
 James Lucas, 
 
 Sir:— I have forwarded you a trunk by the steamboat 
 Calhoun which is to be left to the care of Wm. Mont- 
 gomery «& Co., mouth of White Kiver. It contains the 
 follows books: 
 
 Henning & ]\[umford 3 Vol. 
 
 Mumford's Keports 2 " 
 
 Bosanquet & Puller 5 " 
 
 Atkins Reports 3 " 
 
 Vernon's Reports 3 " 
 
 192 
 
Bradbv's ou Distress 1 Vol. 
 
 Law of Attac'liraents 1 " 
 
 Rlaf'ksfonc C'oiniiient 4 " 
 
 Cook's |{('lM)lts 1 " 
 
 F(tiit lihink K(\u\iy 2 " 
 
 Trial Vv\ Tais 2 '' 
 
 Powcl (111 INfWcns 1 " 
 
 ( lilhort lOvidciice 1 " 
 
 Peak's Eviaence 1 " 
 
 Es i)iiia.ss nisi pii 2 " 
 
 Peak's Nisi 1 '^ 
 
 Pleader's Assistant 1 " 
 
 Leach's Crown Law 1 " 
 
 Francis Maxim 1 " 
 
 LovelasNon Kills 1 " 
 
 Wilson on Arbitration 1 " 
 
 Bnrleniaqne 2 " 
 
 Terms, Kei)orlN. Dinest 1 " 
 
 Laws, r. S 5 " 
 
 I lent Ml. W 111. Ihissel, :Mar(li 21, 1823, Washington 
 I\('|)ts.. 1st and 2d vol., and the 4th v<d. of Henniug & 
 Mnmfoi'd. I have dircctcMl him to deliver thos<' books to 
 yon after the trial of a ca«e in whieh he intends to make 
 nse of them. 
 
 Farewell, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 Copy of r(M('ii)t foi waided to James Lnca^; an<l en- 
 closed ill 111)' forciioiiiii. 
 
 St. Louis, Ai)ril 10, 1823. 
 Received of .Tolin 1>. ('. Lucas one trunk said to con- 
 tain books wliich I obliiiate myself to deliver to U'm. 
 Montgomery »S: Co., at- the month of the White Kiver on 
 ])ayuient of one dollar freight foi' same. 
 
 E. F. BUSH, 
 Clk. Calhoun. 
 103 
 
June 30th, 1821. 
 Adrian Lucas, 
 
 I received your letter of May the 12th ulto. My son, 
 had I consulted nothinjj; but my feelings I should have 
 answered it much wooner, but I thus postponed in order 
 to impress your mind that the forbearance of a father 
 if carried too far might bring him into contempt or at 
 least make him too cheap. From my recollection of 
 your good disposition towards me during the life of 
 your mother and for a long time since, 1 cannot but suis 
 pect that some evil minded persons have artfully con- 
 trived to create discontent in your mind. I wish you 
 may guard yourself better hereafter against the in- 
 sinuations of my secret enemies. You are without 
 guile or deception. Of course knaves may have im- 
 posed upon you and may try again. I love you and 
 I wish you may be persuaded that I am the best friend 
 you have. 
 
 I would cheerfully let you settle on the land you 
 allude to, half a mile from Capt. Hunt if it was prac- 
 ticable, but from the trial you had at farming with 
 houses and fields ready for plowing and also other 
 means, it cannot be expected that you could succeed 
 when every thing is to be done and Avhen you are 
 destitute of means. I shall be happy to see you when 
 you think proper to call in. You may, if you choose, 
 
 come and stay with me. 
 
 I am your friend, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 February' 7th, 1826. 
 Adrian Lucas, 
 
 (Letter to, inviting to come and spend two or three 
 weekis at my house. Might have opportunity to sell lot 
 to enable him to purehase servant, male or female. 
 
 194 
 
Perhaps better to sell his place for price of a negro. 
 He iiiiiiht settle on my land or on land of estate of C. L. 
 Speak not about what Dr. Talbert tohl liini or upon 
 same isubjccl. On necessary occasions, consult Wm. or 
 myiself as liis best friends, &c.) 
 
 Yours, 
 
 October 23, 1826. 
 Adrian Lucas, 
 
 Informing him I have contracted under i)enalty that 
 lie wonhl execute (bed of one lot of ground, considera- 
 tion |450, to-\vi(, |150 in hand, the remainder in two 
 yearly payments witli interest. |{e(iu(»st him to come 
 soon, or else write to me an<l h't me know when he will 
 come. 
 
 St. Louis. June 15, 1827. 
 Adrian Lucas, 
 
 (Informing him tliat I have received his letter of 7th 
 June. Tliat 1 have endeavored to purchase negro 
 woman for him. That I am about writing to S. (Jhissock 
 foi' informal ion on same subject. 1 could have pur- 
 chased one »»r two for |:iOO and -1350 but was not satis- 
 lied avs to their (iualiticati(ms. I intend to Penn- 
 
 sylvania in commencement of next Se])t. to return again 
 next March or A])ril. 1 shall be glad to see him when 
 he can make it convenient.) 
 
 Atfectionatelv, &c.. 
 
 St. Louis, October 17, 1821. 
 J. J. Lucas, 
 
 (First part of letter written in French.) 
 very pleasing. These words are so appropriate that 
 this circumstance henc(^ forth will relieve me from 
 
 lUo 
 
the difficulty to write in a languajie less familiar to me 
 tlian the Euglish. 
 
 The territor}' of Missouri is now elected into a state, 
 and I have ceased to be judge since that event. I was 
 candidate for the federal senate. I have not succeeded. 
 I might have been the most wealthy and popular man 
 of the state, if as commissioner for the domaiUiS of the 
 U. S. in Louisiana to adjust and quiet claims and ascer- 
 tain titles to land, I had colluded with the land claim- 
 ants and made a report to the government of the U. S. 
 favorable to their colossal claimis, but I feel an iri'esist- 
 ible and hereditary dis[K)sition to preserve official 
 purity. My lot is cast, and I! bid adieu to popular 
 favors. AVhilst I was in Pennsylvania the interests of 
 my constituents were going in unison with those of 
 the U. S. Here the pretensions to lands of those who 
 were formerly Spanish subjects and many Anglo- 
 Americans who have since purchased from them are at 
 variance with the interests of the U. S. I have taken 
 the honest side, but it is not here the profitable one. 
 The ancient population formerly subject to Spain, con- 
 sist in Canadians, French, Creoles and few European 
 French and Spaniards. They are not destitute of pri- 
 vate virtues, but possess very little or no public spirit. 
 They have become my bitter enemies. If I had longer 
 days to live I might weather the storm in Missouri. I 
 know that I should be very acceptable as a public man 
 if I chose to go back to Pennsylvania, but I feel per- 
 fectly satisfied to spend the remainder of my days in 
 private life. 
 
 Notwithstanding the broad hint you give me as to the 
 communications which I have uiade to Mde. DeliUbee 
 concerning divers unfortuiuite events in my family, T 
 cannot become sensible of any impropriety on that head. 
 
 n)i; 
 
If they are traj'ic they betray no baseness. I confess 
 lliat I am aslianunl of the conduct of isome of my near 
 rchitives, but they are not on the west side! of the 
 Atlantic. 
 
 In order to j»ive you some idea of my unfortunate son 
 the htte Major Jiobt. Lucas, 1 here transcribe a letter 
 which he wrote me seven day^s before his death. 
 
 French Mills, 2nd Feby., 1814. 
 Dear and beloved father, 
 
 Had 1 not had repeated testimonies of your fortitude, 
 i woukl not now inform you that 1 am on the brink of 
 my <»rave. 1 have a severe illneiss which couLUienced 
 about seven days ago with the) mumps and is now 
 inflammatory. I was verj' sickly coming down the lake 
 and the St. Lawrence. It is but a short time «ince I 
 had recovered of those summer sicknesses. 1 am very 
 much grieved at never having received a letter from 
 3'ou. I got several from Charles and one from Nancy. 
 1 enclosed him last summer from Fort George $130 for 
 you, and in one of my letters to you T enclosed flO. In 
 coUkSequence of sickneSiS and the pressures of the cam- 
 paign I have not written home for five months. What 
 I most regret is not to die in battle were nu' country 
 might be benefitted, at the battle of AVilliams my regi- 
 ment was in the rear guard. Have had no participa- 
 tion in the affair. 
 
 My best affection to brother Charles, Adrian, sister 
 
 Nancy, brother William and James. Lif<''s but a 
 
 phant«)m. 
 
 Adieu beloved father, 
 
 R. LUCAS. 
 
 I have h<re some money, say fl30, my horse, ^:c., c'tc., 
 •Sec, also one month pay du(\ but I don't know what 
 
 197 
 
will becoDie of it. If it should reach home I want it to 
 be given to brother Adrian in testimony of my love 
 
 '"''■ ''™- E. LUCAS. 
 
 I have not as yet received the compt, exact from 
 E. V. Lucas which you promised in your last he would 
 send me immediately. More than ten years have 
 elajjsed since 1 have received any letters from him, and 
 you officiously answer in part in his behalf, as if you 
 guessed that he dares not or intends not to write him- 
 self. Adrian has not as yet received your answer to his 
 letter, neither did I expect that he Avould although you 
 
 say in your letter to me 1 beg of you to understand 
 
 distinctly that I never advised Adrian or any of my 
 other children to write to you. I know that none but 
 him have written. He is 
 
 Had E. V. Lucas availed himself of the letter of intro- 
 duction to the minister plenipotentiary of the [T. S. at 
 the court of France which 1 enclosed to him some years 
 since, he would have learned from the best authority 
 that no lady in the state of Pennsylvania stood higher 
 than my wife did in virtue aud other accomplishments. 
 He would have learned that when the same minister 
 was appointed minister of tinauces, I filled the seat 
 which he had before occupied in the Congress of the 
 U. S. He might have been informed of other particu- 
 lars concerning myself and family. 
 
 My address is John B. C. Lucas, St. Louis, State of 
 Missouri. J B C L 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 4, 1821. 
 Nathaniel Macon, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Having some expectation to be put in 
 nomination before the Senate for the office of Judge of 
 
 198 
 
the District Court of the V. K. for the state of Missouri 
 and beini; api>reh(Misive that Mesc^rs. liartoii and P>eiitoii 
 will opp(vse oi- endeavor to j)revenl Ihe contirmation 
 by the Senate, I bei; knive to state that Mr. Benton 
 was elected to the Senate by no more than one vote of 
 majority; that there were five candidates and I was 
 next to him; that I was powerfully opposed by the 
 French and Spanish land claimants whose interest and 
 intiuence has much increased the many transfers they 
 have made of parts of their claims to influential citi- 
 zens, both in this state and in Kentucky; that this oppo- 
 sition proceeds from my having- made a report as land 
 commissioner, unfavorable to their claims, and that I 
 could have secured myself with the greatest certainty, 
 a seat in the Senate, provided I had broken the trust 
 reposed in me as land commissioner, or, in other words, 
 made the best interest of the V. S. yield to their ground- 
 less pretensions. The land claimants have done all 
 they could in favor of the election of Messrs. Barton and 
 Benton. They therefore confident ly depend ui)on their 
 exertions to procure the conhrmation of theii' land 
 claims and keej) me down by ever}^ possible means. 
 Probably I may be represented to be an emanci])ator, 
 if my enemies think that this will answer their end. 
 I am. 
 
 Respectfully, &:c.. 
 
 Nov. IG, 1821. 
 Nathaniel Macon, 
 
 Sir: — Your letter of the 2nth of Jany. last in aiiswer 
 to mine of the 4th of the same month was received. 
 The difticulti(^s that wen^ unfortunately last session in 
 the way of the unconditional admission of (»ui- state 
 into the union of course prevented the president fi-om 
 
 199 
 
makiuj; a nomination for District Judge. If I am cor- 
 rectly informal, nn* enemies at AYashiugton have suc- 
 ceeded in creating prejudices against me in tlie mind 
 of the Preisident. Thev have reported that I Iiave en- 
 couraged several members from the non .slave holding 
 states to vote against the admission of the state, assur- 
 ing them or giving them to understand that the op- 
 ponents to slavery were getting Into jjower, that if they 
 held out the consequence would be that a clause in- 
 hibiting slavery would at last be introduced into the 
 constitution. 
 
 Now, sir, having given up all pretensions to the ap- 
 pointment in (juestion, feeling perfect!}' independent 
 both in spirit and circumstance, without caring in the 
 least about the smiles or frowus of anybo<ly, great or 
 small, and particularly aissuring you that I ask nor ex- 
 pect favor from any one, I .shall declare from a mere 
 regard to truth and in order to expose the authors ot 
 such calumnies that I have not been since at least 
 these three years, 25 miles beyond the bounds of the 
 territory or state of Missouri; that I have not written to 
 any peiison at Washington or elsewhere anything di- 
 rectly or indir(Htly for or against the questions for au- 
 thorizing the tcrritt>r3' of Missouri to become a state or 
 for the admission of the state of Missouri into the union, 
 nor have 1 at any time urged or suggested ati home 
 or abroad that .slavery ought to be inhibited in the 
 state of ]\Iiissouri. I must inform you that the S])anish 
 land claimants in (Uii- state, whose great wcaltli aris- 
 ing from confirmations of land claims and prospective 
 interest has been productive of great ca ils in our elec- 
 tions, have succeeded in having their friends and part- 
 ners sent to Washington. As one of the land commis- 
 sioners having been the least favorable to their claims 
 
 200 
 
as will npponr by the roport of the o()minissi(MU'rs on 
 the land claims N\liicli is Iodised in the iiciioral land 
 office, I have of conivsc been the ])i'incipal object of their 
 hatred and peiseciition. No doubt but their ancnt?^ 
 have not b(K'n idle, and to these laist I ascribe all the 
 false reports an<l calumnies with which I have been 
 annoyed (luring the hist session. This stroke of policy 
 or iniquity was a capital one as it wais calculated to 
 auswer three valuable pur])oseis: 1st of preventing; nie 
 to be appointed judiie; 2d to give the oi>portunity to 
 secure the ai)i>ointment to one of th(Mr creatures; 3d 
 to interrupt the contidence and j^oixl nnderstandin*;" 
 existiuji between me and many members from the Houth 
 iu order that my communications to them on the merit*! 
 of their land claims should be unproductive of a due 
 effect, and, in fact, make them hoistile to me. 
 
 There will be, no doubt, lireater efforts than ever 
 ma(h' (lurinu t iiis isession to ])rocure the passaj»e of some 
 acts in favor of laud claimants. Many a pretext will be 
 used; many jilausible stories will be told for the attain- 
 ment of that object; h't me only observe you that Con- 
 gress has ah-eady gone in its acts on that subject far 
 beyond the most liberal justice. Let me assure you 
 again that those claims are illegal and in (juantities 
 contrary to the Spanish policy an<l system of coloniza- 
 tion, that many are fraudulent, not duly autheutieated, 
 nor have the citucessions for th(^ nn)st i)art (»f them been 
 issued by the proper oflicer. At any rate if they possess 
 any merit the sure and constitutional way is to have 
 them i-eferr<'d to a court of justice. In case the sub- 
 ject conies before the Senate, 1 think that Thos. H. 
 Heiiton <uiglit not to be sulTered to v«»te, for 1 know 
 he was the agent and counsel of the hind chiimants 
 whilst at St. Louis, and I am informed and confidently 
 
 201 
 
believe that he has the promise of a fee iu land con- 
 tingent on the eontirniation of those claims. As to 
 John Scott, I know he is a land claimant. 
 
 For the i)nblic and i)rivate character which I enjoy in 
 Missouri for the course which I have taken on the ques- 
 tion of slavery, I refer you to Messrs. Meirion Edwards 
 and Cook from Illinois, they both live not more than 
 20 miles distance^ from St. Louis; being un(*(»ncerned in 
 our local jealousies they are the best qualified to make 
 an impartial statement of facts. I beg of 3^ou to keep 
 in your mind that I don't descend to excuse myself 
 before anybody, but with only to prevent knaves from 
 disturbing the good understanding that exists or ought 
 
 to exist between honest men. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 20th, 1817. 
 Josyah Meigs, 
 
 John Scott's resolution concerning laud claims, Mis- 
 souri territory to form a board, including register of 
 land office, impolicy of resolution, all parole and written 
 evidence concerning land claims contained iu the re- 
 port of land commissionens, made Jany., 1812, legal 
 principles to be a{)plied to them are Spanish and may 
 be applied at Washington unless claims not before re- 
 corded be admitted to record, iu which case flood of 
 corru])tiou open again. If anything to be done, better 
 to be instructed to recorder Frederick Bates. He is 
 much more fit and less objectionable under every re- 
 spect than the register. 
 
 In my opinion A. McNear inadequate to the duties of 
 his office; unconnected with the duties incumbent on a 
 commissioner, such as contemplated by the resolution 
 
 202 
 
of Mr. Scott. TTc iicinicr cjiii write nor spell. Tliiss Ls 
 not liis fault, but liis misfortune, lie had no opportu- 
 nities. 
 
 I know the man this great while. He is native of 
 IV'nn.sylvania. Had lived lonii time in my nei<i,hbor- 
 liood near Pittsburiih. All his coniK'ctions there are 
 r(Ml<'ral. lie used to act the part of federal bully at 
 the elections in the district which 1 rei)resented in Con- 
 gress. He gave and received severe beating on the 
 score of politics. 
 
 lie came li< re, Missouri Territiuy, about eleven; or 
 twelve years ago. Took side with Wilkinson, was one 
 of his coiitideiitial subordinates; .always since com-, 
 placent and obsecjuious towards those he thinks to have 
 most power, never leaving that iside. Having once a 
 case before the Sui)reme Court he i)resented his affi- 
 davit to c(turt, stating that he had reason to believe 
 that I was inimical to him; expecteil no justice and 
 requested that 1 should not sit on his case. I believe 
 he knew well my character. The reverse was hit< opin- 
 ion and his case was such that nothing but justice was 
 to be dreaded by him. 1 \n\u\ no regard to his appli- 
 cation. Since that as sheriff he acted very impioperly 
 at court on a certain occasion. 1 was one of the court. 
 He was rei)rimanded. lie ought to have been fined and 
 imprisoned. 
 
 He was candidate for <lelegate last election tw<» years. 
 One of his ne])hews fought and abused one or more of 
 those who voted or made interest against him. 
 
 A. McNear was very active about the last election. 
 He exerted all his influence in favor of Scott. Lavished 
 all kinds of abuse in words and writijigs against Easton. 
 About one we(dv betore the election he became very 
 boisterous. He struck in the middle of the street, with 
 
 203 
 
liLs fist jiiul (li'inv a dirk against a very or<l(^rly aud 
 well-b('liavio<; yoiiug mau, who was then readiujj; hiws 
 under Mr. Easton. 
 
 When I was at Washington I was informed of Mr. 
 McNear's application for the office of register. I 
 thought tliat under every respect he was not deserving 
 that appointment. Indeed, 1 never could have taken on 
 myself to recommend him, but, taking into view that 
 he had a large aud increasing family to provide for and 
 also his other apparent circnmstances, I abstained from 
 interfering. I no^^' regret t«) not have come forward in 
 due time and been plain and explicit about his unfit- 
 ness. 
 
 Ak to his having been a federal bully at elections, 
 I refer you to Mr. Thomas Wilson, a representative from 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Dec. 21vst, 1819. 
 Jos. Meigs, 
 
 This letter will be handed to you by V(Miables a 
 gentleman who resides in St. Louis since three or four 
 years, lie was recommended to me when he first came 
 here, by one of my friends from Philadelphia. 
 
 Understanding that he is going to spend a part of his 
 winter at Washington, my own acquaintance with him 
 induces me to introduce him to you and recctmmend 
 him to your civilities and polite attention. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, April 7, 1821. 
 Josiah Meigs, 
 
 Sir: — A certain Mr. Piggot who is my neighbor aud 
 friend, having lost or miislaid two certificates and dis- 
 charges by which it appears that John Shoemaker and 
 
 204 
 
Joliii Pratt enlisted on the 2()tli day of Au|Tjnst, 1814, 
 in (\i])f. Wnltci' XN'ilkinson's conipanv in tlu* 24tli regi- 
 nuMit of tile r. S. and llial tlicv arc respectively en- 
 titled lo (he mililary land Ixmnty as provided by law. 
 
 i bej; leave l<> i-e<|nest yon to eanse to be ascertained 
 whether any <lis(liari;(' and certificates relative to tin- 
 above named peisoms have been presented in yonr <;t1tice, 
 and any laixl liianled in pursuance of llu' same, 
 
 I ho|>c yon will be so ^ood as to i;ive me as S(M)n as 
 convenient, su( h infoiination as may be obtained, and 
 mention the fees that may be dne, wiiich I vshall remit 
 without delay. I am, «S:c., 
 
 Kespectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 1th, 1817. 
 Jeremiah Morrow and Joseph Barnnm, 
 
 Sir.*<: — Bein<» informed that the claimants of land in 
 the territory ef Missouri are niakinii ureat exertions 
 to have a law passed tliis session for the confirmation 
 of the residue of the unconfirmed claims. I be<» leave 
 to di-aw youi- altentiou u])on that inii)ortant subject. 
 Yon have taken notice jtrobably. that an act of Con- 
 <i,ress entitled "An Acl for the I'Mnal Adjusinu'Ut (d' 
 Land Titles in the State (d" Louisiana and the Territory 
 of Missouri", dated 12tli of Ai)ril, 1811, has de[)arted 
 from Hie fundamental piiuciiths ^overniui; all acts 
 heretofcu'c passed on that^ subject. The principle of 
 those acts i.s that no concession or _i;rant from or under 
 the Frenth or S^janish (Jovernments have any lej;al 
 effects against the United States ujiless they were made 
 oi- issued jiiior to t he date of the Treaty of St. Ildefonso, 
 to-wit: the 1st day of October. 1800. The act before 
 recited embraces and acknowledges^ any incomplete 
 
 20.") 
 
French or Spanish concession which was granted be- 
 fore the tenth day of March, 1804, for hinds lyinii within 
 the territory of Missonii, provi<led each claim does not 
 exceed one leaj^ne square. This innovation covers all 
 antidating and fraud. It operates as a wedge to in- 
 troduce the residue of claims unconfirmed. It pro- 
 duces over-reaching effects; it impairs materially the 
 right to tlie domain acquired from the French govern- 
 ment by the V. S. in the same extent and such as it 
 existed at the date of the treaty of St. lldefonso, thus, 
 sir, rongress und( r color of adjusting land titles in the 
 stat(% <S:c., lias given away public ])i'(»j)erty not to the 
 needy nor upon ])iinci])les of e(|iia ligation, nor even i)ur- 
 suaiit to the fornx'r policy of the Si)anish government, 
 who extended its bounty in land to persons profession- 
 ally cultivators of the soil (Labradors) in qinintities not 
 exceeding 800 ari>ens, (Mpial to about 1 mile square, 
 but, to pensons who generally aie loaded with grants or 
 contirmations by the former board of Commissioners; 
 to i^ersons who thought themselves to be above the pro- 
 fession which would have entitled them to land under 
 the Spanish government. The act before alluded to is 
 also over reaching inasmuch a^s its very litth^ presents 
 the idea of a general adjustment of titles whilst in 
 reality it is a partial ((Jienerally similar to letter writ- 
 ten to Jonathan Roberts,) 
 
 (Conclusion.) Living, as I do, among a large number 
 of those jx'rsons that are most deeply intere«sted in 
 those claims, 1 beg of you to consider these communica- 
 ti(ms as confidential. Knowing your undeviating re- 
 gard for the i)ul)lic welfare, I have thought that this in- 
 formation would be very acceptable. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 J. B. L. 
 
 206 
 
St. Louis, 1st December, 1817. 
 Jeremiah Moiieau, 
 
 Sir: — Permit me to inform von that greater eff(^rt^^ 
 are i»oiii^ to be made tliis year tliau ever to obtain a 
 .H<'neral contiriiiation of the hind claims nnch'r i)i*e(<'n('e 
 or color of Sjianisii concessions or ord<'rs of surveys. 
 Xuiiibci of poisons interested in that way have lately 
 left the territory to speml, ais I umlerstand. tlie winter 
 at Washiujiton. Althonj;h 1 expect that each of them 
 will nriic for their resi)ective claims, vet, no doubt, 
 tliei-e will be amongst them a iiener.il understandinj;' to 
 assivst each other (lov. Clark is understood to be on his 
 way there. I believe that! amonj; the claims he ha» 
 some that lemain unconfirmed. I am informed that 
 lie has taken cliarge of some belonging to his friends 
 which, no doubt, he will endeavor to carry tlirough. 
 Probabh' he has some share on interest in it. John 
 Scott, the delegate, has given in his electioneering hand 
 bills the most explicit assurance that, if elected, he 
 Avould support the land claims, which mean ch^arly the 
 g<M)d and bad ones without exception, (Indeed 1 don't 
 know of a ju^t or equitable one), and to gain ilie uKue 
 («>ntidenc( lie has declareil he hims(df owns several 
 of them. Kcdening myself to my former communica- 
 tions to you on this i<!ubject, I shall merely add that the 
 extent of the e\ils arising from llu^ acts of Congress 
 of 1812. authorizing the tiling and entering new claims 
 in the office of recorder of land claims, and also arising 
 from the act of 1S14 under which so many claims have 
 been contirmed are intinitely greater than at tirsl I had 
 conception of. That fi'and has so far be«'u successful to 
 an alarming degree, and that the interest of the land 
 claimants having been increased and strengthened by 
 the success already, obtained and the additional number 
 
 207 
 
of interested persons ari^iuu from subdivisions of claims 
 {ind associations of purchasers, Tlie danjj;er of their suc- 
 ceeding entirely becomes daily more imminent. 
 
 No doubt but every one of them will make great 
 protestations of their love and attachment to the p;ov- 
 crnnient of tiie U, S, Several of them possess enga<j;ini; 
 manneiis and may be called line fellows. They love the 
 republic tenderly. It is for that reason, probably, that 
 they are so much in earnest about their claims, that the 
 public thiui; be no! only in their hearts but that a part 
 of it may als(( fall in their pockets. 
 
 I have never been foriiiven by the land for havinj; 
 withstood their coaxings and menaces and done them 
 but justice whilst I wais hunl commissioner. They ap- 
 pear to have always entertained a strong suspicion that 
 my communications at the seat of government were un- 
 favorable to them. At last they have imagined that to 
 silence me the better this time, they should denounce 
 me as a partial jndgc, and what not? I am informed 
 that they are circulating now a petition agaimst me. 
 They seem to carry on their schemes very secretly. Be- 
 fore showing or presenting their ix'tition they ask the 
 persons if they are inimical to me and willing to sub- 
 scribe anything. If they disclose any scruples, the 
 matter is over, no jx'tition is shown. 1 cannot think 
 that they are in earnest. Theii object is, in my opinion, 
 limited only to put me on the defensive and render my 
 standing at Wasliington ecpiivocal, whilst they are in- 
 triguing and otherwise endeavoring to have their claims 
 
 confirmed. 
 
 Respectfully, »S:c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 208 
 
Letter to R. Moore, Dated Nov. 29, 1819. 
 
 Your favor of the 21st Febniarv, 1819, informing; me 
 of the failure of my claim for compensation was.re- 
 ceivt^l. 1 intended to write to you sooner so that n\} 
 letter should have reacluMl \\'ashinj>ton at tiie com- 
 meuceincut of (he i)resent session, but a lonj;" and 
 tedious illness has prevented me from accomplishing; 
 that object. 1 am even at this time but weak and 
 unable to write myself. 
 
 Alt ho Mr. Scott has attempted to present himself to 
 you in tlie character of a man candid enouiih to <lo me 
 justice by saying that "NotwithstandiuiLi- he and my- 
 self were not friendly, yet he freely confessed that I 
 was a faithful otticer and deserved the amount af^ked 
 for", nevertheless I am fully satisfied that he was my 
 secret opponent and would have sooner seen Penrose <;(» 
 uncompensated than to have seen me with him sharing 
 the benefits of compensation. 
 
 The serious diffeience which he had with my late son 
 riiarles, his JuM-torinu and blnsteiiufj in the commence- 
 ment of rhese ditTerences; his shuttling and desertion of 
 the high grounds he had taken, which has ended in his 
 entire disgrace have so irritated his temper and excited 
 his resentment, that he cannot forgive the father for 
 having been worsted by the son, therefore I consider 
 that this parade of candour and impartiality which he 
 has made to you, was only in order to ])reserve your 
 esteem and good disposition for another occasion, prob- 
 ably for his land claims and I have no doubt but that if 
 he had bi'lieved yon iesvs fiiendly to me, he could have 
 held quite another language. 
 
 I am contirmed in that opinion from his stating here, 
 at his return last spring, to Mr. Penrose that he had lost 
 his claim before Conjiress onlv from the circumstance 
 
 209 
 
of his having- been found in bad company, viz: John 
 B. C. Lucas and by adding that a motion would have 
 been made to strike out my name for the bill, had not 
 the intending mover been anticipated by a motion for 
 general postponement made from another quarter of 
 the house. This is what has been vstated to me by Mr. 
 Penrose under the authority of Mr. Scott. I took the 
 liberty to contradict the statement and show Mr. Pen- 
 rose a part of my letter, whei-eby it appears that the 
 motion for striking out my name wais actually made, 
 and that the house thought proper to retain me in the 
 company of Mr. Penrose. So much for Mr. Scott's can- 
 dour and veracity. 
 
 From the further conversation of Mr, Penrose at 
 that time, and the circumstances that have occurred 
 since, I am induced to believe that Mr. Scott has ad- 
 vised him not to connect his claim any longer with mine 
 by petitioning with me, and I have no doubt but that a 
 petition will be presented this session for Penrose alone. 
 Then Mr. Scott will spare no pains to support Mr. Pen- 
 rose's claim. Should lie succeed, he and the land claim- 
 ants will find a triumph in that indirect advantage over 
 me, for it is beyond doubt that the granting a full com- 
 pensation to one commissioner and denying it to the 
 other, operates as a severe censure on the latter. 
 
 I, for my part feel disgusted so much at the unmerited 
 treatment of last year, that I have no anxiety to petition 
 again; nevertheless I should expect from my friends 
 and particularly from you, sir, some exertion in case Mr. 
 Penrose's claim should be reported favorably, in order 
 to have my name introduced into the Keport or Bill. 
 
 Without claiming a particular merit as a land com- 
 missioner I think that none of them had ever a better 
 claim to a full compensation than myself; the proof of it 
 
 210 
 
miiilit be (•ollectefl from the general tenor of the opin- 
 ions or decisions of the commissioners contained in 
 the i>eneral reports and in the special reports for lands 
 containing had mines and salt springs, and from the 
 particular hali(*<l and vindictive spirit of IMr. Scott as a 
 land claimant, and the other Spanish land claimants 
 generally. 
 
 Perhaps 1 might be supported in this assertion by Mr. 
 Crawford if consulted. 1 have no doubt but that Mr. 
 (lalatin would if he was here. As a substitute and 
 to (Miablc you to satisfy yourstdf with as little trouble 
 as povssible upon that point, I beg leave to refer you to 
 the decisions of the Board of Commissioners on Duber- 
 que's claim for upwards 140 thousand acres of land 
 (and containing the most valuable lead mines of the 
 Missouri Terry.) as istated by Mr. Oalatin in the 84 
 page of the appendix to the land laws, and his own 
 report to the president of the U. S. as Secretary of the 
 Treasuiy in the 85 page of the appendix to the same 
 book, then you will see which of Mr. Penrose or me at- 
 tended best (ui that important occasion to the interests 
 of the U. S. From the 2d remark of Mr. Galatin upon 
 the same decision in the 86 page of thd appendix to 
 the same book it will appear that he considered that 
 this decision, \'\'a: the ascertainment by a majority 
 of the board of commissioners that Duberque's claim 
 was predicated upon a patent or final gi'ant, not only 
 was erroneous, but he also une(iuivocally declared ''that 
 the form of the concession, if it shall be so called, is 
 not that of a i>atent or final grant; and that it was not 
 considered as such the commissioners knew, as they 
 had previously received a list procured from the records 
 at New Orleans and transmitted by the Secretary of the 
 Treasury, of all patents issued under the French or 
 
 211 
 
Spanish governments, in which this was not included, 
 and which also shewed the distinction between conces- 
 sion and patent or final grant'', thus Mr, Galatin une- 
 quivocally charges Mr. Penrose and Donaldson to have 
 av«!certained that a certain instrument of writing was a 
 Patent or Final Grant, altho they knew it was not. 
 
 I beg of you most earnestly to bestow a few moments 
 of your attention upon the 2 and 3 pages last referred 
 to in a book called "The Land Laws" in the appendix, 
 it will be an epitome of the respective merits of the 
 commissioners of the board for land claims in the Mis- 
 souri Territory. 
 
 I also beg of you to take notice that a law was passed 
 subsequent to this- decision (i. e. in the spring of 1807) 
 whereby the president was authorized to form a new 
 board of commissioners to revise and correct the de- 
 cisions made by the preceding Board of which decisions 
 that made in favor of Duberque was one. That Pen- 
 rose and myself were members of the 2d board, — that 
 when the claim of Duberque came in turn to be revised, 
 he absolutely refused to give the opinion which by law 
 he was required to do, — that the other commissioners 
 did' also refuse, — and myself alone, did comply with 
 the requisite of the law by entering again my opinion 
 upon the report upon the same claim, — thus the de- 
 cision so much censured by Mr. Galatin and which he 
 almost called iniquitous, run out untouched and un- 
 missed, altho it may have been one of the leading causes 
 of the passage of a law directing the revision and cor- 
 rection of the decision of the first board. 
 
 Should I be denied a full compensaticm, I shall feel 
 myself justified in saying that it is a punishment in- 
 flicted thro the agency of the Spanish land claimants, 
 for my fidelity to the interests of the U. S. 
 
 212 
 
From circiimstnnfos wliich I cannot foresee, should 
 jon think it «'X]MMli('iit for nie to take an}' new step, be 
 pleaised (() advise lue thereof. It is generally under- 
 stood that the land olainiants are more confident of suc- 
 cess this year than ever, owiu,u' probabh' to the sub- 
 division of their interests among influential men. At 
 the same time I cannot imagine CongTesis will depart 
 from or abandon the principle of the bills reported at 
 their last session which sends them to courts of justice, 
 there to establish their claims by sometliing more and 
 better than fair tales in their mouths. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 January 5th, 1820. 
 Robert Moore, 
 
 I understand that the Spanish land claimants in the 
 Miss. Territory are attending Congress in an unusual 
 number during the precsent session, — that they are ac- 
 companied, by several persons from our part of the 
 country in the capacity of agentis. Among those of this 
 last description, Thos. 11. Benton the slayer of my son 
 Chas. and L. Lawless his friend, whom he has usually 
 in his employ as second in his duellings, are the most 
 prominent. It is reported that Mr. Benton particu- 
 larly is to have a considerable share in a great many of 
 the claims (some say one-fourth) for his industry and 
 influence. If he succeeds hiis fortune will be colossal 
 and he will not fail to make his wealth subservient to 
 his political aggrandizement, for he has an eye upon 
 everything at once. His ambiti(tu is as unbounded as 
 his cupidity an<l the moment that we become a estate, 
 the highest oflice in it will be the immediate object of 
 his pursuit. 
 
 213 
 
Altlio lio iis miicli hated at St. Louis, be is still more 
 feared aud from this circumstance he bears the appear- 
 auce of having some friends around him. At the same 
 time, I am well satisfied that he is openly abhorred by 
 the people who are not jn immediate contact with him, 
 aud by the farmers in general. It would, indeed, be a 
 public calamity' if such a flagitious being should suc- 
 ceed in his punsuits of wealth and power. 
 
 Benton, as editor of a i)aper at St. Louis, has pub- 
 lished in the course of the summer, various pieces in 
 support of the Spanish claims and in vindication of 
 the official conduct of the former Spanish comma udaut 
 at' St. Louis, which, altho he and the land claimants 
 may think otherwise, contains neither truth nor argu- 
 ment. I find that tlie land ( laimants in general have so 
 little confidence in the merits of their claims that sev- 
 eral of the best informed among them have declared 
 lately that altho they have waited these fifteen years 
 for the confirmation of their claims, they would wait 
 fifteen years more sooner than to have their claims sent 
 to a court of justice for adjudication, and if I was my- 
 self a land claimant I should agree perfectly with them 
 for I am fully convinced that they can not undergo a 
 judicial scrutiny upon various essential points, there- 
 fore, provided Congress pursues the course pointed out 
 by the two bills reported on the same subject last year, 
 (i. e. abstain from legislating on their tales and send 
 them to courts of justice, the only constitutional tribu- 
 nal where their rights under the treaty ought to be 
 ascertained) the interests of tlie U. S. will be safe and 
 at the same time no ])lausible grounds of complaint can 
 be urged by them. Indeed, their mouths must be shut. 
 
 No doubt they will lie on their oam and watch a 
 favorable opportunity to call up the bill reported by 
 
 214 
 
Mr. Robertson at tlie session before the hist, for it is 
 ou that bill that they ground all their hopes. I have on 
 a former occasion submitted to von my written observa- 
 tions on that bill. I need not to repeat them. Its 
 dangerous tendency is sutticiently obvious. 
 
 Besides this formidable column of speculators in pres- 
 ent attendance at Washington with the governor at 
 their head, which had been formed so secretly that none 
 understood tliat any of them had gone to \Yashington, 
 there are some stragglers who are in pursuit of their 
 interest at ^A'ashington on a smaller scale and who 
 ought to be also not less closely- watched. Permit me 
 to bring one of them into 3'our notice. 
 
 James Mackaj^, formerly a petty commandant under 
 the Spanish government of a small post in the now 
 Miss. Terry, has presented a petition to the House of 
 Representatives at the session before the last and hav- 
 ing supported it with an aboundance of affidavits, has 
 succeeded in making before Congress a fair case out of 
 what I believe to be a foul one — in so much that a law 
 has passed in his favor on the last day of that session, 
 (most probably it could not have passed on any other 
 day) by which he was enabled to have a claim which he 
 never 'lad before presented for record, referred to the 
 Recorder of Land Titles to make report thereon, upon 
 the same principles and in the same manner as if it had 
 been entered on record before the passage of the act of 
 Congress of the 12th of April. 1814, concerning land in 
 the state of Louisiana and territory of Missouri. 
 
 I am informed that a report in pursuance of that law 
 has been made and was before Congress at the last 
 session, but was not acted upon. This disappointment, 
 far from discouraging Mackay, seems to have created a 
 new excitement in him. I am crediblv informed that he 
 
 215 
 
has dispatched Lawless, his former ageut, to Wash- 
 ington, to have another petition presented during the 
 present session for anotlier ehiim to land, which is pre- 
 cisely- in the same jjredicament a8 the preceding one, 
 i. e., that it never was recorded in the office of the re- 
 corder of land titles. The two tracts thus claimed are 
 contiguous to each other, within 5 or 6 miles from St. 
 Louis. It i8 thought that the first tract claimed! is 
 worth about 25000 dollars. Probably the second is not 
 worth lesis. 
 
 I give it as my decided opinion that the claims of 
 Mackay ought not to be confirmed. 1st, because none 
 but claims entered on record at the time of the passage 
 of the act of 1814 are within the purview of the same 
 act. (For the sequel, see 3d page following.) 
 
 2d, because the same act having abandoned the lead- 
 ing principles which govern and secure the right of the 
 U. S. to the former Spanish Royal Domain in Louisiana, 
 ought not to be cherished and extended beyond the act 
 itself. 
 
 3d, Because the concession of Lena Trudeau for the 
 first tract claimed, and Carlos Dehault Delasue for the 
 second, both formerly Si)anish commandants at St. 
 Louis, 1 say because the two concessions are not duly 
 registered on a Spanish Registry and that there is no 
 check against antedating, forging or any other specious- 
 ness. 
 
 1th, because the survey being made in 1803 in the fall, 
 or 1804 in the spring by a surveyor reputed acting under 
 the Spanish government, the same government could 
 not at that time duly authorize a surveyor in as much as 
 it had 3 years before parted with the right of domain 
 and that right was at that time either in the govern- 
 ment of U. S. or in the government of France. 
 
 216 
 
5tli, beside the survey was not made by a duly au- 
 thorized surveyor, uor in the uieauiuji; and intent of 
 the Spaniish government as appears by an official letter 
 of the intendant, dated in 1802 infoiiuin.n the ai)i)lieanth 
 in this i)art of the province that the land office was shut 
 for want of an assessor, and there is no evidence that 
 it was ever opened again. 
 
 (Jth, because the land claimed was not inhabited and 
 cultivated at au}' time, and without cultivation the 
 grant wanted a consideration, — cultivation being a con- 
 dition precedential in the Spanish law, 
 
 7th, because the bo<dc or reputed book of survey, kept 
 under the Spanish government otters strong evidence of 
 fraud, especially in the latter times, the plats contained 
 in the same having been in several instances, altered, 
 whole ])ages having been cut out and others glued in 
 their place. 
 
 8th, and lastly, because the Spanish surveyor, if such 
 an one existed (legally) from the moment it became no- 
 torious that the ceission of the Louisiana had been made 
 by France to the U. S. ceased to be resi)oniSible to his 
 s(tvereign for his acts concerning public land without 
 becoming res])i)iisible to the IT. S. and in reality there 
 was no connection between the two governments, as 
 the U. S. had received the province from the French 
 government the taking possession of New Orleans being 
 in principle taking possession of the whole province. 
 
 January 15th, 1820. 
 Uobt. Moore, 
 
 (An abstract of the above letter to Mr. Lowndes, with 
 this addition, viz : You will oblige me much if you can 
 
 217 
 
make it convenient to send me the bills or any docu- 
 ments relative to the land clainus or other local con- 
 cerns.) 
 
 JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 St. Louis, December 1st, 1820. 
 Robt. Moore, 
 
 (Invite him to write to me soon; to alarm his friends^ 
 watch Benton; vsee the President and ascertain what are 
 my prospects for appointment of judge. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 18, 1821. 
 Robt. Moore, 
 
 Dear Sir: — My expe<tations of being able to go to 
 Washington this winter have long since vanished. Very 
 little time after my letter to you of the 2Tth October, I 
 caught a cold which partly for want of due care, has 
 become violent and most obstinate. 1 am at this mo- 
 ment weak and reduced, 1 had the pleasure to write 
 to you a short letter on the 1st of December last. I 
 have not as yet received any from you, however 1 hope 
 that you will not leave Washington without favoring 
 me Avith a few lines. We are, as yet, ignorant here of 
 the fate which the resolution of the Senate with a re- 
 serve for the admission of the state of Missouri has met 
 with in the House of Representatives. Be it what it 
 may, certain it is that the question is merel}' political, 
 and when any civil question will come before a court of 
 justice under that part of the Constitution thus pro- 
 tested against, the reserve or exception if it would take 
 place in both houses never would be taken notice of, 
 thus this reserve is a mete ceremony without any sub- 
 
 218 
 
stance^ and of ronrse cannot cure or atone for the 
 alleged repujinancy. General Leacock, liaving reached 
 the extreme point in explorinj; the i»round between 
 \\'heelin«»- and the Misisissippi, crossed the river few 
 weeks past I had the i)leasure of liavini:; him one tiip;ht 
 at my hou^<e. I coul<l not persuade him to stay any 
 longer. He was afraid to be detained longer than he 
 would wish, from the increase <tf the drift ice in the 
 Mississippi. 
 
 The recent refusal by the House of Representatives 
 to admit us in the union, has given rise to a free ex- 
 l)resision of seutimentvs liere. ^lany would be willing 
 to return under a territorial government; others are 
 desirious to have the constitution amended in its ob- 
 jectionable parts in order to be admittwl into the Union 
 as soon as ])ossible, and in the mean time preserve all 
 fiiendly rehition.^ with the U. 8. so that they may pro- 
 tect their territory, property and other rights in the 
 vState of Missouri in the same manner as they did from 
 the time the people of Missouri have first exercised the 
 sovereign powers as state until they presented their 
 constitution to Congress for admission. I am in favor 
 of the course last pointed, and 1 believe a majority also. 
 
 We have a set of choice sj)irits who are openly in 
 favor of setting general government at defiance by hav- 
 ing the constitution unamended and exercising the 
 powers of a state although non-admitted, until Congress 
 will reconsider their vote and admit us. Senator Bar- 
 ton and many others high in oflSce are for taking that 
 high ground. 
 
 A change in the ]>ublic opinion is sensibly taking 
 place. Those that were the leading members of the 
 convention are losing ground. The constitution has 
 not met with public approbation. I was pretty evinced 
 
 219 
 
by the proposal made in both houses of the general 
 assembly of a. great number of amendments which 
 were supported by a majority of two-thirds of both 
 houses, but at last they were bafHed by a well drilled 
 minority who succeeded in persuading a number of 
 those in favor of the amendment that two-thirds of the 
 members present did not form the constitutional num- 
 ber to pro])ose amendments, but two-thirdis of all the 
 members elected were necessary. The constitution of 
 Missouri is on that point perfectly similar to that of 
 the U. S. 
 
 From this circumstance you may guess what kind of 
 men compose our legislature. 
 
 Respectfully yours, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, February 10th, 1821. 
 Robt. Moore, 
 
 My dear sir: — Your favor of the 28th of December 
 was received a few hours after I had put at the office 
 my letter to you of January 18th. Judging that Mr. 
 Penrose felt as much disgust as I did at the repeated 
 
 for the full compensatiou which we had met witli in 
 
 the Congress, 1 had not the least idea that he would 
 make a new application; if I had I think I should have 
 requested you not to interfere for me, but as it is 1 can- 
 not but give you my most sincere thanks. T heard 
 yesterday somebody say that he had seen in the papers 
 a report in favor of our claims. After so many vain 
 trials, I have now very little hope of success, and 1 
 hate nothing more than to be considered as being im 
 portunate and wanting a due share of pride. I hardly 
 think the senators elect of Missouri and representatives 
 
 220 
 
\vill (Ijiip t(i o])])(ts(' niY claim particulai'lv on acroimt of 
 Peiii'otsc \vli(( is ill the ^^.I'catcst distress. 
 
 I hopo lliis letter will reaeli V(m before you leave the 
 city. 
 
 Could you believe that senator Renton is so ostenta- 
 tious and windy as to have taken four horses and two 
 waiters with him for his journey from St. I.ouis to 
 \Vasliinj>lon. At the same time the house he lives in, 
 rhe only one he has, is mortjiaged for |2,000, and one 
 we(dv after he left St. Louis, several noteis of his were 
 protested at the bank. 
 
 A general diseont(Mit prevails against the makers of 
 the state constitution. It is loudly expressed. If the 
 amended resolution of the Senate is not adopted in the 
 House of Representatives, the state will be obliged to 
 call another convention in which ease it is most jn'ob- 
 able that the constitntion will be materially changed, 
 as characters of a way of thinking quite different from 
 those that composed the first convention will most prob- 
 ably be elected. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 5, 1825. 
 Robt. Moore. 
 
 Dear Sir: — Although I had no int(M'course with you 
 this ^reat while, I have iieveil lieless thought and made 
 eiKpiiries about you as (d'teii as 1 could meet an oppor- 
 1 unity. The zeal which to my own knowledge you have 
 evim-efl for the public service. The reliance which I am 
 l)eisiia(le(] you have placed in my communications and 
 the earnest eiideavoi-s yon have used to procure me an 
 ade(|uate comi)ensatioii as Lan<l Commissioner though 
 without success, entitles you to my perfect respect and 
 
 221 
 
gratitude. I presume you have lost sight and perhaps 
 the recollection of the great struggle of the French and 
 Spanish land claimants to obtain surreptitiously the 
 passage of a law apparently innocent and harmless but 
 overreaching and materially injurious in its consequen- 
 ces to the interest of the U. S. I have not been less 
 remiss since you ceased to be in Cong, than before, in 
 endeavors to alarm and guard several members of Con- 
 gress from the wiles of the land claimants. You have 
 probably noti(c<l that an act was past at the last vses- 
 sion of Cong, by which they are brought to the sad 
 necessity of instituting suits before the District Court 
 of the U. S. for Missouii to tiy the validity of their 
 claims or be barred in case they should not commence 
 suit within two years. I hope you will remember that 
 this is precisely what I wished from the beginning and 
 suggested ought to be done, and also that the claim- 
 ants had an insuperable objection to such a course. At 
 last they have been brought to the bull ring. 
 
 I was requested at the 1st session of the court under 
 that act by the District Judge and District Attorney 
 to take part in argument upon demuirer in one of the 
 leading cases and spoke on that occasion during one day 
 and a half. This circumstance has opened anew the old 
 sore. The claimants labor under a new paroxism of 
 wrath against me. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 10th, 1817. 
 Robt. Patterson, 
 
 Sir: — I have received information by letter dated Col- 
 lector's Office, Port of Philadeli)hia, 24th of December 
 last, that I was to receive one box Laws of the United 
 States, consigned to Kobt. Pattereon, Pittsburgh. You 
 
 222 
 
will oblige me in sending the same to me at St. Louis. 
 Should you be in want of opportunitiffs to that place, 
 probably Messrs. Beeten and Roster will enable you 
 to find uie. Perhaps you might hear ctf Charles I..ueas 
 being in Pitlsburgh. If you find him there you will 
 be pleas(Ml to deliver him the box and give him the bill 
 i)f your charges. Sir, 1 am, 
 
 Kespectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Chas. Penrose, 
 
 (Letter to, in answer to his of the 28th October, 1819, 
 stating that I was sick and unable to write and obliged 
 to get \\\n. to do it for nu\ Apologizing for not answer- 
 ing it sooner, &c., &c., 
 
 (Sig.) WM. LUCAS. 
 
 St. Louis, 19th, 1818. 
 Joseph Pentecost, 
 
 Sir: — After I had the pleasure of seeing you at the 
 city of Washington, last March, my son James whom 
 you saw tli('i"(^ wrote to nu' frcuu Litchfield where I had 
 allowed him tn stop a f«'w days with his brother Wm. 
 who is there reading laws, to ])ermit him not to go 
 further and study at an academy in the neighborhood 
 of Litchfield. His brother united with iiim in the re- 
 <)uest and 1 consented, but lii,^ brother, that place, is in 
 a short time t(» return to St. Louis, and from other con- 
 sideraiious I have been induced to seu<l him to Salis- 
 bury Academy, as on your advice I first intended to do. 
 I have received from him a week or two vsince, inform- 
 ing that he is now at that place and had the pleasure to 
 form an acquaintance with your son. 
 
 223 
 
Being under some apprehension that my son James 
 might not make the best use of his time, and thereb.v 
 miss the ojjportunty of receiving a complete classic edu- 
 cation, and much preferring that he should be a good 
 mechanic or anything eLse than a bad scholar, I there- 
 fore beg leave to request you to take the trouble to 
 ascertain b}^ your son or other persons whom you ma}' 
 know there Avliat is the general conduct of James; 
 whether he is studious; what progress he makes; wliat 
 class he is in; how long it is probable he will have to 
 stay at tlie academy before he be admitted in a Col- 
 lege? Your son or any person else may be assured that 
 James never .<liall know from whom I may receive in- 
 formation concerning him. I know he will be very apt 
 to gain the affection of yctur son. From this circum 
 stance your son may not be inclined to state hi8 faults 
 in the full extent. If you have no other persim than 
 .your son to obtain the information requested, perhaps 
 it would be better to nuike the inquiries carelessly and 
 indirecth' so as not to let room for suspicion that you 
 are requested to do by me. 
 
 If you are ac(iuainted witli any person at Salisbury 
 will you be so good as to give me their name and men- 
 tion mine to them. 
 
 I hope, sir, you will favor me with answer as soon as 
 convenient, I am, 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 1300. 1300. 
 
 Joseph Philipson, 
 
 Sir: — At three days sight of this first exchange, the 
 second of the same tenor not being paid to Joseph 
 Philipson or order the isum of three hundred dollars for 
 
 224 
 
value received, which is due to me for one quarter of 
 my salaries as one of the judp's of the superior court 
 of the territory of Missouri, the said quarter (•oiuiiiciic- 
 in^ on the Isl (hiy of October hist i^ast and eudinj; on 
 the hust (hiy of December last paist, St. Louis, March the 
 tenth, 1817. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 The Ilonorabh' Sccretarv of the TTnited States. 
 
 T ^ ry ^ July 27, 1823. 
 
 Justus Post, • 
 
 In ansAver to letter 20th of July, 1823, I state that 1 
 am not competent to judj^e of propriet}^ of his applying 
 for the office of Surveyor General. He knows best the 
 weight and influence of his friends. 
 
 I entertain no doubts of his (jualificatious, and will 
 do what little I can for him, &c. 
 
 January 1st, 1819. 
 B. Pratt, 
 
 Sir: — Altho the r-opy of the letter of Bitcherd Smith, 
 the Caishier of the Branch U. S. Bank at Washington 
 in aiisw(>r to that of Mr. Ooford concerning certain 
 part of my salaries as a Judge together with a copy of 
 my own letter to the same B. Smith which is here en- 
 closed, might give you isome idea of the explanation 
 which I liMpicst yoii lo ask of B. Smith. Nevertheless, 
 in order to assist your recollection on the i)articular 
 enipiiry which i« to be made, 1 shall briefly' state to you 
 that having never received but two drafts for 300 dol- 
 lars each on the P.ank of ^Missouri for my salaries due 
 as a judge from the If^t of Oct., 1S18, until the present 
 
 time, (viz: one draft dated 
 
 and another dated ) iudubit- 
 
 225 
 
ability the quarters due on the 1st day of January, 
 1819, 21st of April, 1819, remain unpaid. For the 
 amount of the first of these two I am well satisfied I 
 am credited at the Bank U. S. and it is from the per- 
 suasion that I have the other day given you my draft 
 on the Bank U. S. for 300 dollars. 
 
 It remains now to be ascertained whether the quar- 
 ter due on the 1st of April has been also credited to me 
 at the Bank U. S. and in case that the draft which I 
 now deliver you for three hundred dollars on the cashier 
 of the Bank U. S. will enable you to receive it. The 
 uncertainty which I am placed in on that point in- 
 duces me to deliver you this draft with the view only 
 to enable you to receive that sum if there credited to 
 me. Therefore, my understandini; is that you will not 
 negotiate that draft nor have any protest made, but 
 will simply return it to me. As R. Smith has men- 
 tioned in his letter that he has sent me three drafts, 
 and yet has only mentioned the date of two since the 
 1st of Oct., if upon a closer examination on his part 
 he should still reassert that he has sent me three, you 
 Avill oblige me by asking him the date of the one he 
 has omitted, and ascertain at the same time, in the 
 treasurer's office, how many quarters have been paid 
 to my attorney for my salaries due since the 1st of 
 Oct., 1818, together with their several dates. 
 
 Having received but two drafts on the Missouri Bank, 
 as I said before, one must have been lost or miscarried 
 long ago as I presume it is dated in the beginning of 
 April, and in this case, whilst you are there, I wish you 
 would make a declaration in my name, that I have 
 never received but two dated as above, and that the 
 one lost may be made good to me by some means. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 226 
 
Jany. 1st, 1820. 
 J. Randolph, 
 
 Sir: — So many gentlemen of my acquaintance are 
 retiriniLi' or have ictired from the national councils 
 either by choice, iiitirmitieis, or death, that 1 feel a 
 doubh' ph'asnre in finding tliat you have resumed a 
 seat in the House of Kepresentatives. Your huig par- 
 liamentary experience has no doubt long ago enabled 
 you to notice that whilst one or two of the mosti 
 proniineut subjects of legislature at every session seems 
 to engage the attention of every member of congress 
 so much so that the speakens on those occasions stand 
 as it were, in the way of each other, and the debates 
 become almost endless. There are other subjects by 
 no means unimportant altho perhaps less entertaining 
 or less attracting the public attention, which are little 
 or not at all understood by a great many and whose fate 
 often depends upon such report as the committee to 
 whom the subject is referred may think proper to make. 
 
 From the intimate knowledge which, as a former 
 land coniniissionei- of the Terry, of Missouri, I have ob- 
 tained of the S]»anish claims to land in the former Pro- 
 vince of Louisiana, the laws and usages under which 
 the Spanish government distributed to their colonists, 
 I am pretty well satisrted that great errors have been 
 comniitteeil in legislation which have produced the 
 most ruinous conse<iuences to the U. S. and enable, at 
 present, the Spanish land claimants to argue in favor 
 of that part of their claims which remain uncontirnuM:! 
 and not, indeed, from the intrinsic merits of them, for 
 they possess none, neither in law or equity but fntm the 
 aberrations from principle or improper concessions con- 
 tained in the act of Congress of the 12 of April, 1814, 
 which they don't fail to urge as a principle and which 
 
 9.9: 
 
affords theni the opportunity to ar<iue a pori with some 
 speeiousness. 
 
 Knowing- perfectly that you are induced to serye your 
 country from much higher motiyes than the mere dis- 
 play or show of usefulness,! beg leaye to lay before some 
 ])articulars in order that you may be the better enabled 
 to meet those Spanish claimants in the course of the 
 present session. If we are to judge irom the number of 
 persons interested in these claims that liaye left St. 
 Louis to attend the present Congress, \ye would be in- 
 duced to believe that they are more .sanguine of success 
 than they haye been before. Probably the subdiyisions 
 which they haye made of late date by sale of their 
 largest claims amongst influential men of the West is 
 what makes them so confident. 
 
 In turning to the files of the House of Representa- 
 tives you will find that there is two or three bills re- 
 ported concerning those claims, which have not been 
 finally acted' upon. The first of them was reported 
 during the session before the last. I was then at Wash- 
 ington. The house was timely alarmed. The bill 
 whose consequences would have been ruinous to the 
 U. S. was seen under its proper colors. Its few friends 
 became so sensible of the fate that awaited it, that 
 they adopted a most extraordinary course by moving 
 the reference of the whole feubject-matter of the bill 
 to the Secy, of the Treasury. This happened near the 
 close of the session. 
 
 In pursuance of that reference I am informed that the 
 Secy, made a report during the last session of a bill 
 whose governing principle is that the Spanish land 
 claimants, under some regulations should be sent to 
 courts of justice and stand there on a level with the 
 V. S. on the score of these claims. I am likewise in- 
 
 22S 
 
fornipd that the committee oni public lands also re- 
 ]K)rtc(l a bill piinsiiiu^- the same pniiciples. The laml 
 claiinants, except a voiy few wliOwse claims are for lead 
 mines or salt springs, which are contained in a special 
 report, knowing-, perfectly, that these claims cannot 
 bear jndicial scrutiny have used their best endeavors 
 to keep back thoise bills, and I am credibly informed 
 that they dread so much to have their rights ascer- 
 tained, under the treaty with France, before a constitu- 
 tional tribunal that some of the best informed amongst 
 them have declared that altho their present claims have 
 remained for fifteen years undecided, the}' would be 
 willing to wait tifteen years longer, sooner than to have 
 their claims sent to a court of justice. Thus there is 
 no doubt with me but that they will lie on their oars 
 and never will press their bill upon the house, but when 
 the alarm will have subsided or when they will tind 
 tlie house so thin and so composed ais to afford them fair 
 hopes of carrying thro their first bill, I don't know by 
 what means remains, as I am informed, amongst the 
 unfinished business. In order to convince j'ou of the 
 dangerous ground which the U. J^. are placed upon by 
 the act of the 12 of April, 1814, 1 shall submit to you a 
 few remarks upon that act and the manner in which 
 it has been made to operate in the Territory of Mis- 
 souri, and also upon the bill which hatS been reported 
 at the session before the last, whose object is to ex- 
 tend the provisions of the act of 1814 to all the claims 
 uncontiinied and of course not embraced by the said 
 act, and to open the ofiice of the recorder of land titles 
 for the oiil< ry of new claims. That is the favorite bill 
 of the land claimants and their best hopes. 
 
 In turning to the first act of legislature on the sub- 
 ject of the adjustment of land claims in the former 
 
 229 
 
Province of Louivsiana of the 2d March, 1805, you will 
 perceive in the first section of the same a minute detail 
 of the various requisites warrant or order of survey by 
 the proper officer under the authoritie.s respectively 
 of the French and Spanish governments to have a legal 
 effect. This section, cautions and particular as it is, 
 does not require from any land claimants more than 
 the French or Spanish laws and Uvsages did. The Board 
 of Commissioners, (of which I was one) that acted un- 
 der the law measuring the claims by the legal re- 
 quisites, found generally the claims running far short 
 of those requisitevs. They met with unexpected difficul- 
 tites — the loud complaintis of the land claimants and 
 the apparent excitement of their feelings on the occa- 
 sion of certain decisions, induced the Board to inform 
 the Secy, of the Treasury of the state of things. This 
 information was probably the cauvse of another act on 
 the same subject of tlie third of March, 1807, which by 
 its first section repeals one of the re<iuisites to the war 
 rants or orders of survey, and by the 2nd section grants 
 to any land claimant a tract of land not exceeding 
 2000 acres on the mere possession of ten consecutive 
 3^ears, excepting, however, from the effect of that pro- 
 vision any land containing lead mines or salt springs, 
 and to obviate any further complaint about the re- 
 (juisites contained in the preceding act so far as they 
 relate to claims not exceeding a league square, the com- 
 missioners are authorized by the 4th section of the same 
 act to decide on the claims in the Territories of Orleanw 
 and Louisiana, according to the French and Spanish 
 laws, usages and customs, any tract of land not exceed- 
 ing the quantity contained in a league s(]uare. The 8th 
 section of the same act provides that the commissioners 
 shall respectively report to the Secy, of the Treasury, 
 
 230 
 
their opinioius on nil cliiinis to land in tlioir rospoctive 
 districts, which they shall not have finally confirnuMl nn- 
 der the authority of the fourth section of this act. 
 Many clainus were finally confirmed under the 4th sec- 
 tion. I don't rcMollecf the number, it may be ascer- 
 tained at the ^(MH'ral land office. The claims reported 
 by the commissioners to the Sec^. of the Treastiry under 
 the 8th section, were, I believe, not less than 2000. 
 They formed but one class, altho the same section pro- 
 vides for three classes, because they were all of the 
 sam,e description and did not come up to what might 
 be suppovsed was the expectations of the legislature 
 were, whereby the 8th section it was required that they 
 should be put under three general classes. 
 
 Turning again to the several acts since passed on the 
 same subject, viz: 10th March, 1812; 14th April, 1812; 
 June 13th, 1812; February 27th, 1813; 3d March, 1813 
 and 2iid August, 1813, it will be seen that the first 
 October, 1800 (the date of the treaty of St. Iladefonso) 
 had never ceased to be the ex])ress turn of the power of 
 Spain to dispose or alienate any part of the royal do- 
 main in the Province of Louisiana. This principle 
 cleai'ly established by the treaty had remained whole 
 and safe from the beginning of the legislation of Con- 
 gress (viz: 2d March, 180.')) until the 2d (tf August, 1811), 
 inclusively, when by the act of the 12th of April, 1814, 
 entitled "An Act for the Final AdjUvStment of Land 
 Titles in the State of Louisiana and Territory of Mis- 
 souri". Congress has made the most dangerous inroads 
 on the vital rights of the U. S. in the former Spanish 
 Koyal Domains. By the above mentioned act the preten- 
 sions or power of the officers of the French or Spanish 
 Governments of granting or giving away the royal do- 
 main after the 1st of October 1800 (the date of the 
 
 231 
 
Treaty of St. lldepoiiso) and especially in the Missouri 
 Territory until the lOtli day of March, 1804, has been 
 acknowled«;ed so that the pretended gTants of land 
 made by the Spanish commandants at St. Louis in quan- 
 tities not exceedinj; a leajj^ue square for and during 
 mjore than three years after Spain had parted with the 
 right of domain have become obligatory on the U. S. 
 This proistration of principle has been caused to such an 
 extravagant degree as to legalize in the Territory of 
 Missouri the grants made by the Spanish commandant 
 during three months after the U. S. had taken formal 
 possession of the Province of Louisiana, altho his 
 sovereign had ceased in right and fact to exercise any 
 power or jurisdiction in tli<' jtrovincc, and he the com- 
 mandant was under no kind of responsibility, then, 
 neither to his sovereign nor to the U. S. Let it be re- 
 marked that the Spanish land office for the Province 
 of Louisiana had been closed seveml years before. 
 That the power of granting land had by a royal ordi- 
 nance made at St. Lorenzo in 1798 been taken from the 
 government and transferred to the intendaut as fiscal 
 concerns, and that the intendant (nau Ventura Morales) 
 had by his r(\iiulations ])ubliished in July, 1797, ex- 
 pressly retained the exclusive power of distributing or 
 granting land and had only vested in the commandants 
 of posts the power or duty to state on the margins of 
 the petitions of the colonists for grants of land, these 
 circumstances, such as the number of their family, 
 whether they were tillers of the soil (Labradors) and 
 possessed the other requisites specified in the regula- 
 tions. I have always thought that the construction put 
 upon that act by the recorder of land titles for the ter 
 ritory of Missouri was not correct, at the same time 
 let it not be supposed that I impeach his uprightness. 
 
 232 
 
I have always viewed liiiii a^ an honest man. Suffice 
 it to say that the report of his opinions in favor of the 
 claims, whicli he has deemed to be embraced by the 
 same act, has been confirmed in lots by an act of (\jn- 
 i-ress of the 21) of April, ISKI. and thereby the rij>ht to 
 ^reat deal of Ihe moist valuable lands is finally parted 
 with in favor of persons who were already loaded with 
 l)revious j^rants or confirmations to a considerable 
 amount and in favor of others who b}^ the Spanish laws 
 and usai^cs were not at any time entitled to any confir- 
 mation or lirant. 
 
 I am so exhausted by a fornu'i- sickness and a re- 
 lapse that 1 am constrained to continue this letter by 
 the assistance of one of my sons. Their dangerous 
 aiirandizenu'nt and increase of wealth has also increased 
 their pretensions. Now their avowed object is to have 
 these aberrations or prostrations of principle of the 
 act of 1814 extended to all other claims remaining- un- 
 confirmed. 
 
 Admitting for a moment that the Spanish authori- 
 ties could have issued warrants or orders of survey 
 after the date of the treaty of St, lUlefonso, it would be 
 necessary that they should have issued by the proper- 
 authority, and the Spanish c(unniandaut at St. Louis 
 had ceased to be the i)roper olficer by the ordinance of 
 St. Lorenzo. It would also be necessary that the other 
 requisites of the Spanish laws and usages should be 
 comi)li(Ml with. As the highest evidence that C L). 
 Delaras who was the Spanish Commandant at St. Louis 
 from 171)9 until the U. S. to(dv jxtssession of Louisiana, 
 kyew himself that he had not the right to grant land. 
 I state that 1 had the perusal of two documents under 
 iiis own handwriting dated some time in Oct., 1800, 
 which were in answer to applications to him for grants 
 
 233 
 
of land, to the followinc^ purport: "It is now out of 
 my power to issue couces.sious or orders of survey, this 
 power beh)ui»in«i; exclusively to the iutendant. The 
 most 1 can do for you is to make the most favorable 
 statement of facts in my power, concerning your (juali- 
 ficatioiis to receive a orant.'' 
 
 This is, liow«'ver, the office where concessions (of a 
 date subseciuent to these documents) for leagues square 
 have .since been reported favorably by the recorder of 
 land title,s and confirmed by Congress. This is, indeed, 
 the officer whose unconfirmed conceptions are laid up in 
 store in the hands of his former favorites and friends, 
 waiting for the opening of the office of the recorder of 
 land titles for entry. 
 
 Notwithstanding the abundance of matter, I shall 
 conclude having already too much fatigued your at- 
 tention. At the same time I purpose to present to you, 
 soon, another view of the subject tliat you may be satis- 
 fied by a multiplicity of means that the boisterous land 
 claimants of, at least, Missouri Territory are far from 
 standing on a par as to speciousness or appearance of 
 legality of claim, with the former Yazoo land claim- 
 ants, altho they are certainly not behind them in fraud 
 and corruption. There was a time when the original 
 Spanish hnnl claimants, who are certainly far inferior 
 in point of management and intrigue to our own 
 American speculators, had been put out of conceit of 
 their colossal claims by the powers of the Americans 
 in general who lived at St. Louis, but having called in, 
 with others, several of those same Americans to show 
 with th(^se upon terms which fully! indicated their 
 despair — their hopes are revivwl and not a few of our 
 Americans have resented and now praise more loudly 
 than anybody else, the claims which they once declared 
 to be iniquitous. 
 
 234 
 
TTavino as a land rommissionor boen porliaps the l<\ist 
 favorable t(» land claiiiiants, of counse, I have become 
 (he most odious. This odiuiii ha.s increased from the^ 
 diwapnointment of the «;ieat<'r part of the claimants who 
 are of a French orij^in, and who, of course, expected 
 more kindness from me than from the other commis- 
 sioners. Many of these ^ood people^ have acted honor- 
 ably amourist themselves, but i)erhaps never hon(\stly 
 with their sovereign. They cannot reconcile with the 
 idea that, with me, the interests of the U. S. shotild not 
 give way to theirs. 
 
 You will see at Washiuuton, this winter, several 
 Americans who have become interested in the Spanish 
 land claims. 1 am not less obnoxious to them than 
 to the French. They suspect me to be active against 
 them at Washiniiton. Mr. Scott, the delegate of the 
 territory is one of them and his community of in- 
 terest with the Spanish land claimants has been a 
 recommendation to him for the situation he now tills. 
 Of coui-Ne he is extremely hostile to me. 
 
 Without being willing to deviate from the independ- 
 ent course I have taken with respect to them all, never- 
 thtdess I don't wish to gi^ e them new grounds of com- 
 plaint, I therefore request of you, sir, to make such 
 use of my communication as you may think best, with- 
 out mentioning my name. 
 
 Of one thing you must certainly be satisfied, that if 
 1 have n«Jt received a bribe from the U. S. my hands 
 must be clean and my motives pure. 
 
 As a specimen of the course I have taken, as a com- 
 missioner, T beg leave to refer you to the report of Mr. 
 (Jalatiu to the President of the U. S. on Duberque's 
 claim, which is contained in the 84th, 85th and 86th 
 
 235 
 
pages of tbe appendix to the Land Laws, a book digested 
 by Mr. Galatin. 
 
 I have tbe honor to be, &c., 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 February 4th, 1820. 
 John Jiandolph, 
 
 (Tliis letter is the isubstauce of that part of the letter 
 to P. B. Barbour of the 151 h of February, 1820, eom- 
 meneing with these words, .viz: "The act of the 12th of 
 April, 1814, is the prototype of their favorite bill, re- 
 ported I^'ebruary 10th, 1818, with this additional evil, 
 &c." and ending with the^e words, viz: "but in truth it 
 is nothing but a great superstructure without a basis". 
 
 JNO. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, Jany. 4th, 1824. 
 Hon. John Randolph, 
 
 Sir: — Being persuaded that you will receive with 
 pleasure any information that may come to you upon 
 public subjects, permit me to observe that the people of 
 Missouri, having experienced particularly for these 
 twelve years pa.st, the great inconvenience resulting 
 from the considerable number of the French and 
 Spanish land claims within the bounds of that state 
 which remain undecided and are in a wild and unculti- 
 vated state, forming from their extent great chasms 
 in several counties which might be very dangerous in 
 case of hostilities with Indians, and are at all times a 
 great obstacle to communication and intercourse, the 
 legislature of the isame state presented a memorial to the 
 Senate and House of Kepresentativcvs of the U. S. some 
 time during the last session of congress stating their 
 
 236 
 
gricvaiurs on that subject aud praying that competent 
 tribunals be Cdu.stituted to decide detinitely those un- 
 settled claims, so that Ihe laiidN beloiii;iiio to the U, S. 
 and those beloiininii lo individuals may be known and 
 set ai»ait. It appears tliat thi.s memorial was pre- 
 ,sented to tlie Senate and was referred to the committee 
 on i)ublic hinds in cons(M|nence of which a bill was re- 
 ported, I lie inlroductoiy pari of which reads ais fol- 
 lows: 
 
 Mr. Benton from the committee on public lands to 
 which was referred the memorial of the le<»islature of 
 Missouri on the subject reported the followinji bill. 
 This bill was reported on Feby. l!)th, 1823, and has 
 passed throui;li the Senate with a small amendment. 
 It standis anion<i the untinished business of the house 
 of representatives. In turninii to that bill yon will 
 perceive that it is discrepant from the memorial. This 
 one prays for a definitive decision; that one authorizes 
 the recorder of land titlcvS, etc., to liive opinions and re- 
 port the same to Cong. There is already a r(^])ort made 
 by three commissioneis of the written and oral evi- 
 dence which has been adduced in support of those 
 ( lainis, to.ucther with the o])ini(tns of the commissioners 
 u])on the same. Those opinions are, with very few ex- 
 ceptions, that those claims ou«iht not to be confirmecl 
 and the prin(ii)le of refei rem-e to the recorder is noth- 
 inji" more than a repetitiiui (d' what has already been 
 done. \\'itli this additional incunvenience ami danuer 
 that in the last bill all is devolved ni»on one man; that 
 no aiicnt is to be ai)pointed on the part (d" the U. S. to 
 cross-examine the witnesses or meet the ariiuments of 
 the (daimants. 
 
 The report of the three commissioners is lodged in the 
 general land office and in my Immble opinion ought not 
 
 237 
 
to go for less than to inform the consciences of the 
 members of Congress so as to induce them to refer those 
 claims to the judiciary, and, indeed, it will be found 
 tliat a bill adopting that principle has passed the 
 Senate during the session before the last. This bill 
 is now on the tiles of the house of reprcvsentatives with 
 another one containing the same principle which has 
 originated in the house of representatives and has not 
 been called up. From these it will be seen tluit if Mr. 
 Benton had ])aid any regard to the memorial of the 
 legislature of Missouri and wished to act consistently 
 with the princij)le ad()j>tcd by tlii^ senate tlu^ yeiir be- 
 fore on the sjiiue subject, he would have lepiu'ted to the 
 Senate that a bill embracing the (»bject of the petition 
 had passed the Senate and was bi^fore the house of rep- 
 resentatives. He would have stated that a similar bill 
 had originated the year before in the house of repre- 
 sentatives. In fact, the representative from Missouri 
 must certainly have received a similar memorial from 
 the Legislature and it unaccountable to me how he has 
 left these two bills uncalled for. It is to be lamented 
 that Mesvsrs, Benton and Scott evidently attend to the 
 interest of the Spanish land claimants in opposition to 
 that of the U. S. and of the people of Missouri. The 
 land claimants and their agent dread nothing more 
 than a fair trial of the Spanish claims before a judicial 
 tribunal. They would sooner hang their claims for 
 thirty years more and hover during that time about the 
 capital in ex])ectation to obtain at some unguarded 
 moiiHMils the ])assage of an act suitable to their pur- 
 pose. Let me remember you that they are already 
 loaded with the muniticence of Congress, particularly 
 under the act of the 12th of April, 1S14, entitled "An Act 
 for the Final Adjustment of Land Claims". There was 
 
 238 
 
nothinji final in that act but the words of the title. The 
 confidence and inflnence of the land claimants have in- 
 creascil wiih their snccess. They will pnisne with 
 fresh vii»or dnriuj; this ses^sion, their favoiit*^ object. 
 They will uijj;e that there cannot be any inconvenience 
 in the reference, in as ninch as Congreiss may or may 
 not confirm the opinions of the recorder. 
 
 From the past, Congress may be considered to be a 
 mere nominal check. Nothing in my opinion can save 
 the U, S. from the grasp of the land clainianls bnt a 
 prompt passage of an act, referring their claims to the 
 jndiciary with all the points of law« arising nnder them. 
 Even this question, viz: how long the Spanish govern- 
 ment had the power to dispose of the royal domains? 
 Who ^^ere the proper officers to whom the power was 
 confided? For any interpretation by Congress will be 
 ra'^isted by the land claimants unless it makes for them. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 Jany. 16th, 1821. 
 Elias Kector, 
 
 (Letter to, enclosing copy of letter of Taylor Berry to 
 Josiah Meigs, Commissioner of Land Office, informing 
 that 1 have written to Meigs on same subject, and will 
 add further remarks.) 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 10th, 1821. 
 Benjamin H. Reeves, 
 
 Sir: — No doubt you know that Afessrs. (i. B. Sirother 
 and Robt. Nash have been announced as candidates for 
 Cong. I'loni all 1 can <liscover near and about St. 
 Louis, many persons object to both of them, hence there 
 is ample room for another. I have also received in- 
 formation that the state of opinion is much the same in 
 
 239 
 
the coimtias south of St. Loiii.s. Indeed I had very en- 
 coiira«;iii«; offers of support if I should assent to be 
 added to the list of candidates. 
 
 We have liad here an address to the electors of Mis- 
 souri publislied in the Missouri Republican of the 19tl» 
 ultimo which hais made a considerable sensation. It 
 appears Ihat i1 has contributed to make tlie electors of 
 this part of the country more anxious to have a greater 
 choice of characters for Cong, than they have now. 
 
 1 am not solicitous to be a candidate. Far from it, 
 but I coiiicid«^ perfectly with the farmer of the county of 
 St. Louis that it is high time for the farmers and all 
 others not belonging to the profession of the law to 
 claim a standing and influence in the concerns of the 
 union and state corresponding to their number, re- 
 spectability and usefulness, au<l to be represented more 
 truly and substantially than they have been hereto- 
 fore. From the opportunity, though small, which I 
 had to form an opinion of you, and the standing which 
 I am told you enjoy, more particularly in Howard and 
 the adjacent counties, I have thought that not only you 
 would be a proper person to be a candidate on the score 
 of fitness, but also on that of personal popularity. 
 
 I must tell you that this idea lias originated with me, 
 but I find that the i)ublic wish is that a respectable 
 planter or farmer may offer, and I have thought of no 
 one that could be more acceptable than you. I have 
 mentioned your name to a few i)ersons, they think as 
 1 do. You know better than me how far your neigh- 
 bors and the electors in your ])art of the country have 
 taken engagements in favor of the candidates that are 
 now out, and what the degree of popularity be of your 
 success with them. 
 
 240 
 
I beg- of 3^011 to inform me of your determinations 
 not later than the 15th or 20th of March. Withont 
 prepossession from the existing dispa^^ition of tlie elec- 
 tors in St. Charles Connty, Callaway, Montgomery and 
 sonth of the Missouri as far up it as Franklin Connty 
 and down the Mississippi as far as New Madrid, I am 
 ])ersnade(l that the prospects are fair. I\eniember that 
 my motives are pure and that I don't demand nor expect 
 any favor from you in return for the exertions which I 
 shall certainly make if you become a candidate. I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 December 12, 1819. 
 John Rhea, 
 
 So many of my friends are moving or have moved 
 from the political scene of action, either by choice, in- 
 tirmities or death, that I feel a double pleasure in find- 
 ing that you still continue to be a representative in 
 Congress. TIk^ great concern which the non ratifica- 
 tion of the treaty with Spain will bring before Con- 
 gress will probably engross so much of their attention 
 as to afford a new hope or encouragement to the 
 Spanish land claimants to renew their efforts and in- 
 trigues in order to obtain by deception some act per- 
 haps not less destructive of the best interests of the 
 V. S. than the one wliicli was i)assed on the 12th of 
 April, 1S14. It is generally rei)orted (whether they are 
 in earneist or not) that they are sanguine, or at least, 
 boast that they have before them the fairest prospects 
 of success at this present session of Congress. 
 
 I might present to you under a new aspect the in- 
 e(piity of their claims and also their total want of 
 speciousness or color of legality, but I will not fatigue 
 
 211 
 
you. I mereh' beg leave to refer you to my former com- 
 munications on that subject. 
 
 I know that they place a great reliance on the possi- 
 bility of findino- at one time or another the House of 
 Representatiyes so thin and uiiuuarded by the casual 
 absence of the members best informed on the score of 
 their claims and most decidedly opposed to them, to 
 take every advantage of the circumstance. 
 
 I also believe that they don't rely less upon their 
 intrigues, importunity and the increase of their interest, 
 by having retailed out in parcels to influentials in dif- 
 ferent parts of the union, by sale or otherwise, their 
 specimens and colossal claims. 
 
 Thus, in order to encourage persons to become pur- 
 chasers of part of their claims, I discover that they 
 never speak of the legality or merits of them, but 
 assert prophetically that they will be ultimately con- 
 firmed. This word ultimately means nothing else but 
 thro the dint of importunity and other means familiar 
 to them, — such as to prpss their bill on the house when 
 thin and unprepared, or keeping it back when the house 
 is ready and prepared to meet it. They may spin out 
 the time to the best advantage to themselves. 
 
 I understand that last year a bill was reported by the 
 committee on public lands containing the best and 
 safest principles, such as ought to have been adopted 
 long before now Avith respect to the Spanish land 
 claims, r. e., that (by the bill) the Spanish land claimants 
 are sent to courts of justi-ce for the investigation and 
 ascertainment of their respective merits of their claims, 
 the U. S. being thus brot on a level (as parties) with 
 the Spanish laml claimants before a court of justice, 
 these claimants will be forever precluded from having 
 it in their power in case of failure before the court® of 
 
 242 
 
justice to iiroe any cause specious or well orouiided, 
 as the}' have heretofore done, of undue delay or dcuia) 
 of justice. It is indeed the only constitutional way oi 
 satiwsfving' or putting an end to these claims ap^eeably 
 the guarantee of their richtis under the treaty between 
 the U. S. and Fiiince, — for the U. S. beiuj;- the i)arty 
 upon whom the ( laiiii is made, they have not the i)ower 
 by legislation to put an end to these claims, but only 
 the power to give away, which has already been a 
 great deal too mucli exercised to the amount of millions 
 of dollais, ill (luantities quite repugnant to the ordinary 
 distribution of land under the colouring system of 
 Spain, which was purely agrarian. It is also worthy 
 of observation that the claims remaining unconfirmed 
 embrace vast tracts of the most valuable land in the 
 territory.— tliat great many families coming under the 
 discription of actual settlers now protected by the pre- 
 scription law, have located themselves upon those 
 lands, and that Congress is now under at least a normal 
 obligation not to grant with levity and without good 
 (•au><(', those lands under the colour of Spanish claims 
 when such a couise would go to render negatory the 
 imperfect rights of these settlers entitled to prescrip- 
 tion nnd ])lace in a «lesi)erate situation and dangerous to 
 the country a great number of meritorious persons, 
 willing to pay at the rate of two dollars per acre, the 
 land which tlie Spanish claimants want to have for 
 notliing. I think, for my part, that the only efficient 
 way to i)revent the land claimants from reaping a sub- 
 stantial advantage from their cant word ultimately, 
 the most active friends of the V. S. in the house, and 
 most active opponents of these claims, ought to prt^s 
 and urge for the passage of the bill which is to send 
 
 243 
 
them to courts of justice. Let tlie land claimants be 
 never so desirous to temporize. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 St. Louis, Fy. 5. 1825. 
 James Riddle, 
 
 Dear Sir: — I had the pleasure of hearino- of you occa- 
 sionally since I saw you last. JNIy son Adrian informed 
 me that he had received from you the most polite atten- 
 tion when he was on his way from Boston to St. Louis. 
 For this I feel myself much obliged to you, and I wish 
 I may have the opportunity to return the same kind- 
 ness to any of your family that may chance to visit St. 
 Louis. 
 
 Had it not been for private business which have until 
 now required from me a constant attendance I should 
 have made before now another tour in the Atlantic 
 states. 
 
 I expect, however, to be able to accomplish that ob- 
 ject in the course of the next summer. I shall feel a 
 particular pleasure in seeing my old friends and ac- 
 quaintances at and about Pittsburgh. You will have 
 the goodness to give my best compliments to Mrs. 
 Riddle and all enquiring friends. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 January 11th, 1826. 
 Judge James Riddle, 
 
 (Letter to, speaking of argument contained in Pamph- 
 let in Soulards case. Sacrifices I have made. Difficul- 
 ties. Never swerve. Better to lose popularity than 
 abandon principles. Request him to engage good 
 
 214 
 
farmers and laborers if lie can find' any, to come to 
 St. Louis. 1 shall save expense tavern. Give them 
 good. Have three farms. The people here lazy, dissi- 
 pated, careles.-^. If he can procure hands, they ought to 
 come not later than commencement April. I request 
 him to give me information.) 
 
 January 1st, 1820. 
 Johnathan Roberts, 
 
 (Same as to liobt. Moore of 5th of January, 1820.) 
 
 Oct. 20th, 1820. 
 Jonathan Roberts, 
 
 Your favor of the 29th of February was received, like- 
 wise another since, which was handed to me by Col. 
 Strother. I requested the editor of the Missouri Gazette 
 to send you his paper during and since the Missouri 
 convention was setting. Of course 1 suppose that there 
 is not much use for me to say great yield on our local 
 concerns. 
 
 You have seen probably that I was candidate for the 
 convention. I did not succeed because being requested 
 to declare my sentiments on the subject of slavery, 1 
 expressed an opinion that it would be proper to limit 
 the importation of vslaves to live years or so from the 
 date of the Constitution. The ardent friends of slavei-y 
 suspected me besides to be hostile to the principle of 
 slavery altogether and contended that I dared not to 
 go the whole length of my opinion being against that 
 of the public. As I reside in the county of St. Louis, 
 where the Spiinish land ( laimants have the most in- 
 fluence, I had to encounter their powerful op]»osition 
 and thus those two causes acting together, I lost the 
 
 election. 
 
 245 
 
I consented also to be candidate for the Senate of 
 the U. S. My prospects were much fairer because the 
 election was not confined to a county, but was again 
 uuvsuccessful. Every one seemed to believe that when 
 the members first assembled that I had a majority on 
 my side, but my opponents havini» many hands at work 
 succeeded in liavinj; the election put off from time and 
 taking advantage of the want of experience and knowl- 
 edge of the world in my friends, succeeded in having 
 Barton and Benton elected. This last was elected by a 
 majority of one. I was next to him. From the course 
 which I have taken with the land claimants, you may 
 easily imagine that tliere were no unfair or artificial 
 means used on m^' side. Mr. Benton has been in the 
 St. Louis Enquirer of which he was the editor and 
 elsewhere the indefatigable advocate of the Spanish 
 land claimants and had repeatedly denounced them as 
 their enemy. I am inform«Hl and fiiinly believe that he 
 has a considerable interest in every claim for his 
 agency, and nothing is more clear that he owes his 
 election to that circumstance; thus the Spanish land 
 claimants have succeeded in obtaining a seat in the 
 senate to their agent. 
 
 I need not to tell you that this Benton is the very 
 ruflfian who killed Charles Lucas, under circumstances 
 well known to you. He ^^'as engaged in the affray 
 where General Jackson was sliot through the arm 
 several years ago. It was he or his brother tiiat did it. 
 Various other acts of violence and quarrels placed 
 him in such situation that he could not remain any 
 longer in the state of Tennessee. He is blood thirsty, 
 bold and desperate, yet he can put on an appearance 
 of suavity, borrow a language sentimental and exalted. 
 Great reliance is placed on him by the land claimants. 
 
 246 
 
He will make <;ij:fanttc efforts during this session. In 
 order to attniii his object lie will be humble, criuginjjj, 
 U('('ouini(»da1in<^ or anylliini; whatever. His jiecuniary 
 circumstances are desperate. He has supported for 
 several jeai-s past an unprofitable jiaper for political 
 a«ii>Tandizement. He has lived hi<j;h and expensive for 
 the isanie purpose. His all depends on getting his land 
 claims contirmed or obtaining by any surreptitious 
 means the ])assage of a law that will mediately or im- 
 mediately answer his own purposes. As an editor he 
 has lavished every possible abuse and contumely on 
 the representatives in Congress from the non slave hold- 
 ing states. No exertions were wanting on his part 
 whilst the Missouri question was under discussion be- 
 fore Congress to excite the people of Missouri to adopt 
 any rash measures. 
 
 The friends to the best interests of the U. S. in 
 Congress ought not to wait passively for the movements 
 of the land claimants; they ought to anticipate by 
 bringing a bill to enable within a given time the land 
 claimants to have the merits of their claims tried in a 
 court of justice. Until this is done nothing is safe and 
 
 the possibility remains for land claimants, their 
 
 and supporters to obtain their object towards the end 
 of a session or at such other unguarded time. There 
 is some probability that I shall go to Washington this 
 winter. I should like to be a judge of the D. C. of the 
 U. S. for the M. T., not .s<t much with a view to hold that 
 office, for I should not incline to continue in that situa- 
 tion more than a year or two, but for the purpose of 
 proving to my enemies in the Missouri State that my 
 services and fidelity to the U. S. are duly appreciated 
 at Washinutitn. 
 
 247 
 
If you think me to be deservinj; that office, be so 
 good as to apply to the President without h)ss of time. 
 Ii hope that the Secretary of State will be well dis- 
 posed towards me. 
 
 Mr, Crawford knows better than any one else how I 
 have acted aw land commissioner and what are my 
 deserts as such. 
 
 Be so good as to favor me with a few lines as soon as 
 you conveniently^ can. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, December 21st, 1820. 
 Jonathan Rober-ts, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your favor of the Ultli nlto. cume to hand 
 b3^ last mail. I am very thankful for the ai)plication 
 you have made to the President, Messns. Adams & Craw- 
 f(jrd likewise for your promptnesis in giving me the in- 
 formation. It sccnus to me that provided a suflticient 
 number of members of the Senate be timely apprized 
 that I have been for more than fifteen years one of 
 the superior judges in the territoi-y of Missouri and 
 that I have given a general satisfaction; that the only 
 persons who complain of me are Spanish land claim- 
 ants, merely because I have not been able as land com- 
 missioner to satisfy their rapaciousness and been 
 obliged from an imperious sense of duty to report 
 against their large claims. That Mr. Scott is himself a 
 land claimant; that Mr. Benton has acted as counsel 
 and agent of the laud claimants, and these last have 
 given Benton and Scott all their support to be elected. 
 In fact, that the land claimants have succeeded in se- 
 curing to their friends and partners seats both in the 
 Senate and House of Representatives of the U. S. 1 
 say that provided these things be understood, the oppo- 
 
 218 
 
sitiou of siioli men must be of little or no effect. The 
 whole matter revolves into thevSe: Is a faithful officer 
 to be sacrificed to the resentment of fraudulent and 
 rapaciouis land claimants for liavin"' had the courage 
 to do ids duty without re<;ard t<» bribe, threats au(i 
 persecution? 1 think that amonji, the members in the 
 Senate, Messrs. Dickerson, Kugj^les, Macon, Stokes, 
 King and Barbour have vsome knowledge of my public 
 character. You would confer me a particular favor in 
 preusenting them a full view of my situation in conse- 
 quence of having been a land commissioner. Mr. Lea- 
 cock was at St. LouivS last week. He stayed (me night 
 at my house. He would probably have stayed longer 
 had it not been for his apprehension of tiie Mississippi 
 becoming impas^sable by the increaise of drift ice. 1 
 just now hear tliat there is a letter in t(»wn from Mr. 
 Scott, stating that Mr. Lowndes and other friends to 
 the Missouri question of last year liave objections to 
 the constitution of the state^ of Missouri and of course 
 will not be, as matters stand, in favor of its admission 
 into the Union. The si^eech of the governor of New 
 York and certain resolutions before the legislature of 
 the same state, indicates a settled design of ()])position 
 from that quarter. Under other considerations our 
 situation here becomes daily more critical, partieularl}- 
 in tlie administration of justice. Enter alia our state 
 judicial system is too com])licated and C()stl3\ 
 
 In consequence of a violent cold I had, which is not 
 yet quite over, and has debilitated me much, I have re- 
 linquished the intention of going to Washington thi^ 
 winter. 
 
 Pra}' fav«u- me with another letter in your first mo- 
 ments of leisure. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 249 
 
Dec. 7, 1819. 
 Jonathan Roberts, 
 
 Your favor of Maroli last was received. I am par- 
 ticularl}' thankful for your havin<> spared me time 
 enough to answer my enquiries when under the pres- 
 sure so usual towards the close of a session. Contrary 
 to your expectations at the date of your last letter the 
 bill for admittinj> M. T. as a state has fallen throujih. 
 The cause of it has operated as an additional occasion 
 for the restless and the incendiary to create discon- 
 tent, exagerate the evil arisinj* from the disposition in 
 a majority of the House of Representatives on the score 
 of the intended restriction of slavery and prepare the 
 credulous and unwary for any desperate act so that on 
 the misfortune of the country they may raise them- 
 selves into a temporary consequence or artificial use- 
 fulness. Of this number, T. H. Renton is tlie most con- 
 spicuous. He is the same Benton who is the editor of 
 the St. Louis Enquirer, and who in order to ingratiate 
 himself with Scott and his faction, and at the same 
 time put out of the way a professional and political 
 rival, contrived to bring Chas. Lucas to an encounter 
 twice and terminated the contest by a catastrophe the 
 most abhorrent to the feelings of every honest man. 
 
 If Mr. Scott has been elected this year it is only for 
 want of a proper opponent. Almost every one aj) 
 peared quite callous and indiftVrent about the last 
 election. I might have been a candidate with pretty 
 good prospects of success, but I have not enjoyed good 
 health from April until now. I am just recovering 
 from a billious complaint which has been very near 
 proving fatal. Even if I had been in the most favor- 
 able situations I should have felt very little anxiety 
 to succeed a person who had so much ruflfled the feeling 
 
 250 
 
of man}' members of rongress on an occasion which 
 requircil all pnulcnce and delicacy and who had j^en- 
 erallj iiiven such an unfortunate distinction and made 
 so poor a legacy in a multiplicity of cases. Much less 
 could I ever reconcile to viilually as,suiii(^ the ol)li«>a- 
 tions to support the Spanish land claimants in their 
 pretensions not less adverse to the interests of U. S. 
 than they are unjust in themselves. 
 
 It appearvS that at the date of your last letter you 
 were not acquainted of the fate of my claim Ix^fore 
 Congress for compensation. It had then fallen through. 
 I had but a few da^s before receivtnl a letter from my 
 friend Hobt. Moore informing me that the select com- 
 mittee t(» whom my claim had been referred, had re- 
 porteil a bill in my favor. That it had passed a com- 
 mittee of the wiiole house, — that when it came before 
 the house a motion was made to strike out my name, 
 leaving that of C. B. Penrose, which was negative, thai 
 afterwards the bill was generally postponed by a small 
 majority. The motion for striking out my name was 
 predicated upon the special reason that whilst 1 was 
 a land commissioner I held another commission and 
 Penrose did not. Mr. Pointdexter was the man who 
 made that motion. This same disposition supported 
 upon such an artiticial reason could hardly have been 
 expected from a southern Rep. Perhaps his feeling may 
 have been enlisted against me from the circumstance 
 that many of the princijtal inhabitants of the Mississippi 
 State have been Spanish land rlaiinants under pretty 
 similar circumstances to that in Louisiana and Mr. 
 Scott and his associates thot it a fair o])iK»rtunity 
 to retaHate on me for what they call my inofMcious- 
 ness or rather my opposition to their claims, — thus 
 should I ultimately be denied a full compensation, I 
 
 251 
 
slial] feel myself justified in believing that it is an 
 expiation of the crime imputed to me by the land claim- 
 ants thro the agency of Mr. Scott, for my fidelity to 
 the interest of the U. S. I might refer you for the 
 general tenor of my conduct to the reports of the com- 
 missioners now lodged with the Secretary of the Treas- 
 ury of U. S., but it would be requiring from you more 
 trouble than you could conveniently bestow. I there- 
 fore beg leave to refer you to a single decision (letter to 
 R. T. Moore for this). I beg of you to bestow a few 
 moments of your attention to the foregoing report of 
 the secretary of treasury of U. S., as also the 4th and 
 8th sections of an act entitled "An Act Respecting 
 Claims to Land in the Territories of Orleans and 
 Louisiana", approved March 3d, 1807, whereby the Presi- 
 dent of LI. S. was authorized to form a new Board, &c. 
 (letter to Mr. Moore). 
 
 Mr. Scott has explicitly declared on his return last 
 spring that Mr. Penrose's claim for compensation was 
 rejected because he was in bad company, (i. e., because 
 my name was coupled witli his in the petition — for one 
 of the objects of Mr. Scott is to lessen me both at home 
 and abroad). He went even further, — he has stated 
 that some of the friends of Penrose were going to make 
 a motion to strike out my name, had they not been 
 anticipated by a motion for a general postponement. 
 Whilst Mr. Moore has positively stated to me ^hat the 
 motion to strike out my name was actually made and 
 lost, before the motion for general postponement was 
 made. It appears that Penrose believing Mr. Scott's 
 statement, has felt inclined, this year, to improve the 
 opportunity, by petitioning alone. For my part I feel 
 so disgusted with the injustice which I experienced last 
 year, that I have not thot proper to render my pe- 
 
 252 
 
tition this yoar. Nevoithcl^'ss should tlie petition of 
 Pi'inoso this sissiou hv reported favorably, I should cer- 
 tainly wish that some of my friend»s in Conj^rws would 
 be pleased (o move tlie insertion of my name in the 
 report. 
 
 I am so exhausted that 1 have been obliged to recur 
 to my son to write this for me. 
 
 With ureat respect, I am, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 St. Louis, December 27, 1821. 
 Cesar E. Rodney, 
 
 (Commeucinii the same aLS letter preceding to Patrick 
 
 Farrally, 27th of December, and for residue the same 
 
 as that to Walter Lowrie of 21st of December, 1821, 
 
 with less specifications as to conduct and life of Thos. 
 
 II. Benton.) 
 
 St. Louis, Augt. 29th, 1822. 
 James Ross, 
 
 Sir: — I have lately been assailed by a new set of 
 enemies in Missouri. They have circulated pamphlets 
 throughout the state, wherein I am charged among 
 other things, witli having been one of tlie members of 
 a convention (d" insurgents in the western ]>art of renn- 
 sylvania, 1794, and having ])artaken with the violence 
 and rebi'llious acts against llie ( xcise law and excise 
 olticers. I'hal 1 am a pardoned rebel. 
 
 Never such charges had been leveled against me 
 before, 1 believe never would if my prospects as can- 
 didate this year had not been so fair as to alarm my 
 
 253 
 
opponents and drive them to desperate means. As you 
 are among the very few survivors to the transaction 
 that have knowledge of my conduct on that occasion, 
 I beg leave to ask you the favor of an answer to the 
 following queries: 
 
 Was I, to your knowledge or from general report, a 
 member of a convention! of insurgents or any other 
 convention? 
 
 Was I, t(» your knowledge or from general report, 
 present at tlic attack on Neville's house, or was I actor 
 or abettor in ajiy violence committed on the person or 
 papers of any excise man? 
 
 Was I actor or ab(4tor in intcicepting the mail or 
 in having certain citizens expel hd from the country on 
 account of written communications to the government 
 which were intercepted? 
 
 Was I not a member of a committee that met at Park- 
 inson Ferry and also of a committee that met at Browns- 
 ville? 
 
 Was 1 not one of the commissiouerwS from the Alle- 
 gheny County with Messrs. Brackenridge and Morton 
 that met the commissioners appointed by the President 
 of the U. S.? 
 
 Did I vote for receiving the terms proposed by tlie 
 commissioners of the U. S. that is for submission, or 
 did I vote or urge anything against at Brownsville or 
 anywhere else? 
 
 Was I one of those that received at Reedsburgh, the 
 submission of the inhabitants of Miflin Township and 
 Port Of Sinclair? 
 
 Did 1 deliver you a duplicate of the same to be trans- 
 mitted to the President of the U. S.? 
 
 Your answer upon all the above queries or such part 
 thereof as you may recollect will be thankfully received. 
 
 Most respectfully, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 254 
 
St. Loiii8, Jany. 4, 1827. 
 Richard Ru«h, Sec3\ Treasury, 
 
 Sir: — As tlie superintendencv <»r surveillance of the 
 concern and interests of the U. S. in the public lands is 
 comniitted to the treasury department, I beo- leave to 
 submit to you a few remarks on a subject intimately 
 connected with it. 
 
 For thiis lonn while the French and Si)anish land ( laim- 
 antK and particularly their agents at Wasiiinnton have 
 complained and lamented tlie acts of Congress under 
 the authority of whi(:h a part of the French and Spanish 
 claims have been ('(uitiriiicd and reported nciKMally 
 ajiainst by a former Board of Commissioners had not 
 allowed to those commissioners a sufficient power to 
 enable them to do full justice to those claims. They 
 have also laid occasionally blame and reproof upon the 
 commissioners themselves. I, for one of them, had 
 much more than my proportionate share of it. I havft 
 been singled out and persecuted by the land claimants. 
 Their excitement against me was heightened from the 
 consideration that they being almost all of French 
 origin retaining the French language and manners, and 
 myself being born in France. I ought to have made 
 principle and public duty yield to French feelings and 
 partiality. They would. n(» doubt, have returned every 
 kindness to me for it. 1 should have been their favorite. 
 I shouhl have ha<l a liberal siiare in their land claims. 
 I should have been electe<l to the Senate of the V. S. 
 But the love of pojjularity and wealth have never over- 
 come my sense of duty to the country ef uiy choice. 
 
 Thomas II. Benton owes chietly t(» the land claimants 
 his seat in the Senate. He was their counsel and agent 
 long before he was elected. It is generally understood 
 that he has still an interest in a great part of their 
 
 255 
 
claims as contingent fees. The course lie has taken in 
 the Senate respecting those claims confirms me in the 
 belief that he is still their agent and jjartner. He has 
 exhausted at different times in the Senate all the means 
 of having all the unconfirmed claims referred once more 
 to a special commission, and after having failed in 
 his various attempts he has seen with regret the 
 passage of the act of May 26, 1824. This act would 
 liave been welcome and cherished by the land claim- 
 ants and their agent if their claims could bear the 
 test of judicial scrutiny, but as this is not the cavse, they 
 are extremely displeased with that law and wish to 
 have their claims referred to some special commission 
 where proceedings may be had unguardedly, ex parte, 
 and without regard to law of evidence so that confirma- 
 tions or at least a favorable r«^])ort may be procured in 
 a hocus pocus way, and so on, until the last claim sliall 
 be passed through for so long as there remains a claim 
 unconfirmed they will contend that the opinion of a 
 special commission cannot conclude them from their 
 rights or pretensions to right protected by treaty it 
 being not the decree or judgment of a tribunal con- 
 stitutionally competent to decide by due course of law. 
 Under those circumstances. Mr. Benton has recurred to 
 a last expedient, lie has advised the claimants to 
 apply to the i)resident for a recommendation of their 
 claims to Congress in order to iin])ose upon the legisla- 
 ture from a quarter not at all suspected. 
 
 I hope this is his last piece of generalship. A pe- 
 tition for that purpose has been signed and addressed 
 by the land claimants to the i)resident of tlie T^. S. and 
 it is I presume in consequence of it that the president 
 has made a particular recommendation in liis late mes- 
 sage for the security of the land titlesderived from the 
 
 256 
 
governmeut of the French and Spanish nations. Had 
 the president thought at that time of the existence of the 
 f.ct of the 20th May, 1824, entithMl "An Act Enabling 
 the (Maiiiiants to Land Witliin the Limits of the Static 
 of Missouri and Ty. of Arkansas to Institute Proceecl- 
 ingvs to the X'aiiditv of 'i'lieir (Maims" he would ccrtjiinly 
 have been satisfied that nothing further need to be done 
 by Congret^s on that score that the laud claimants have 
 now a judicial tribunal in Missouri made competent 
 and open to iUiStitute i)i-oceedings and try the validity 
 of their titlcvs in due course of law which is the highest 
 security that the constitution of the U. S. can grant 
 where claim to right or titles are disputed or contro- 
 verted. From these it clearly appears that the recom- 
 mendation of the president on the occasion befoirej 
 alluded to is a mere suri)lnsage. I am aware however 
 that the agent of the land claimants will make use 
 of this recommendation as a pretence to change if pos- 
 sible the present course of legislation for the land claim- 
 ants aie of such a character that they dread nothing 
 so much as a iu<licial investigation. Having endured 
 so nmch ])ersecutiou as land comnlis^sioner whilst I en- 
 deavored to save the U. S. from the grasp of imposition, 
 I now feel a double interest in seeing that the U. S. 
 be u(»t at last tricked out of millions of acres of the best 
 land and that my labor and suffering be not productive 
 of benefit to the country. I know that these land 
 claimants in general and their agents relying as much 
 on the ilupiness of congress as on their unrelenting 
 activity and intrigue, have repeatedly asserted with 
 much apparent confidence that their claiuus will ulti- 
 mately be confirmed and in order to attain the better 
 their end, they have conveyed part of their claims to 
 divers influential persons in Kentucky and Tennessee 
 
 257 
 
and probably in other places. vShould tlieir expecta- 
 tiouvs be realized, I can eafely say that subornation, 
 autedatinii and other frauds of different shades and 
 degrees would receive a very high premium. 
 
 I can assure you, sir, that their clainivS, with very few 
 exceptions, indee<l, have not the shadow of legal or 
 equitable merit; that there is no incejition of right what- 
 ever to confirm by. Congress might, hoAvever, give the 
 name of confirmation to a mere donation which would 
 be a mere covert unworthy of the legislature of a free 
 people. 
 
 Permit me to observe- that the land commissioners 
 have construed most liberally 'any French or Spanish 
 laW'S that have come to their knowledge respecting 
 those claims. That also great many claims have been 
 confirmed amounting to a great yield of land. The 
 present land claimants are not suffering for want of 
 land. They have already been largely provided by con- 
 firmation of claims, to great yield of land of the best 
 quuMtj. 
 
 For further information I here enclose a draught of 
 a petition now in circulation in several i)arts of the 
 state for subscription. The land subject in Missouri 
 and Arkansas having been discussed for this long time. 
 I have presented in various communications my view ol 
 the same to Messrs. Gallatin and Oawford at the time 
 they were respectively at the head of the Treasury De- 
 partment, but probably some of rliese communications 
 may be found in the office of the same department. 
 
 Another powerful reason presents itself why Con- 
 gress ought to act most circumsi)ectly on the present 
 occasion. Sometime Congress in the plentitude of its 
 power might deem it proper to relax or deviate from the 
 legal principles on which those claims stand and be 
 
 258 
 
liberal on the groimd of policy or expediency. Let 
 me reiiiMik that a law mij^ht be jtassed which would be 
 over I'cacliinn in its cITcct.s. Tiiis has already been the 
 case by Hie ad of llie 12th of April, 1814, entitled "An 
 Act for the Final Settlement of Claims and Titles to 
 Land, «S:c." This act has operated substantially as a 
 donation. l>y all the actvS paisscd on that subject pre- 
 cedini*- that of May 2(5, 1824, it was made the duty of 
 all claimants to file a notice of their claims in the office 
 of the recorder of land titles for the district of Louisiana, 
 now state of Missouri, this recjuisite bein,i»- now dis- 
 pensed with by the act just mentioned. No one can 
 know or even guess what number of claims exiist, nor is 
 here any restraint on the former Spanish officers yet 
 living to coin new concessions if they please to do it, 
 if a Spanish registry is not a check and. requisite to 
 authenticate them. 
 
 r transmit to y(ui a pamphlet containing an argu- 
 ment which I delivered before the District Court of 
 the U. S. two y(^ars ago in a case where the heiiis and 
 representatives of Antoine Soulard are plaintiff and 
 the r. S. defendants. It will be seen that Soulard 
 staled on oath that he had a concession for 10000 arpens 
 of land issued by Zj'uon Trndeon, lieutenant governor, 
 «!<:(•., that he lost it by accident he proved by the testi- 
 mony of Lassuvss who had been lieutenant governor 
 since at the same ])ost. That he, Lassiiss saw the said 
 concession and read it in part, &c. No such concession 
 was on the Spanish register, nor mentiomnl or noticed 
 in any public document. An issue was made upon the 
 existence of the concession. The verdict of the jnry 
 was that such a concession had existed. The court has 
 since decreed against the claim on the ground that the 
 officer who issued the concession had no authority to 
 
 259 
 
do it, &o. Since tliat time, a letter in the handwriting 
 of Antoine Soulard and under liLs own signature has 
 been found in the recorder's office. It was addressed 
 to the land commissioner in 1806, wherein Mr. Soulard 
 formally declares that he claims no greater quantity 
 of land in his own name in Louisiana than about 4000 
 arpens. It appears that about the same quantity has 
 since been confirmed to him. That letter stands in con- 
 tradiction to the existence of his pretended lost con- 
 cession, and to the testimony of his friend Lassuss. I 
 have cited this circumstance in order to give you a 
 specimen of the fraud that may be unblushingly prac- 
 ticed on the U. S. For my part, had I been judge in 
 that case, I should not have admitted the suggestion of 
 the loss of an unregistered land concession, nor even the 
 concession itself as legal evidence, because an unreg- 
 istered concession is destitute of the character of 
 authenticity, and because the requisite of Spanish reg- 
 istry is the only check to prevent coining of conces- 
 sions ad infinitum. The former lieutenant governor, 
 Lassuss, is himself a claimant for a large quantity of 
 land. He is at hand, and should it be finally decided 
 that an unregistered concession is a legal evidence of 
 right, nothing but his conscience or honor could prevent 
 him from issuing as many more concessions as he 
 pleases. 
 
 The early habits and education of the officers of a 
 despotic king are far from being the best security of 
 their respect and devotion to the interest of a repulican 
 government. I am, sir. 
 
 Very respectfully, &c.. 
 
 260 
 
St. Louis, February 8th, 1827. 
 Ki ell a id Kuvsh, 
 
 Sir: — Without <h^partin«» from the opinion which I 
 have imparted in my letter to you of the 4th January 
 hist, and believing*- as strcmjiiy as ever tliat the French 
 and Spanish hind chiimants ou^ht to be held fast to a 
 court of law for the decision of their claims just as they 
 are now, yet, in as much as the legislature of this state 
 in their late memorial to Con^res^s have expret^scd a 
 desire that a Board of Commissioners be appointed to 
 make decisions on the same claims, and as I know that 
 the aj^ents of the land claimants near Congress will use 
 every means to attain that object, in case they should 
 succeed, I should have no kind of objection to be one of 
 the commissioners, being- satisfied from the opportunities 
 1 had that I am acquainted with everything relative to 
 those claims, probably better than many other persons 
 as I can attend to this business without personal incon- 
 venience. Perhaps it may be proper to inform you that 
 I was appointed some years ago one of the commis- 
 sioners to act at Pensacola upon the land claims in West 
 Florida. The appointment was neither sought for nor 
 expected. The Secretary of the State informed me 
 then that in case I accepted my attendance and services 
 at' Pensacola were wanted without delay. This to- 
 gether with some pressing business of my own at home 
 prevented me from accepting the appointment. 1 hope 
 you will be pleased to communicate to the president 
 without delay the contents of this, my letter. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 261 
 
12tb Sept., 1823. 
 J. Russel, Editor. 
 
 Nothing ba« become, nowadays, more stale and de- 
 ceptive tban tbe means commouij used to express pub- 
 lic opinion. There is in the moral as well as in the 
 physical syst<'ni, something light and volatile which 
 
 at tbe surface of every substance. This nothingness, 
 
 these bubbles viewed at a distance are too apt to be 
 taken for what it is not, tlius it leads to egregious mis- 
 takes, to suppositions and inferences entirely un- 
 founded. For instance, whilst almost all the citizens 
 of any town or ])art of countiy are most intent on the 
 pursuit of their respective avocations it will often hap- 
 pen that the idlers and designing men with which every 
 part of the country is aflHictcd will put in their own 
 head to start a subscription for a dinner, a ball, «S:c., in 
 testimony as their cant is of respect for such one or 
 other of their kidneys or fellows. One or more of their 
 hands are immediately set at work, and if after having 
 teased and entreated one or two hundred pervsons to 
 subscribe, they can succeed in getting two or three 
 dozen nameis to their paper, the matter is fixed, a dinner 
 is given, toasts are drank, and the many learn by the 
 next paper the sentiments which these few have palmed 
 upon them. 
 
 , The dinner which was giv( n in tdken as it is said of 
 respect to Genl. Hector on his return last sjning from 
 the city of Washington, presents a recent instance of 
 this mode of proceeding. (This kind of imp(>sition.) 
 
 The St. Louis Enquirer of informed the« 
 
 public that such a dinner had been given and regaled 
 us with the toasts which were drank th«Mi, but an agre- 
 gious mistake was made in stating that the toasts were 
 drank at a dinner given in testimony of respect, &c., 
 
 262 
 
by t\w eitizcus of St. Louis. It is cvidciil that these 
 \v(»r<ls ji (liuuer i»iveu by the citizens convey the idea 
 that all the citizens uave it, or at least a majority of 
 the citizens had a participation in it, but what will it 
 be said if in r<'ality tli<' niiic-tcntlis of tlie citizens of 
 St. Lonis had nothini; to do with that dinner, a^s is ab- 
 isolutely the case. Such an imposition is really un- 
 sufferable. To what purpose then vso an ej're<'ious 
 falsehood should have been published. (The true state 
 of thiniis was i)erf('ctly known to the editor of the En- 
 <iuirer, for he was himself at the dinner.) This ^ross 
 departure of truth necessarily rai,ses the presumption 
 of an evil desii^n in some <tne. ^A^)u^d it not seem prob- 
 able that this dinner was j;iven in order to have an 
 opp<irtunity to toast (Jenl. Rector and T. H. Benton, and 
 by omittini; I). Barton to give to understand abroad 
 and in the distant partes of the state, that Messrs. Rector 
 and Benton stood high in the opinion of the citizens of 
 St. Louis whilist Mr. Rarton was slighted if not di- 
 rectly censured. In tact the c(»nduct of Wm. Rector as 
 surveyor general met with the approbation of the citi- 
 zens of St. Louis and consequently the v«)te of Mi-. 
 Benton in the Senate in favor of his nomination, whilst 
 the vote of :\[r. Barton against it was censured. 
 Happily the people are wide awake and the time of im- 
 position is over, this ruse de querre is perfectly harm^ 
 less. 
 
 September 25, 1825. 
 
 James Rnssel, 
 
 Sir: — I recjuest you to insert as soon as pojssible, in 
 your paper the enclosed comic essay, preserving the 
 same arrangement in which the lines stand. 
 
 263 
 
I have consulted persons of a correct taste, who de- 
 clare it meetvs their entire approbation as to propriety, 
 and also being in the true comic character. In order 
 to obviate all posvsible objection, if any, I make myself 
 answerable for all the consequences of the publication. 
 I wish, however, that idle curiosity be not satisfied. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, February 10, 1821. 
 Edmund Rutter, 
 
 (Letter to, enclosino- an essay siiiued "A Farmer" with 
 request to consult with our friends and make such al- 
 terations as they may deem meet; amonij; these friends 
 I mention Messrs. Stephen Bird, Abraham Bird, Bolin- 
 ger, Frizel, McFerran, English. 
 
 Part of letter verbatim. A person in whom I par- 
 ticularly confide havS told me that several of the lead- 
 ing opponents at St. Louis, to tlie amendments to the 
 couvstitutiou, were the other day lamenting together on 
 the bad management of Mr, Gyer in the legislature. 
 They consider that he was too openly insulting and 
 contemptuous in the course of tlie debates; that the 
 breach which he has impudently made is probably too 
 wide to be easily closed; that this unhappy circum- 
 stance will impair for a long time the political influence 
 over the country members to which the gentlemen ot 
 the bar are entitled from their talents and other con- 
 siderations; and in the meantime the best guards and 
 provisions of the constitution may be prostrated and 
 undone. N. B. — Two of these bemoaners were political 
 men. 
 
 264 
 
My exp<»r'tati()n is that in case the general plan of the 
 essay -meets with your approbation, after being cor- 
 rected it will be handed to the i)rinter at Jackson for 
 publication. J shall foiward you another essay by the 
 next mail. 
 
 Respectfully yours. 
 
 St. Loui«, February 12, 1821. 
 Edmund Kutter, 
 
 Dear 8ir: — 1 hope you have received by the last mail 
 a packet from me enclosing a letter dated 10th inst. 
 and an essay. 1 here enclose another which 1 like- 
 wise submit to your consideration and that of our other 
 friends, 1 believe it ought to be published with as 
 little delay as possible. Although 1 am subscriber to 
 the paper of your town, I have not receiv<'d any this 
 great while. Be so good to re(iuest the i)rinter to be 
 more punctual with me. 1 wish him to send me six 
 papers of each number containing the essay of last week 
 and the one here enclosed. 
 
 You will oblige m'e by writing soon to me and giving 
 
 me such information as you })ossess on the state, of 
 
 public opinion in your part of the country and also how 
 
 these essays of mine have been approved or disapproved. 
 
 I wish you to pay particular attention to the state of the 
 
 seals of my packets to you, for I strongly suspect that 
 
 I am not less watched at the post ottice than any where 
 
 else. 
 
 Respectfully yours. 
 
 St. Louis, Augt. 17, 1823. 
 Edmund Rutter, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your favor of the ()th ulto. has been duly 
 received. I have been delayed answering until this 
 
 2<)5 
 
time ill order to make more eiiqiiirv ou the subject men- 
 tioned in it. I nevei' lieard before I received 3'ouiis, nor 
 have I been able to hear since, of any pt^rsons intende^l 
 to be candiihites or proposed as such for the (jflfice of 
 Lieutenant (Jovernor. The only Ihinj; I can say is that 
 I always heard you spoken of as respectable and a use- 
 ful nieinber in the Homse of Representatives, and I am 
 well watislied beside that you have a very good standini]^ 
 in Cape (liiardeau County. We have had here already 
 some canvassiuL'/foi- the next electicm of representative 
 in Congress, and uKso for ^((vi^rnor. Vou probably have 
 heard that I have been appointed by the President one 
 of the coniniissioneris for ascertaining claims and titles 
 to land in the territories of Floiida, and that I have 
 declined to serve. It appears that my enemies are dis- 
 pleased that I had such an offer and ])erhaps not less 
 so at my not accepting it. The salaries are Jfl52000 per 
 annum, payable quarterly. It is evident that I did not 
 ask the appointment and that I have not thirst for 
 power or money, and also that when I have been in this 
 state repeatedly a candidate. I could not be actuated 
 but by honorable and disinterested motives, such, for 
 instance, as to prevent the leading lawyers of St. Louis 
 and their faction from giving the state a constitution 
 suitable to themselves only, and save the state the dis- 
 advantage, if not the disgrace of being unworthily rep- 
 resented in Congress. A residence of more than eighteen 
 years in St. Louis, together with a concentration of all 
 that is dear to me, children, friends, and property, iden- 
 tifies me with the honor and prosperity of our state. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 260 
 
St. Louis, Auo-t. 28, 1819. 
 Jas. Raiikiii Simi^oii, 
 
 Sir: — Your letter to uie of the 30th of July has been 
 lately received. The tract of laud which beloui; to the 
 eistate of" (Miarles Lucas, deceased, aud is a Spanish 
 uraut situate six or seven miles from Frankliu, is still 
 for sale. AiS there is uo other tract b<dou,i»in«;- to the 
 estate in that i)art of the country, I ])resunu' there is uo 
 mistake as to the identity. 1 cannot tell whether it. is 
 in the townsliip 41), however, I believe it is. The tract 
 dou't contain six hundred and f(uty acres, it only con- 
 tains six huudred arpens. The price in one dollar and 
 tive-ei<>hths of a (h)llar per arjx'nt, one-third iu hand, 
 one-tliird in one year fiom the date of the sale, the other 
 third in two years. 1 have i)urchased myself at the 
 February sales a fractional part of the section, No. 
 twenty in towniship No. forty-uine, adjoiuin<i the six 
 huudred arpens above mentioned near the bluff aud 
 towards the Si)rin^. I b<tui!,lit it in order to have the 
 Spriu}^ more completely iu 
 
 (Manuscript destroj^ed.) 
 
 1 have received yesterday a letter from John G. 
 McDonald, Notary, dated Washiniiton, 4th Aui»t., iu- 
 fonninu me that my draft f(»r six hnndrc^d dollars in 
 favour of U. Pratt (tn you, sir. as secretary of the Treas- 
 ury of the U. S., &c., has not been paid, and is protested. 
 This ])reseuts a seriouvs inconvenience to me which, as 
 it is will b(^ obvious to you, I ou«j;ht not to bear. I had 
 li^ht to draw, and I have exercised that riiiht. If a 
 draft on a bank of the vicinity ha<l been sent to me at 
 the end of the 1st <]uarter, to-wit: 1st of March, or an 
 information forwarded to me sooner, no such thiug 
 would have happened. 
 
 2G7 
 
I had appomted two years ago, Mr. Smith the cashier 
 of the Branch Bank of the U. S. at ^yashington, mj 
 attorney in order to have the money due to me for my 
 salaries remitted at rhe Bank of the U. S. 
 (Manuscript destroyed.) 
 I hope from your justice that I shall not be made 
 sufferer for an accident which I neither could help or 
 control. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, October 12th, 1817. 
 John CoUon Smith, 
 
 Sir: — Havinj; been informed that a Mr. Reeves, pro- 
 fessor in the faculty of law, used to give his lectures at 
 Litchfield, Connecticut, with reputation and success, 
 and understanding that lectures on the same iscience 
 are still continued at the same place either by him 
 or b}' some of his learned disciples under his auspices; 
 being also convinced that such an institution must be 
 of an infinite advantage to initiate students properly, 
 save the disgust commonly attending the commence- 
 ments, methodize their ideas, understand the general 
 object and reason of laws, argue better from analogy, 
 I have thought it expedient to send one of my sous 
 named Wm. to partake with the advantage of this insti- 
 tution. 
 
 This letter will be handed to you by him. I beg 
 of you, sir, to extend your benevolence to him and 
 assist him with your counsels. 1 have thought proper 
 to isend him so far and incur the expense attending his 
 long journey, &c., believing from past experiment that 
 he will make a good use of his time, that his conduct 
 under other respects will be correct and that when he 
 
 268 
 
will leave Litclitiohl, n(» recolloctions will be left be- 
 hind him unfavorable io \\\i> chaiactf'i'. I am an utter 
 Nti'an<»('r in voiir state. You ai'e anions the very few 
 with whom 1 can make th\s a]>i)li(a(ion. 
 
 If in any manner whatever, I could be of any service 
 to you in the part of the country which I inhabit, you 
 may contideutly make use of me. I am, 
 
 Kespectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Nov. 22d, 1819. 
 K. Smith, 
 
 Cashier Bank U. S., 
 Sir: — 1 have received a copy of your letter to the 
 Secretary of the Treasury bearin<» date the 7th of Oct., 
 1819, which reads thus (here follows the letter) believ- 
 ing that as since last 3'ear the Bank of the U. S. had 
 ceased to pay the notes of its branches, the arrange- 
 ment which I had made with you could not be con- 
 veniently carried into effect I .supposed that the only 
 way left me to do was to draw upon the Treasury- of the 
 U. S. which I accordingly did. My draft was protested 
 and the reason given foi it was that my salary for the 
 two tirst (juarters of the year had been i)ai(l into the 
 hands of my attorney at Washington. In your letter to 
 Mr. (roford you state that my first quarter's salary 
 has been drawn by you and placc<l to my credit in the 
 Bank of the V. S. and that my IM and .*?d quarters have 
 been transmitted to me by drafts on the Missouri Jiank 
 
 (Manuscrii)t destroyed.) 
 the dates of the drafts (the one 7 of July, the other the 
 4 of Oct.) I am lead to conclude that they are in pay- 
 ment of my salaries for the two last quarters of the year 
 ending 30th Sept., 1819. If so, there must be the 2 
 
 269 
 
first quarters credited to me at the bank of the U. S. 
 This seems to follow from your statement that you 
 have sent rae but 2 quarters, and from the fact that 1 
 have received but one half of my salaries for the last 
 year. If thivS is not the case I su])iK)se that you must 
 have sent me a <lraft on the. bank here for that quarter 
 ending- in Marcli last, and that it has miscarried or has 
 been miislaid. 1 therefore wish you to forward me a 
 draft on our bank for that (juarter, or if otherwise it be 
 credited to me at the Baidc V. S. that you will have the 
 jioodiHss to inform me of it williout delay. The pecu- 
 niary embarrassments under wliicli our country labfU's 
 are not lesis felt by us than by others. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 (Sig.) J NO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 / 
 
 January 24, 1827. 
 Genl. Saml. Smith, 
 
 Maryland, 
 Sir: — The French and Spanish land claimants within 
 the bounds of the State of ^lissouri and Ty. of Ark. after 
 having seemingly slumbered for a while, have re>sumed 
 lately their wanted activity. They have ])etitioned the 
 presidf^nt and have procured thereby a special recom- 
 mendation of their claims in lii.s message to the two 
 houises at the commencenient of the ]>resent session of 
 rongress. It is obvious that this recommendation was 
 anticipated by an Act of Congress entitled "An Act 
 Enabling the Claimants to Land in the State of Mis- 
 souri and Ty. of Ark to Institute Proceedings to Try the 
 \'ali<lity of Their (Maims, Approved 2() May, 1824,'^ 
 whereby the District Court of the U. S. for the State of 
 Missouri is made competent to try the merits of their 
 
 270 
 
(hums and by a liiial (1(mi'('«^ to settle and determine the 
 (piestion ol the validity of the tith^ acfordini; t(» the 
 laws of nations, the stijmhition (d" an.v treaty and pro- 
 cecdiiiiis nmh'i- the same, the several acts of (\(nj:,ress 
 in ridalion thereto and the hiws and ordinance (d" the 
 jidvernment from whicdi it is alleged to have been de- 
 rive<l, »S:c., and in all cases the party aj;ainst whom 
 the jndi;nient or decree of the said district court may 
 finally be ^iven, shall be entitled to an appeal within 
 one yeai- of its rendition to the snpreme conil of the 
 r. S., &c., it is self-evident that every i)rovision neces- 
 sary for the security of titles under treaty, &c., is madi 
 by that act, and that the clainiantvS cannot aisk anything 
 moi<' unless ii is an absolute donation under color of 
 conrirmation, an<l, indeed, 1 believe it is what tliey are 
 after. Their avowed object is to have their claims re- 
 ferred once more to a Board of Commissioners where 
 they expect to obtain better terms than in a court of 
 law. ThovSe claims ha^e already been reported aj;ainst 
 by a IJoard cd' Ctmimissioners. A second referreuce 
 couhl attain no other end bnt <()llusion and fraud. The 
 claimants aic now safely jjrovided for the pur]M>ses of 
 the security of their titles if they are i^ood, but fnun the 
 ojtportunity I had as a former land commissioner, I am 
 well satished tliat withciit faxor and a donation in dis- 
 ".'.uise, the claimants are undone and they know it da 
 well as I do. They depend upon their perseverance 
 an<l the mana«»ement of their agents in both houses of 
 (dn^ress. They <lread a trial at law as a prisoner who 
 is conscious to deserve the sentence of the law-. They 
 have j^athered strength and intluence by conveniuj; part 
 of their ( laims to divers intluential persons in Tennessee, 
 Kt'U lucky, .Jcc. 
 
 271 
 
I now feel a double interest in seeing that the U. S. 
 be not tricked out of millions of acres of the best land 
 and that my labor as a former land commivssioner, the 
 persecution, vexation and my self-denial of political 
 ag'^randizement, accumulation of wealth, be not unpro- 
 ductive of public benefit. 
 
 For further information I beg leave to refer you to 
 the enclosed draft of petition that you may have an 
 idea of the weakness of a Spanish claim and its dis 
 crepancy from tlie Spanish law. I enclotse you also 
 a pamphlet cdntaiiiinii the -substance of an argument 
 which I have delivered before the District Court of the 
 U. S. for Missouri. The land claimants and their 
 friends have never ceased to boast and assert that their 
 claims will ultimately be contiiined. greatly (lei)ending, 
 I suppose on the dupiness of Congress, on the persever- 
 ance and influence of their agents at Washington. You 
 are among the few that are contemporary to the origin 
 of those claims and can best satisfy the Senate of the 
 propriety of holding the land claimants fast to a court 
 of law, or else, abide by the limitation for not prose 
 cuting their claims in due time. 
 
 With respect, &c., 
 
 Draft of petition against removing laud claims from 
 a court of law. r*ami)lilet confaining argument case 
 of, vs. V. S. for 1 ()()()() ai'pens of land situate on Cuivre 
 Kiver. Seven packets of same sent to, Jany. 24, 1827. 
 
 Saml. Smith, 
 Wm. Findlay, 
 John Cooke, 
 South Carolina Smith, 
 Wm. Hendricks, 
 Wm. Drayton. 
 
 272 
 
St. Louis, January 15tli, 1820. 
 Hou. Henry Southard, 
 
 Sir: — A nvvixi many of the original Spanish land 
 claimanl.< in tliat ])art of tlie former province of 
 Louisiana wliicli i.s now iiicludod in the Missonii and 
 Arkansas territories liave sohl vseveral large claims to a 
 numher of American citizens from the west whom tliey 
 have deemed lo be tlie most able, by influence and 
 management to procure the ])assage of an act of Con- 
 gress for the conhrmation of another part of the Spanish 
 ( laim, and put the residue in the most favorable train. 
 
 (roveriior (lark, who has become greatly interested in 
 those claims by huge purchases, is now in attendance 
 at Washington. We may presume that he is not idle 
 and gives every possible assistance to John Scott, the 
 delegate wlio is likewise deeply concerned in them. 
 These tw(t have been followed by several others from 
 St. Louis. Tlieir reudezvous has been kept secret as 
 htng a^s ])ossibh'. We have been a long time here with^ 
 out knowing where they had gone. It is supposed that 
 the iutluence of all of them is to be directed towards 
 two i)rin<i]Kil (dtjects. The first is to keep back or to 
 |)revent tlie taking up either of the two bills reported 
 last year, the one by the Secy, of the Treasury, the 
 other by the committee on public lands, whose leading 
 principles are the sauie, which is to refer the claims to 
 laud in the former province of Louisiana to courts of 
 justic«< for decision within a given time. Their second 
 ((bject is to i>roiure the passage of a favorite bill re- 
 l)orte(l by another committee (»n public lands on the 
 10th of Feby., 181S. 
 
 Let me observe to you that this last bill contains all 
 the aberrations of the act of the 12th of April, 1S14, 
 entitled "An Act f<u" the Final Adjustuient of Land 
 
 273 
 
Titles in the State of Loiiisiaua and Territory of Mis- 
 sonri" with this additional evil that it extended this 
 aberration to a mnch jireater quantity of claims, still 
 less certain and authenticated. That it provides for 
 the opening- of an office for the entr^- of new claims and 
 also to authorize claimants to file de nono in the new 
 office, any claims which may have been disallowed by 
 the former Board of Commissioners and whose proofs 
 they must consider incomplete and insufficient, that 
 they may have an opportunity of improving upon the 
 former testimony. This opportunity presents conse- 
 quences so much more dangerous, hh the testimony will 
 be taken ex parte, the bill not iiroviding for the aj)- 
 pointment of an agent to appear in behalf of the U. S., 
 and as many witnesses have evince<l a gTeat docility 
 and disposition to accommodate the land claimants in 
 a variety of occasions before the former Board of Com- 
 missionens. Let it be observed that nothing is more 
 ruinous or adverse to the interests of the U. S. than 
 to open an office for new claims, especially when the 
 date of the treaty of St, Ildefonso is abandoned. No 
 Spanish registry is required to authenticate claims. 
 The conditions on which concessions depend under 
 Spanish laws and customs are laid aside, and the num- 
 ber of claims or quantity of land to which this relaxa- 
 tion or dereliction of principle may apply is unknown. 
 Taking all together the claims entered on record 
 which remain unconfirmed, they present a great mass 
 and a formidable aspect. Their number and the quan- 
 tity of land which they call for is great indeed, it mat- 
 ters of nothing less than several millions of dollars 
 worth in choice land, but in truth it is nothing more 
 than a gTeat superstructure without basis. The land 
 claimants know it very well, and their want of confi- 
 
 274 
 
deuce in their claims is fully evinced by their great ap- 
 prehension of beinj;- sent to courts of justice for the 
 a8<'('itaiiniH'ii( of their ri<;hts. Altho they make a 
 f^reat n<»ise about (hef^ecurity and inviolability of their 
 riohts under the treaty between the U. S. and P^rance, 
 3'et they dread notliini» more than a judicial scrutiny 
 by a constitutioiinl tiibiinal. 1 am well informed that 
 some of the leading claimants have been candid enou<;h 
 to declare not long since, that altho they have waited 
 during these fifteen years, for the confirmation of their 
 ( laiiiis, they would be willing to wait fifteen years more, 
 sooner than to have them referred to courts of justice. 
 AA'ithout wishing to deviate from the independent course 
 which I have taken with respect to all the land claim 
 ants, whether they be American or French, neverthe- 
 less I don't wivsh to irritate them anew. I therefore, 
 request yon, .sir, to make such use of my communica- 
 tion as you may think best, without mentioning my 
 name. 
 
 1 suppose you must be vsatitjfied that as a former land 
 commissioncM-, as a judge of the territory and under 
 other consideration^^, I had opportunitites enough to 
 become interested iji those claims upon as good terms 
 as anybody else, if X had, my interest would forbid 
 me, now, to endeavor to put you on your guard on the 
 present occasion. 
 
 As a specimen of the course which I have pursued 
 
 as a land commiissioner, I beg leave to refer you to the 
 
 report of Mr. Galatin to the President of the U. S. upon 
 
 Dubenpie's claim, which ijs contained in the 84th, 85th 
 
 and Stitli i>ages of the appendix to the Land Laws, being 
 
 a comitilalion made, as 1 believe, under the direction 
 
 of Mr. Galatin. 
 
 JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 275 
 
p. S. — I have directed to you a number of the Missouri 
 Gazette, wherein you will see under St. Louis head, 
 copy of one of the electioneerinij; hand bills of our dele- 
 gate, John Scott, by which it ;ii)pears that he has many 
 land claims not contirmed. If he can have them con- 
 firmed, his fortune will be colossal indeed. 
 
 St. Louis, Jan. 4, 1822. 
 John W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — Althoujih I have not the happiness to be per- 
 sonally acquainted Avith you, I have nevertheless pre- 
 sumed to write to you from what I deem to be urgent 
 necessity. By making enquiry from Doctor Eustis from 
 Massachusetts or others you will soon be able to know 
 who I am. 
 
 Lest you should not be sufficiently iufonned of the 
 defects of the Spanish land claims in the State of Mis- 
 souri which remain unconfirmed; lest also you should 
 not be sufficiently aAvare of the artful means which have 
 been heretofore used and will no doubt be used again 
 during the present session of Congress to procure the 
 passage of an act for confirming the same, or for putting 
 them in a proper train for confirmation, permit me to 
 observe you that by the 4th section of an act of Con- 
 gress of the 8d of March, 1807, the Board of Commis- 
 sioners, — (The residue as in letter to Walter Lowrie of 
 December 21st, 1821, except Avhat relates to C. Lucas; 
 except also, what relates to pretensions of seat in 
 Senate, is omitted. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 276 
 
St. Louis, April 5tli, 1822. 
 J. W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — I wavS abs<Mit for some time before and since 
 your favor of the 13tli Feby. reached St. Louis. Owing 
 to this circumstance I have not been able before this to 
 submit you mj- remarks on the bill which you have 
 transmitted me. Shouhl this bill pass as it is now, no 
 leoislation could be more ruinous and over-reaching. 
 Notwithstanding my difference I shall attempt to pre- 
 sent you a view of the amendments which, in m}- opin- 
 ion, the Hret section ought to receive. Strike at the 
 8th line commencing at the word before and ending 
 at the 21st line with the word Louisiana, and insert in 
 lieu thereof, during the time that the said French and 
 Spanish governments respectively had the right to dis- 
 pose of the domains or public lauds situate in the 3d 
 late province of Louisiana, and which concession, war- 
 rant or order of ssurvey is duly rec(U(l(Ml in the office of 
 record of laud titles for the district of Louisiana; to- 
 gether with a notice of the claiuj to land in pursuance 
 thereof. 
 
 Strike at the 48d line of same section commencing 
 at the word united and ending with the word interest, 
 at the 4(lth line, for the purpose of iuvserting in litMi 
 thereof, it shall be the duty of the party petitioning to 
 serve on the attorney of the U. S. for the district of 
 Missouri, a copy of each petition that shall be tiled 
 under tlic ])rovisious of this act within days from and 
 after the time of tiling the 3d petition, in order that the 
 3d attorney may nuike such a defence thereon in be- 
 half of the U. S. as the case may require. 
 
 I think it would also be ver}' proper to make a pro- 
 vision for authorizing the l"resid<'nt of tlu' V. S. to em- 
 ploy one or two counsels to aid and assist the district 
 
 277 
 
attorney. Not only great benefit might be derived from 
 their h'gal services but also from tlieir being a check 
 against any collusion. Not that I pretend to cast any 
 retlection against the judge or attorney, but because our 
 government is based upon checks and because I be- 
 lieve that if 1100,000 could bribe each of the officers 
 they would be offered to them. 
 
 In suggesting the foregoing amendment>s, I had three 
 important objects in view. The 1st was to leave it 
 entirely to the judiciary to decide when the French 
 or Spanish authorities had ceased to have the power 
 of gTanting laud. It i^s evident to me that the bill ac- 
 knowledges the right of granting land four years aud 
 four months after the S])anish gov(aument had parted 
 by the treaty- of St. Ildepliomso with the right of domain. 
 
 2d. Not to let Congress give a\v;jy laud under color 
 of confirmation on which many families are actually 
 settled; on which they have spent their strength and 
 their means and to part of which they have a right of 
 pre-emption, whenever they will be offered for sale by 
 the U. S. 
 
 3d. Not to let claims not entered for record in the 
 office of recorder of laud titles, and, of course, having 
 no known character of claims against the T^. S. 1 say 
 not to let t^uch claiuis come undei- tlie notice and juris- 
 diction of the District Court. The la\v,s providing for 
 adjusting and quieting claims to land, required that 
 an entry should be made of a notice of such claims and 
 written evidence in su])])ort of the same that none but 
 claims thus recorded should be acted upon by the 
 commissioners and all claims not recorded should be 
 barred. This indirect way provided in the bill of pe- 
 titioning before the District Court for claims duly en- 
 tered on the Spanish registry would open the flood 
 
 278 
 
gates of fraud. This Spanisli registry is well known 
 
 to me. It is intended to be made Jiny thing of, and no 
 
 ealeuhilion can be made of th«' number and extent of 
 
 claims that will be brought if the provisionis of the acts 
 
 of Congress whieli bars all claims not duly recorded 
 
 under the several acts of Congress are revoked or done 
 
 away. I should submit 3'ou many more remarks did 
 
 time allow. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, December 20th, 1822. 
 Hon. .John W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — Although the land bill which originated laist 
 year in the Senate was vi'vy favorable to claimants, 
 nevertheless their case is so desperate and their pre- 
 tensions so high that 1 am well convinced its provis- 
 ions are not Lsutticiently aujple to (juiet their apprehen- 
 sions. From these 1 am induced to believe that the 
 delegation of Missouri did think it impolitic to have it 
 past through the House of Kepresentatives last session. 
 I am persuaded that they have not given up the hope 
 of being able to have another bill presented and passed 
 aX some unguarded time this or next session, which will 
 refer the claims to a Board of Commissioners, for they 
 dread nothing so much as an investigation before a 
 court of law. 
 
 Permit me to remark that notwithstanding the cau- 
 tion and care ])laiuly observable in the last bill of the 
 Senate on that subject. It contains two dangerous 
 departures from established principles. The first is an 
 acknowledgment that the Spanish commandants at 
 St. Louis could issue concessions until the 10th of 
 March, 1801, whilst the province of Louisiana was 
 
 279 
 
ceded to the U. S. in the .same extent and with all the 
 rights the French had acquired by the treaty of St. 
 Ildephonso of the 30 of September, 1799, whilst also 
 it giveis effect to acts done by the Spanish officer.s after 
 their sovereign had surrendered the right of domain 
 and the actual sovereignty. The second goas to em- 
 brace not only the claims recorded but tlio,se also that 
 are not. Nothing appears to me moic^ jn-oper than to 
 declare that no claim predicated upon a concession pos- 
 terior to the date of the treaty of St. Ildephonso ought 
 to be taken notice of before the court or if not the ques- 
 tion \\ hen and b}' what officer can be issued, ought to be 
 left entirel}' to the court. It is beyond doubt that the 
 office for recording; the written evidence of the land 
 claims has been open long time and repeatedly too, that 
 the obvious object was to ascertain tlie quantity of 
 claims, and check the introduction of new written 
 documents, and thei-e is an evident danger in opening 
 a door to claims unknown and uncertain. It appears 
 by unquestionable documents that Thos. H. Benton, 
 senator from Missouri who was one of the directors of 
 the Bank of Missouri when it failed, is indebted to the 
 bank to the amount of .fl^OOO. That he is much in- 
 volved and, no doubt, to a much greater aimmnt than he 
 is able to pay, hence his desperate situation will make 
 him exert all his power to obtain by one mean or other 
 the passage of an act favorable to the Spanish land 
 claims. He was the agent and counsel of many of the 
 Spanish land claimants before he was elected to the 
 Senate, and I am persuaded that he lias a great interest 
 and share in them and owes his election in a great de- 
 
 gree to that circumstance. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 280 
 
St. Louis, Janv. 10th, 1823. 
 Hon. John W. Tayh)r, 
 
 Sir: — Soon after I had received your letter of the 13th 
 of February, 1S22, too^ther witli thr bill which had 
 ori«;inat(Ml in the Senate, entitled "A Bill to Enable the 
 Ilcddens of Incomplete French and Spanish Titles to 
 Land, &c., in Missouri to Institute Proceedings to Try 
 the validity Thereof, iJcc.", I submitted in my letter to 
 you of the 5tli of A])iil, L'*<22, souu' remarks on the dan- 
 i;ei(ius tendency (if the same bill and at the same time 
 suggested some amendments. 1 undei\stand that this 
 bill received several amendments before its tinal pas- 
 sage in the Senate. 1 don't know what they are, but 
 as they were not made nor advocated b}' Mr, Benton, I 
 make no doubt bnt that they are unfavorable to hivs 
 views. It api)ears that the bill did not suit Mr. Scott 
 ais he has inti-oduced amendments before the select 
 committee which must have been material and little 
 acceptable to the house, for it seems that the bill did 
 not progress since. I am inclined to conjecture that 
 Messrs. Scott and Beutttu thought it necessary to appear 
 to do something on the subject in order to amuse the 
 land claimants at home with a semblance of imlustry, 
 but that neither of them were satistied with a bill, how- 
 ever apparently advantageous, which contains the prin- 
 ciple of reference to courts of justice, for let me repeat 
 to you that not only their best claims are (\ssentially 
 dehcient and lanu', but most all of them are mere 
 shadows. They have not excn a legal incipiency and 
 cannot be carried throngh but by a leger de main, 
 which might be accomplisluMl l)efore a P.oard of Com- 
 missioners, but never before a Court of Justice. 
 
 No doubt but Mr. Benton is as busy as ever in order 
 to carry his point this year. His best hopes of political 
 
 281 
 
infliienoe and wealth rest upon his success in the land 
 claims. He wa.s the leading anient and counsel of the 
 land claimants before he had a seat in tlu- Senate. It 
 was chiefly tlironj;h the influence of the Spanish land 
 claimants that he was elected. I know that n.s their 
 agent tlie best part of his compensation was contingent. 
 It depended upon the confirmation of the land claims. 
 I firmly believe that be has now a considerable share 
 in them. If he don't isucceed, his situation will be des- 
 perate for he is greatly in debt. He was one of the 
 directors of the Bank of Missouri when it failed. He 
 indefatigably puffed the credit of that institution until 
 he succeeded to induce the Secretary of the Treasury' 
 to have dejxtsits made in it to the amount of |152,000. 
 It having been found out that all the directors were 
 the princii)al debtors of the bank and had assigned 
 since it istoi)ped payment, great part of the rights and 
 credits of tlie bank to a man notoriousl}' insolvent, the 
 District Court for the state of Missouri has, at the suit 
 of the U. S. app(»inted trustees to iiold the remaining 
 property of the bank and attend its concerns. I have 
 stated you this in order to satisfy; you that Mr. Benton 
 is in a desperate situation that you may alarm your 
 friends in the Senate and Hou.'^e of Representatives. 
 As to Mr. Scott, he is under the direction of Mr. Benton. 
 He is his echo. 
 
 Be so good as to inform me briefly of the course 
 which is pursued this year on the land claims in 
 Missoui'i and send me the bill tliat is reported on that 
 subject. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 2^2 
 
St. Louis, December 15, 1823. 
 Joliu W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — Dry and uuj^ratifyinn to llic iniiid as the subject 
 (tf llic Spanish land claiiius ivS, I have n<'v<'illi(dess re- 
 pea t(Mlly wadt'd tlirouiili il in ordci- to alarm llic rep- 
 resentatives iu eonj;ress an<l enable them to defend the 
 U. S. from the impeudini* danger of imposition and 
 fraud; believing as I do that you are truely animated 
 with the desire of serving your country on all ques- 
 tions that may jncNent themselves, whether they be 
 attended witli celebrity and eclat oi' not, I confidently 
 hope that you will not be wear}' to receive vsome ad- 
 ditional commuuicatioius on the same subject. I never 
 should have assumed such a task, (which, indeed, has 
 subjected me to much trouble and persecution) had not 
 the information which I have obtained, concerning those 
 claims whilist 1 was land commissioner placed me un- 
 der greater obligation than others to endeavor to save 
 the public thing from the grasp of a set of men for the 
 most i)art already loaded with the munificence of the 
 U. S. and whose infiuence is even now too much felt 
 and woukl be overwhelming should they meet with 
 further success. 
 
 Knowing as I do that the multiplicity of buvsiness 
 which will inevitably crowd upon you in the course of 
 the se<?;sion, in order to diminish your labour and trouble, 
 permit me to submit to you a few more i-emarks. In 
 turning to the bill of the Senate of February IDth, 1823, 
 it will be seen that in "Benton reported it by refer- 
 rence to the memorial of the legislature of Missouri 
 on the subject of land claims. The date of this memo- 
 rial is December 3d, 1822, and part of its contents is 
 here inserted. 
 
 283 
 
"The unconfirmed claims in tliiws state and want of 
 definite tribunal where rights of this kind may be con- 
 tested, and settled are subjects of much sincerity and 
 solicitude amonj^st us. We wish this difficulty obviated 
 and competent tribunals constituted to decide definitely 
 the uuvsettled claims so that the laws belouiiin<» to the 
 U. S. and those belonging to individuals may be known 
 and set apart that every inducement ma}^ be offered 
 and every obstacle removed as far as practicable to 
 emigrants who may be disposed to locate themselves 
 amongst us, but tho referrence of the reporter of this 
 bill purely verbal and the bill stand.s in direct oppo- 
 sition to the memorial. It is evident that the legisla- 
 ture demand b}'^ its memorial that the land claims be 
 put in contest or litigation and a final or definitive de- 
 cision may be liad upon the same b}^ a competent tri 
 bunal, whilst the bill provides for a referrence to the 
 recorder of land titles for opinion onl}' and with di- 
 rections that those ex parte proceedings and opinions 
 be reported to congress at their next session, which is, 
 in fact, doing over again the same thing with this dif- 
 ference, that the report here before made on the same 
 subject contains the opinions of the three commis- 
 sioners and the one intended b}'^ the bill would contain 
 but the opinion of one person with a dangerous latitude 
 to exercise it. If Mr. Benton had paid any attention to 
 consistency and to the wishes of his constituents he 
 would have mentioned in his report on the memorial of 
 the legislature of Missouri that a bribe had passed the 
 senate during the preceding session which met entirely 
 the wishes expressed in the memorial. He would have 
 stated that there was another bill of a similar import 
 which had originated in the house of representatives and 
 was on their files; he would have urged Mr. Scott the 
 
 284 
 
repi'oseutative of Missouri to call up oue of those bills 
 and prcsvs the i)assa»e thereof, but sir, Messrs. Benton 
 and Scott have other interests to attend to, I mean that 
 of the Spanish hind claimants. I rc]»eat to von that 
 these hi^t di-ead nothinji more than a fair trial of their 
 claims in a court of justice. Hence Mess?*s. Benton and 
 Scott ha<l alwavM an insuperable objection to the prin- 
 ciph' (tf refen-ence of the French and Spanish land 
 chiims to the judiciary wliich is embraced in the bill 
 last alluded to, this is the reason why these bills have 
 been botli hun<;- in the house of representatives. 
 
 No doubt but Mr. Scott received at the same time that 
 Mr. Benton did a similar memorial from tlu^ h^i»islature 
 of Missouri and I am well satisfied that he did not urge 
 the passage of any of the two bills which provide for 
 the referrence of the claims to the judiciary or if lie 
 had, certainly the bill would have past, for the principle 
 of referrence is already sanctioned by the senate and 
 by a committee of the house of representatives, it is just 
 in itself and the interest of the peojjle of Missouri as 
 well as of the V. S. concur in liiving it a legal effect. 
 
 It. may well be expected that Mr. Benton will se- 
 dulously pursue during this session his favorite object. 
 1 ni"an the referrence of the land claims to the re- 
 corder. A corresponding vigilance becomes absolutely 
 necessary to counteract him and Scott. The St. Louis 
 Enquirer of December 2()tli, IX'2'.\ contains a republica- 
 tion entitled "Observations on the Nature and Origin 
 of Rights to Land in Fpiter Louisiana, etc." which were 
 published at the city of Washington in the year 1820. 
 It is slated in the prefatory remarks that that essaj^ 
 was submitted to the enlightened and honest man, Mr. 
 Campbell, of Ohio, Chairman of the committee of the 
 [jrivate land claims in the house of representatives and 
 
 285 
 
met his approbation. I never had seen this essay be- 
 fore now. It is written with some ability and plausi- 
 bility, but it stands entirely upon false premises. At 
 any rate let the merit of the land claims be what it may, 
 their variety is so great the laws and regulations so 
 uncertain and their application vso nice and difficult that 
 non(^ but the judiciary can investigate isuch an intricate 
 matter and make a proper discrimination. This pub- 
 lication together with otlK^r circumstances makes me 
 almost cci'taiii that an unparalleled effort will be made 
 (hiriug tlie present s<\ssi()n by the land claimants and 
 their agents in Congress to carry tin ir point. 
 
 You may isafely alai-m your fiiends and i)repare them 
 in due time both in the senate and house of representa- 
 tives to resist Messrs. Benton and Scott. 
 
 Kespect fully, 
 
 St. Louis, November 28, 1823. 
 (This letter was put in mail December 12, 1823.) 
 John W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — Although I have already written you a long 
 letter, and that lately too, on the subject of a bill re- 
 ported in the Senate on the l!)th of Februarj^ last b> 
 Mr. Benton from the committei^ on i)ublic lands, the 
 importance of the snbject however and the unaccount- 
 able de])artnre of the Senate from the course they had 
 taken before in i)assing such a bill is really alarming 
 and reqinres all the vigilance of the house of repn^sen- 
 tatives. Mr. Benton is one of the most artful] men 1 
 know of. After having indulged in every abuse as 
 editor of the St. Louis Enquirer against every member 
 of congress opposed to his views and wishes whilst the 
 Wm's question was pending, and particularly the mem- 
 
 286 
 
hers from the free states iu lieneial. I inferred tliat by 
 (lint of liyjKHrisv and affected blandess he has suc- 
 ceeded jji (>l><aininu' the liood will an<l confidence of 
 some (if llie members in the Senate, of whom he has 
 befoi'e spoken with acrimony and contempt; this ac- 
 connts in jiart for ha\ini; succeeded in liavinii his last 
 bill passed through the Senate. 1 hope that it will be 
 remembered that there are two bills on the file of the 
 honse of rei)resentatives, one from the Senate, the other 
 has orii>iuated there. Mr. Scott ouiiht to be ask(Hl whj 
 lie don't call np the^e bills; he is the mere echo of Mr. 
 Benton and he will tell you all what Mr. Benton will 
 jiive in char*>e to say. These two iientlenien dread aw 
 much a referrence of the Spanish land claims to the 
 jn<liciary — as a j;uilty person would a fair trial. They 
 are conscious of the total absence of lei;al nierites of 
 their claims even of a legal iucipiency in the greatest 
 part of them. 
 
 ^Ir. Lowndes from South Tarolina and several other 
 membens of Cong, who aie either <l(\-id or have ceased 
 to be members, were, to my ceitain knowledge, per- 
 fectly sensible that the report of the commisfsioners on 
 the French an.d Si)anish land clainiiS although not con- 
 clusive against the claimants ou^hl to go for some 
 thing and the least a\"ail it c(nild be of. was to inf<u-n\ 
 the consciences of the nieml)e!'s of Cong, so as to iuduce 
 tluMu to pass an act to enable the dainuiuts to put in 
 litigation the claims re]Kuted against; it was in con- 
 s('(|uence of his that bills to that effect were respect- 
 ively rei»orted to both houses, and nothing but the in 
 trigues of Benton and Scott have prevented the final 
 passage of one of them. Both bills are still on the 
 tiles of the luMise of representatives, and if they are 
 abandoned to give preference |o the late bill of Benton, 
 
 28' 
 
ConiiTess will become the sport and instrument of the 
 cupidity of the land claimants. But why should Cou- 
 i^ress throw oif its responsibility upon an obscure in^ 
 dividual such as a recorder of land titles in Missouri 
 must \w. Why not give aAvay the public lands at once 
 and b*^ directly accountable to their constituents? 
 Why jHit in a isingle individual — the power to mislead 
 T'ongress? Why should he be exposed to the greatest 
 temi)tation of being bribed? for their remains no doubt 
 with me but that bribe will be offered to him one way 
 or another. At all events, sliouhl the Bill of the Senate 
 re})ortcd on the 10th of February pass tlie house o> 
 representatives, it certainly could not be without ma- 
 terial amendments; not less tlian two commissioners 
 ought to be added to the recorch'rs, with an agent to 
 cross-examine the witnesses of the land claimants; to 
 rebut their testimony by other testimony; to meet their 
 arguments, etc.; to inform and check the commission 
 ers; the congress has pursued a ruinous economy in 
 legislating on land claims and particularly so in the 
 act of the 14th of April, 1814. entitled An Act for the 
 Adjustment of Land Claims, etc. Voii will not suspect, 
 T ho])e, that I suggest the creation of ottices that I may 
 have the chance to fill one of them. I was, not more 
 than four or live months ago, appointed one of the 
 commissioners to examine the titles and claims to land 
 in west Florida, and I declined the a])pointment; and 
 even now I am decidedly of opinion that the last bill 
 ought to be negatived and that the reference to the 
 judiciary ought to be insisted u])on as a principle of 
 legislation, safe and consistent with the o])inion of a 
 great nunn- former members of Congress who had bet- 
 ter opportunities of being acquainte^l with the sub- 
 ject than the present ones. 
 
 288 
 
I should not have entered into these long and per- 
 haps tedious details was I not solicitous that my vself- 
 denial of all o])portunities of sharing in land siH'cnla- 
 tion and the .sacritice I have made of my peaee and 
 IKipiilarily logcllicr \vi(li my otticial labors should be 
 ]»i(i(lii(tiv(' (tf some benefit to my country. 
 
 I am respectfully, 
 
 P. S. — Mr. Scott ought to be particularly watched 
 
 towards the en<l of the session, when many members are 
 
 gone olT and when lliose that remain have become less 
 
 vigilant and attentive. 1 have isomewhere auiong my 
 
 l)apers, a uewsi)aper containing one of !Scott\s former 
 
 elctioneering land bills, in which he states that he owns 
 
 Spanish land claims. If I can iind it I shall enclose it 
 
 to you; independent of this I know that he's Spanish 
 
 land claimant. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis. 
 (No date written an<l sent by mail 7th November, 
 
 1823.) ' 
 
 H(m. J. W. Taylor, 
 
 Your letter of 2Lst of Feby., 1823, together with the 
 bill from the Senate, reported in Feby. by Mr. Benton 
 from the committee on publi<' lands to which was re- 
 feri-ed the memorial of tlie legislature of Missouri on 
 the subject, was duly received. I have been informed 
 that the same has passed through the senate with an 
 important amendment and is now on the tile of the 
 houvsc of representatives. All the preceding bills and 
 i-esolutiou^ on same subject which have been hereto- 
 fore reported by ^Messrs. Benton & Scott were mere 
 feints and false attacks. They never deprecated any- 
 
 28! > 
 
thing- so much as to have these claims referred to the 
 jiuliciaiT. Mr. B. ls now in earnest. The land claim- 
 ants had such good terms with the recorder of land 
 titles under the act of the 14 of April, 1814, that thej 
 feel the greatest encouragement to have again their 
 claims referred to the same tribunal. They had mort* 
 than 500,000 acres of land confirmed bv that officer 
 without law or shadow of it. True it is that by this 
 bill nothing but opinions are given, but it was so too 
 under the act of 11 of April, 1814, and these opinions 
 received the sanction of Congress. This bill far from 
 pursuing the memorial of legislature stands in direct 
 opposition to it. The legislature prays for a prompt 
 and speedy decision of the claims. The bill provides 
 for obtaining opinion. The Congress is in possession 
 of the reports of three commissioners which contain 
 their opinions. This is doing over the same thing for 
 the third time. This bill ought to be negatived and 
 the House of Representatives ought to act upon the 
 bill which is on its file on the subject, and in referring 
 at once the claims to the judiciary, matters will be 
 brought to a conclusion and tlie end and purpose. of the 
 memorial will be answered. Whole counties are in- 
 tersected by the large land claims. Communications are 
 obstructed or rendered very difficult. The sooner these 
 lands will be finally declared either public or private 
 property, the sooner these evils will be removed. It 
 (mght to be remarked that there are several actual 
 settlers on those tracts not knowing at the time of their 
 settlement that these lands were claimed by individ- 
 uals. If these lands are declared public property they 
 will be entitled to a right of pre-em])tion which will se- 
 cure their labor, their shelter and place of their choice 
 to themselves and numerous families, if not they will 
 
 290 
 
be luiued and put in a desperate situation. The strange 
 expression of the bill, to-wit: what claims in his opinion 
 are enlilled to the indulgent consideration of the gov- 
 ernment of the U. 8. present an inconsistency. Such 
 indulgence might prove very treacherous, for whilst 
 large tracts of land would be given away under frivo- 
 lous considerations, the actual settler would be be- 
 reaved of the benefit of right of pre-emption although 
 never so willing to pay the accustomed price of the land. 
 
 Respectfully, &c.. 
 
 Jany. 27, 1824. 
 fWaj' mail letter.) 
 J. W. Taylor, 
 
 Seeing from the proceedings in Cong, that the act 
 regulating intercourse with the Indians will probably 
 be revivsed and amended, permit me to state to you that 
 so long as licenses will be granted to trade with the 
 remote Indians, as is provided by a subsequent act, 
 the practice of traping by the white will continue. 
 Hostilities and pillage by way of retaliation on the part 
 of the Indians Mill also continue. If the british have 
 the good will and preference ujMtn us in trade, it is be- 
 cause they cariT it fairly. They leave to the Indians 
 exclusively the rights and benefits of hunting and trap- 
 ing Should a military force be posted higher up the 
 Missouri the points of contact would increase in the 
 ratio of its further advancement and tho c(tnse<inent 
 increase «»f collision wouhl multi])ly hostilities. There 
 would be then as much reason to march from the post 
 500 miles west a« there was this year for marching 
 against the Vicaras. 
 
 I beg leave to remark that General Ashley, togc^ther 
 with his partners, marched from St. Louis with no less 
 
 2yi 
 
thi\n 150 men. It is evident that such a unmber of men 
 were not necessary for the purpose of trade, the}^ were 
 to be employed at hunting and traping. They were 
 actuall}- hunters and trapers. The bonds given can also 
 show the quantity of goods taken for trade. 
 
 In turning to the documents lately submitted to 
 Congress by the Scy. of War it will be seen that the 
 license granted to Genl. Ashley was to trade only in 
 deed, it could not be for trapping. It is also reported 
 and uncontradicted, thaf when he was attacked by 
 the Vicaras he was in the very act of buying honses 
 from the Vicaras. Tliis kind of trade is unauthorized 
 by a general license. There must be a license for that 
 special purpose. See lOtli Sect, of Act of March 30, 
 1802. 
 
 I cannot discover that Mr. Ashley had such a one, 
 nor do I believe he had it. He was then a wrong doer, 
 (trespasser) and the public money is spent and American 
 blood spilt to arrest and support wrong doers, (violators 
 of the law). It is understood that two Vicaras Indians 
 have been killed the year before by a party of white 
 hunters belonging to the Missouri Furr Company. 
 
 These facts and remarks I presume may be of some 
 benejBt. If they are not 1 have presented them Avith the 
 purest intentions. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 St. Louis, Janv. IS, 1825. 
 J. W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — The Spanish and French land claimants in 
 
 Missouri despair so much of having their ends accom- 
 
 plislied by the last act of Congress entited "An Act 
 
 Enabling the Claimants of Land, &c.", that out of sev- 
 
 292 
 
lr;il lliousaiid claiius they have only brought before the 
 district court 4 or 5 of the weakest kind too. This 
 ch'arly indicates that they are j^oing to try their best 
 throngli Messrs. licnton and Scott, their partners or 
 agents to liavc tlic act amciKh'd one way or another. 
 
 Permit me to observe to you that the present act is 
 perfectly and abundantly adequate to all the purposes 
 of obtaining justice if they look for nothing else, but 
 I am persuaded from an intimate knowledge of the 
 merits of their claims that they dread nothing so much 
 as justice. Therefore if they are not very closely 
 watched the}- will introduce and try to carry some 
 amendments which at the list blush may appear inno- 
 ( ent and harmless, but whose effects will most prohablj^ 
 be overreaching. At the express request of the judge 
 of the district court and of the district attorney for 
 Missouri I have taken part in behalf of the U. S. in an 
 argument before that court agaiuvst a claim derived or 
 pretended to be dcriviMl fiom the Spanish government 
 for 10000 arpens of land. This is the 1st claim brought 
 before the court of the U. S. under the act to try such 
 claims. I need not to say that this circumstance has 
 opened wider than ever the breach existing between 
 the land claimants, their adherents and myself. 1 vshall 
 speak again in the same case at the next term of the 
 court in March. I shall act consistently from the be- 
 ginning to the end. I am. 
 
 St. Louis, December 13, 1825. 
 J. W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — I hope you have received before this a small 
 
 pamphlet containing an abstract of argument wliicii I 
 
 293 
 
delivered before the District Court of the U, S. for the 
 state of Missouri, on oue of tlie Spanish land claims. 
 
 The court has delivered an opinion which sustains 
 almost all the positions which I have taken. The judge, 
 however, has intimated that he would wish to obtain 
 ViU-ious Spanish laws, d,ecrees and orders of the King 
 which are referred to in some of the laws which have 
 been produced in court. He has lately applied to the 
 Secy, of State for these laws. They are in a book en- 
 titled which is the Secretary's of State 
 
 office. He has declared that in case he could obtain 
 those laws he might modify or change his o]Hnion. I 
 know, however, enough of the Spanish laws on the sub- 
 ject of the disposals of the royal domains to be perfectly 
 satisfied that the better the laws are known, the less 
 chance there is for the complainant. 
 
 In perusing my argument and the authorities to 
 which it refers 3'ou must certainly be astonished to see 
 how baseless and frivolous these claims ai'e. It fully 
 accounts for the insu])erable objection jMr. Benton and 
 other agents of the Spanish land claimants had against 
 referring them to a court of law, and for his strenuous 
 efforts to have them referred to the recoi'der of land 
 titles. If he had succeeded, it would have ended with 
 all the remaining claims pretty much as it did with a ^ 
 certain description of claims under a former act of 
 the 12th of April, 1804, that is in a hocus pocus way. 
 
 I am informed that Mr. B. intends, during the present 
 session to obtain an extension of the time to bring these 
 claims before the District Court. I assure you that he 
 is hopelss for these claims before any court of law, and 
 if he wishes more time it is for the purpose and in hope 
 to recur to new shifts and avoid the court in the end. 
 Permit me to observe that several counties are inter- 
 
 294 
 
ser<(Ml by those lni\i;o clniins, that vso h»ii<:' as they re- 
 main uiidecidcd the Kettk*iiieuls remain disconnected, 
 weak and unable to make roadis with sufficient bridges. 
 It must be obvious to you that Mr. B. need to be closely 
 watched. Probably you have it in your power to put 
 some of your friends in the Senate on your guard. You 
 know, I presume, that he has fallen out with Scott and 
 Barton. I should like to know to what persons it 
 would be advisable to direct a number of the same 
 pamphlets which I can dispose of. Would you be so 
 kind as to give me a list of names. I am sir, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 10th, 1824. 
 
 (Letter substance.) 
 J. W. Taylor, 
 
 Claim land of H. Reddick if derived from Spanish or 
 French government ought to partake with tlie fate of 
 similar claims. If claim not better tlian him, little 
 worth. He was made president of bank because no 
 man of character would accept. He was president 
 when it failed. It. appears that Mr. Scott has reported 
 a bill to try the validity of French or Spanish claims. 
 Perhaps some clause may be introduced to trammel 
 court. All the questions of laws ought to be left to 
 court even as to time when Spanish officers could issue 
 concessions, They ought to stand in court with i*espect 
 to the U. S. as individuals stand with res^ject to each 
 other. 
 
 St. Louis, February 25, 1824. 
 John W. Taylor, 
 
 Sir: — I have received the two bills which you have en- 
 closed to me. I beg leave to refer you to my former 
 
 295 
 
letters, particularly on the tsubject of the principles 
 which ought to govern in case the validity of claims 
 should be tried before a court of law. The bill which 
 has originated in tlie liouse of representatives of Jany. 
 15, 1824, first conies before my notice, 
 
 I humbly suggest the following amendment of the 
 1st section of the same, to-wit at the 4th line strike 
 the words, chiiming lands, &c., and ending at the 23d 
 line with the word representatives and insert in lieu 
 thereof the following, to-wit: who ha,s been heretofore 
 filed for record agreeably to hiw in the ofiRce of the 
 recorder of land titles for the territory of Missouri any 
 claims stated to be derived from or under the authority, 
 laws, regulations or usages of tlie French or Spanish 
 government. 
 
 In striking and inserting the foregoing as substitute, 
 the object is to avoid trammelling or shackling the 
 court and leave it to the important question, when and 
 how long the Spanish government had the power to 
 alienate the luiblic domains. For my part I am per- 
 fectly satisfied that from the date of the treaty of St. 
 Alphonse the king of Spain held Lonisiana as a mere 
 trustee, that is to say, that he had the power of admin- 
 istering the government but not of alienating tlie do- 
 main, much less had it after the 2od (»f December, 1803, 
 which is the time when the IT. S. took possession of 
 New Orleans; for the taking possession of a i)art is in 
 law and reason, taking possession of the whole. 
 
 As to the bill reported by Mr. Barton in the Senate, 
 which by a late information I learn that it has past 
 through the Senate. The event has fully jnstirte<l my 
 anticipations. Mr, Barton and liis partners the land 
 claimants read nothing more than a trial of their rights 
 according to the due course of law. There is such a 
 
 29G 
 
mass of frniid Jind porjury that it cannot be sifted and 
 unia veiled, but in a eonrt of law tlu' bill in (jnestion is 
 under evei-v respccl incompelenl to attain a jn'opci- and 
 just object. I understand that it has been contended 
 iii tlie Senate that the U. S. have the rii»ht to decide on 
 the Sparn.sh claims as the kini» of Spain would or could 
 have done. lie ccitainly could do it thiouuli liiis in- 
 tendcnl who had a niiuistciial or administrative i)o\ver. 
 To this 1 a<»ree. but the judicial proceedinj;s leaves still 
 less cause of complaints with respect to the claims that 
 may be rejected, whilst it is a much safci- way and of 
 cour.se more expedient f<M- the V. S. I>nt should the jcad- 
 inj; principles of the bill be retained, to-wit: the refer- 
 ence to the recorder. Th<' <;reat ini])<»rtance of the sub- 
 ject as it matters to briuii clainus to a great and valuable 
 quantity of land to a final decision requires the best 
 Liuard and caution in the mode of ])roceediug. Nothing 
 is nioi-e ruinous some times than an im])i-oper economy. 
 1st, 1 think it would be projjer to add two commission- 
 ers to the recorder with such salaries as to induce in 
 de])endent and res])ectable men to accept. There must 
 be men above the temptation of bribes, firm and proof 
 against cajoleries and threats. 2n(l, Power ought to be 
 given to summons witness in behalf of the V. S. to 
 compel their attendance, to answer to proper questions 
 and of course the commissioners ought to have the 
 power to order the maishall of the distiict crmrt of the 
 U. S. to attend their sitting, to execute their process and 
 to make return. 3r(l. I'he district attorney ought to 
 be directed to appear before the board and give attend- 
 ance in order to cross-examine Avitness of land claim- 
 ants, procure testimony in behalf of U. S., to rebut, etc., 
 to argue on the most important occasions, to file hisi 
 exceptions to the decision of the board and have them 
 
 297 
 
insertofl in tho report of the commissioners and in order- 
 that Coni»Tess may affirm or reverse from proper data. 
 4th. Tile commissioners ought to be directed to liead 
 the report of each class of clainus with an abstract of 
 the laws of France and Spain respectively, re<>nlatiujT; 
 the mode of <• ranting land, with their leading reasons 
 for confirmiug or rejecting nnder those laws. Unles>s 
 such a thing be incorjxtrated in the bill, the power of 
 congress will be a check merely nominal, for want of 
 authority to exercise their discretion by. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 Substance of Power of Atty. to George Tompkins, Esq., 
 Datetl 16th Nov., 1819. 
 
 To sell a certain tract of land of the estate of Charles 
 Lucas in Howard County, six miles from Franklin, con- 
 taining six hundred arpens of land, more or less. The 
 same tract which was granted to Gabriel Dodie by 
 Charles Dehault Delassus, Lieutenant Governor, &c.. 
 on the following terms, viz. at the rate of one dollar and 
 5/8 of a dollar per acre, payable one-third in hand, 1/3 
 in one year and 1/3 in two .\eai-s, all the payments to be 
 made in money receivable at the land offices of this ter- 
 ritory at the times of the payments, &c. 
 
 Certified before J. Charless, J. P. 
 
 16th Nov., 1819. 
 G. Tompkins, 
 
 Having received an offer from Mr. Joseph Simpson 
 of your county for a tract of land six hundred arpens 
 originally granted to (manuscript destroyed) 
 not acceded to our terms in <'very respect. Perhaps it 
 may appear to you expedient to advertise it in the In- 
 
 298 
 
tellijionro for sale. You will use your (ILseretiou ou 
 that iMiiiit. We iucliuc, however, to sell it iuuuediatelj 
 upon the terms nieutioned in the power, if you should 
 not see very fair j)rosi)eets of eiTeetiu<» a better sale 
 very soon. We wish that you receive no money in 
 payment but such as may be i»ood in the land olTices, 
 or, if possible, such avS would be bankable at the bank 
 of Missouri, as that int^titution governs the currency 
 for the most part in this town. 1 am also disjiosed to 
 sell the fractional cpiarter section which 1 bou«»ht ad- 
 joinin«j; it, upon the same terms T uot it for. If you 
 ishould tind sale for it please adviise me of it in order 
 that I may <>ive 3'ou the necessary power to sell it which 
 want of time prevents me from doing now. I should 
 be glad to know when my demand against Moyan will 
 be recovered. Any other information respecting our 
 property in your quarter which (manuscript destroyed). 
 
 Dec. 15, 1819. 
 G. Tompkins, 
 
 1 send a (••py of the deed to C. Lucas from John E. 
 Allen. I shall isend the original by the first safe oppor- 
 tunity, to be recor<led. 1 wish you to reserve a mort- 
 gage upon the land as a security for all the considera- 
 tion money, and until it is all paid. This condition is 
 
 a sine qua non. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 Dec. 17, 1819. 
 G. Tompkins, 
 
 Your two letters, the 1st of the 27th of Nov. and the 
 2d of the 1th of Dec. have been received. I answered 
 the last by my letter of the 15th inst. The other had 
 
 299 
 
uot then come to hand. In compliance with voiir re- 
 quest I forwai-detl to you at the same time a certified 
 copy of the will of C. Lucas deceased, to<;etlier with a 
 copy of the deed of John E. Allen & wife to C. Lucas. 
 I am informed by W. Lut ais that he left th(^ whole of 
 them at the lodging of Maj. (xauteg who had pre- 
 viously consented to take charge of them. I discover 
 by the instruction you demand of me "what is the pro- 
 portion between an acre and arpenf stating at the 
 same time that .you are directed to sell b}' the acre. 
 This being a part of fhe contents of your letter of the 
 
 27 of Nov. ^^ hich wais received yesterday, it remains now 
 with me to inform you that I was obliged to turn to a 
 copy of the power of atty. to be satisfied that such a 
 gross mistake had realy taken i)lace, for as the pur- 
 chase has been made by arpens, it was also our full 
 determination to sell by arpens. True it ii'-* that Mr. 
 Simpson in his letter to me designated the land origi- 
 nally granted to Dodie as containing 600 acres, but 
 turning to a copy of my letter in answer to his of the 
 
 28 August, I find the following, "the tract don't con- 
 tain 000 acres, it only contains 600 arpens" thus you 
 see clearly that we did not intend to sell by the acre, 
 much less to ask but one dollar and 5/8 per acre, and 
 Mr. Simpson is perfectly acquainted therewith from 
 which it follows that the word arpent was intended to 
 be inserted in the power, and that the word acre has 
 been inserted thro mistake and contrary to our in- 
 tentiims, therefore I need not to ascertain and inform 
 you of the proportion or difference that exists between 
 an acre and an arpent, but knowing perfectly that the 
 intention of Mr. Hunt was the same as mine, 1 beg leave 
 now to instruct you not to make any sale of the land foi 
 less than one dollar and five-eighths of a dollar per 
 
 300 
 
arpont. Lost my letter of the loth inst. should not 
 leac'h yon in lime I shall state ajuain here that the iin- 
 (leistandinii of Mi'. Hunt and nivvsclf is that in all sales 
 and particulai'ly in the sale of this land a moit.ua.uc be 
 reserved until the whole of the consiflei'ation mone.y 
 he pai<l, therefore we wisli that yon may be informed of 
 it as no mention is nia<le of it in tli<' powei-, altlio noth- 
 iu«>- Is said in the ])o\ver of Atty. of the fraetion for 
 which I have a eertiticate, whieh is adjoininj;- the (500 
 arpens. I am still willing to dispcMse of it for the same 
 price that 1 am bound to pay for it. 
 
 January fith, 1820. 
 George Tompkins, 
 
 Sir: — We received a few days ago, a letter from Mr. 
 Marcus Williams informing us of his <lesire to become 
 the purchaser of an acre of ground lying about a quar- 
 ter of a mile south of the public square in Boonville, on 
 a bramli which empties into the Missouri below the 
 town, being a part of the traet owned by Morgan, Peck, 
 and Lucas, and which is undivided. 
 
 We would prefer to sell him an acre somewhere im- 
 mediately adjoining the town, in order to avoid cutting 
 up the tract. However we would leave it to your judg- 
 ment ami your superior knowledge of the situation, we 
 therefoic re(|nest you to infoini .Mr. Williams of our dis- 
 l»osition to encourage mechanics to settle in that town, 
 and of our willingness to join with the other proprietoiis 
 ill liic sale <d' an acre of ground to him at the place 
 which y(»n and himself may agree upon, and for the 
 jtrice an<l terms yon may tix. and we promise to confirm 
 all which you shall lawfully do in the premises and 
 make the necessary conveyance, &c. 
 
 301 
 
We have answered all the letters which we have 
 received from vou and sent you the papers von required 
 h\ Maj. Gentry. 
 
 We, sir, depend upon your being particularly atten- 
 tive to our interests in ,any transactions you may have 
 in our behalf, 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 February' 11th, 1820. 
 George Tompkins, 
 
 I have received a letter from Joseph Simpson dated 
 7th of January, in which lie complains of my disagree- 
 ing to the terms expressed in the power of attorney 
 which I sent you and insisting upon thoise terms. Had 
 there not been a plain understanding between J. Simp- 
 son and myself on the subject of the six hundred arpens 
 of land, previous to any power of attorney being sent 
 3^ou, and did T believe that Mr. Himpson had misun 
 derstood my terms, I might think of entering into an 
 explanation with him, but as 1 believe he understood 
 my terms perfectly, and that his object is not to obtain 
 the land upon the terms agreed upon between us, but to 
 take advantage of an error or mistake made by Will 
 Lucas in writing th«* power of attorney, and there was 
 a perfect and plain understanding between Mr. Simp- 
 .son and myself as to the terms of the sale. It is not 
 reasonable that we would change our terms and ask 
 less for the land after Mr. Simpson had explicitly agreed 
 to those we had i)rop(>sed to him, as appears by the fol- 
 lowing copy of letter which I received from him. 
 
 (Here follows the letter.) 
 
 We wrote you an explanatory letter on this same 
 subject in order to show you that a mistake was made 
 
 302 
 
in the power of attorney and in order to enable you to 
 carry into eifert the real aiArcemcnf between ]\rr. Simp- 
 sou and us, aud we now write you this to eiiabl«' yon 
 to repel any reflections which may be u\:u\i' in conse- 
 quence of this mistake, and also to repeat our willinj^- 
 uess still to carry into eftect our plain and real aj»ree' 
 UH'ui with Mr. Siiui)son if he chooses to adhere to it ats 
 contained in liis letter above copied. 
 
 JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 July 19th, 1820. 
 G. Tompkins, 
 
 As you will have the opportunities to converse with 
 Mr. Wallace and other «>entlemen of the convention, 
 and hear of them the various incidents worth to be 
 noticed, T shall contine myself to statinj; vsimply that 
 I aud Mr. Hunt are [)erfectly agreed to join with the 
 other proprietors of the town of Boonville to make 
 a donation of a lot of ground in the same town of Robert 
 Wallace, Esq., as a compensation for the trouble and 
 expense w liidi lie lias been to aid in having the seat (tf 
 justice tixed at that place, relying entirely on your dis- 
 cretion and esteem. 1 beg leave to iufoi'ui you that 1 
 have thought be useful in tilling a seat in the Senate 
 of the U. S. If you are of the same opinion, 1 hope you 
 will be so good as to use your influence to that purpose. 
 1 hojie I shall have the phMsure to see you in tlic^ legis- 
 hilui-e. I e.\j»ecl to be o])posed iu my ])reteusious by 
 the Sjiauish land claimants aud their avssociates. My 
 sole dependance rests upon those that pursue the inter- 
 est of the couutrv in general. 1 am, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 303 
 
St. Louis, April Ttb, 1821. 
 Georj;e Tompkins, Atty. 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your two letters have been received, the 
 Ist dated 2Tth February last, the other 17th of March. 
 
 Mr, Boonsfidd called and intimated a wish to undo 
 the bar<;ain wliirh Mr. v^im}>smi Iuim made for him. Tliis 
 induces me to suspect tliat the difficulties which he now 
 makes do not arise from an opinion of the insufficiency 
 of the title, but because ho is displeased with liis bai- 
 liain under other considerations. 
 
 I send you by (*(d. IJuckhait tlic oiiiiinal deeds of 
 John E. Allen, and as it has not been recor«led you will 
 be so j;ood as to have that done before you deliAcr it 
 up either to Simpson or Roonisfield. You will also bt: 
 so good to take a receipt for tlie same. 
 
 I send y(ni also by the same luuid a certified exempli- 
 tication of the letters of adminiNti ation which you de- 
 mand. I enclose you likewise a note under seal from 
 the 3d, Joseph Simpson for |325 for the use and benefit 
 of the representatives of C. Lucas, deceased, which is 
 now due, and which you will be pleased to collect a»s 
 soon as possible. I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c.. 
 
 St. Louis, May 1st, 1822. 
 Geo. T(jmpkins, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Having received, directly and indirectly, 
 great encouragement to become candidate for Congress 
 since I had tlie pleasure of seeing you last, I have strong 
 reasons to believe that I should be acceptable as such 
 t(/ a majority of the people, nevertheless I have no pri- 
 vate object ill view, not even the expectation of better- 
 ing my political standing. I will not stand a poll un- 
 
 304 
 
less the stroniiest probabilities of success are on my 
 side. 1 therefore beg leave to request 3^011 to tell me 
 frankly your opinion or your nuess whether it be near 
 or distant of the support which I may expect within the 
 county wliere you reside. 
 
 The oj)inion which you and other friends to whom 1 
 have math' similar applications, will impart to me on 
 thi.s subject will have i;reat weight on my futuie deter- 
 mination. You are, no doubt, aware that my sole de- 
 pendancr for su]>port would be on those who have no 
 interest variant from that of the ])ublic. 
 
 The favor of your answer is ex])ected as soon ais may 
 be convenient. I should have been more explicit with 
 3'ou when I was at Franklin if my views had been as 
 distinct a.s they are now. I also felt a great delicacy 
 on tho <»((asion, and even at present I beg of you to 
 understand that whatever 3'our opinion may be, I ishali 
 consider it as being entirely distinct and independent 
 of your own clioice. Dear sir, I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., • 
 
 ■ St. Louis, Augt., 1823. 
 ( teo. Tompkins, 
 
 (Letter requesting him to inform me of what has been 
 the dividend obtained for the b(Mietit of C. Lucas out 
 of the Cvstate of Assa Morgan and also to notify Patten 
 and (^leveland that having paid for one subscription, I 
 stop taking their paper, not because I am displeased, 
 but because 1 am n(H-eSisitated to curtail expenses, &c.) 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 305 
 
St. Louis, Jany. 11th, 1826. 
 John Vaugel, 
 
 (Inform him that Coles paid no money to me. White 
 Butcher in possession of the house. Shattle prove part- 
 nership with Fry in both houses. Spalding says it 
 could not be proven that Shattle had in hand any part- 
 nership property. Wish to liave two laborers. Glad 
 and thankful if Yaugel can procure them. They ought 
 to come not later than 1st of April. The sooner the 
 better. 
 
 Joseph W^alton. 
 
 (Answer to about renting farm where Williard now 
 lives.) 
 
 Feby. 7th, 1826. 
 Isaac Van Nortt, 
 
 (Answer to, concerning a young lawyer wishing to 
 
 have opinion as to best place to locate himself south 
 
 of this. Advise him to go to Arkansas, &c.) 
 
 St. Louis, September 4th, 1818. 
 James Vanuxem, 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your favor of the 30th of June has come 
 to hand some days past by which you inform me that a 
 ^Ir. Wm. Robinson paid Mr. Clark of the firm of Van- 
 uxem and Claik, |2T2.72, which Mr. Barnet, consul at 
 Paris, desired him to pay to you fs. 1500 which he re- 
 ceived from Mr. Laurent of Kouen for my account. In 
 pursuance of this iuformation I have drawn on Van- 
 uxem and Chirk of Philadelphia in favor of Kerr & Bell 
 for the sum of two hundred and seventy-two dollars, by 
 my letter of exchange, -dated St. Louis, Augt. 22d, 1818. 
 
 306 
 
Owiuj; to an extreme pressure of public business I have 
 delayed longer to write than I did wish. I should have 
 been very hajjpy to see you at Morisville. It was late 
 in the eveniuii when Mi'. DuitoixM'an informed me that 
 he had vseen you the same day. 1 had then made my 
 arrangements to leave Philadelphia early next morn- 
 ing. 
 
 I repeat you my thanks for the trouble you are at on 
 my account. I am, dear sir, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 James Vanuxem, Evsq. 
 
 St. Louis, September 13th, 1817. 
 General Walton, 
 
 (Letter to, thanking him for liis politeness to Charles; 
 introducing James and requesting him to advise him in 
 the purchase of a horse. 
 
 Informing liim that probably T shall call next fall or 
 winter at his house.) 
 
 St. Louis, Feby. 3d, 1817. 
 Thos. Wilson, 
 
 Dear Sir: — I intended to write to you by one of my 
 sons who left this place in the latter part of November 
 last to go to visit Washington and some other eastern 
 cities, but tlirough the hurry of his departure, my 
 object has remained unaccomplislied until now. I 
 regret to have missed the o[»itort unity of procuring 
 him an inliodm tion to you. Probably you remem- 
 ber to iiave seen Alexander McNear at Washing- 
 ton about two years ago. He was so successful then as 
 to be appointed register of the land office for the ter- 
 ritory of Missouri. He had the policy when he left 
 
 307 
 
Pennsvlyania about two years ap,o to leave also behind 
 bis federal character, and make his appearance in this 
 territorT as a zealous democratic republican, but if he 
 has not preserved consistency in politics, he is still the 
 same as to his intolerant spirit and tyrannical dispo- 
 sition. He has been at this hist election here as much 
 intrijiuinp:, boistrous and overbearing as he ever was 
 formerly at Lake Erie. It is singular, nay it is to be re- 
 gretted that such a federal bully, unqualified under 
 every other respect for the office he holds has been im- 
 posed upon the government, whilst we have worthy and 
 meritorious characters unemployed, probably several of 
 whom would feel gratified and benefitted in having such 
 a situation. 
 
 I have written sometime ago to Mr. Josiah Meigs the 
 commissioner of the general land office, and among 
 other things I have given him a hint of the indecorous 
 interference of Mr. McNear at the last election for this 
 territory-, and taken the liberty of referring him to you 
 for more particulars concerning the federal bullying 
 character of 3Ir. McNear when he used to live in your 
 part of the country. It is necessary, in my opinion, 
 that his true character be known in Washington. It 
 would be still much better had it been known sooner. 
 I hope you will do me the justice to believe that I know 
 loo well my situation to be any way active in matters 
 concerning elections. I have even forborne voting. I 
 rode out in the country on the day of last election and 
 was the whole day absent several miles distance. 
 
 I presume you have decided before this time on the 
 disputed election between Messrs. Scott and Easton. I 
 am well satisfied that had the underlings of the gover- 
 nor let the people act for themselves, Mr. Easton would 
 have had a majority of several hundred. 
 
 308 
 
I make no doubt but that j^reat efforts aro makinp; to 
 prfXMiro the passni^c of an act in Coinji7*ess in favor of 
 the fhiinus remaining!, nncontirnied for hind situate in 
 the territory of Missouri. I remember that you asked 
 my opinion about the merits of a bill on the vsame sub- 
 ject that ori«;inated in the House of Kepresentatives 
 whilist I was last at Washington, and which was after 
 my departure generally postponed in the Senate. It 
 wa.s then of no use to give it for at that time the bill 
 was passed. If any bill on the same subject has been 
 reported this year, it is presumable that it pursues the 
 same prineipleis; in this ease nothinj> can be more preju- 
 diciable, nay, more ruinous. I could not give you the 
 reasons of my opinion on this subject without entering 
 into details which could not hud room here. Let me 
 only observe you that the act of congress for the final 
 adjustment of land titles in the state of Louisiana and 
 the territory of Missouri, dated April 12th, 1814. has 
 departed from the fundamental principles governing all 
 acts heretofore passed on thai subject, the first of which 
 is in 1804; the last in 1812. That this innovation vir- 
 tuallj' covers all antidating and fraud, that it operates 
 as a wedge to introduce the residue of claims uncon- 
 firmed and produces over-reaching effects. It impairs 
 materially the right to the domain acquired from the 
 French government by the United States which the 
 treaty of Paris declares to be in the same extent and 
 such as it existed at the date of the treaty of St. Ilde- 
 fonso. The interest of claimants to land here has been 
 much extended beyond its former limits by a multi- 
 plicity of sub-division^ and transfers. Its force and 
 weight has more than proi)ortionately increased. I live 
 
 309 
 
in the middle of them, this eircnmstanee ur«5es me to re- 
 quest you to consider this communication as confiden- 
 tial. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 St. Louis, March Gth, 1826. 
 Wm. Wirt, 
 
 Sir: — L<^st a printed isketch of an argument which I 
 have delivered before the District Court of the U. S. 
 for the state of Missouri in the case of Antoine Soulard 
 vs. the U. S., should ha^ e been miscarried, I enclose yon 
 another copy. To the reasons stated in the preface 
 thereof for taking part in that argument I shall merely 
 add that as neither my father nor myself bled or suffered 
 for the attainment of tlie independence of the U. S. it 
 is but just that 1 should make up the deficiency of 
 desert on that score by using every endeavor to serve 
 the country and Sixve me as well as my posterity from 
 the reproach of being iutruder-s or political parasites in 
 the American family. 
 
 Considering that the case now before the Supreme 
 Court is not only important in itself, but involves prin- 
 ciples common to almost all other Spanish claims, I 
 have thought it might be of some utility to submit to 
 you a few additional remarks. 
 
 The counsel of Antoine Soulard having assumed that 
 the concession of his client is recognized and protected 
 as entitled to confirmation at least to the extent of a 
 league square by the laws of Congress heretofore made 
 on the subject of such titles, I have committed an error 
 at the bottom of the 22d page of my argument in the fol- 
 lowing. I know of no acts of Congress on the subject 
 of French or Spanish land claims that do not refer to 
 
 310 
 
the laws of the governnient from which they are derived 
 but the act of the 12th of April, 1814 althoiioh this act 
 may dispense with vjirious requisites known to the 
 Spanish laws. The 1st Section provides thus, that 
 every person or persons or tlie leo-al representatives of 
 any peiwon or persons chiiminjj; land in the state of 
 Louisiana or the Ty. of ^lissouri, by virtue of an incom- 
 plete French or Spanish grant or concession or any 
 warrant or order of survey which was granted, «S:c., &c., 
 or actually located or surveyed, Siv., «S:c., by a surveyor 
 duly autJu)rized by the government making vsuch a 
 grant, such persons shall be, and they are hereby con- 
 firmed in their claims. Admitting for the sake of argu- 
 ment, tiiat the act just quoted, may operate upon claims 
 other than those which have been reported by the gov- 
 ernment and finally confirmed by Congress, — yet it can- 
 not apply to the present case, as it has been made out 
 in my argument Simon Trudeon had not the power to 
 issue a concession for any «iuMntity of land and if he had 
 it could not exceed the quantity mentioned in Gen. 
 O'Reilly's regulations which was limited to six or eight 
 arpens by forty. The word, incomplete Spanish grant, 
 lose as they may appear to have a definite meaning, it 
 cannot be a Spanish grant unless it is issued by the 
 proper Spanish officer or otherwise an officer legally 
 authorized for that purpose, it must necessarily have 
 a legal incipiency. It must have been surveyed by a 
 surveyor <luly authorized by the govornmeut in which 
 the right of domain was vested. This right was in the 
 French government from the date of the treaty of St. 
 Ildephonso, 1st October, 1800, for although the cession 
 of Louisiana by Spain to France depended upon a con- 
 dition precedent, to-wit, tlie investitive by France of 
 the Dutchy of Parma to a Spanish prince, yet as soon 
 
 311 
 
as the condition was complied with, the right of France 
 had a coniniencement from the date of the treaty, and 
 the king- of Spain ceased from tliat time to have any 
 power over tlie domain and liehl the sovereignty and 
 the right of proprietor of the ro^al domains. Being dis- 
 tinct, the sovereignty might be exercised without inter- 
 ference Avitli the right of domain. In fact the king of 
 Spain couhl not dispose of th(^ doiiiaiii without impair- 
 ing the contract or treaty of St. Ihlephonso. Of course 
 all the powers of his officers appointed for the disposal 
 of the domains by the concesvsion surveyor otherwise 
 had ceased and determined from the date of the treaty 
 and any disposal of the domain by such officers after 
 that date were mere nullities. As tlie act of Congress 
 only provides for contirmation and not for donation 
 there must necessarily be a legal incipient to confirm 
 by. The alleged concession of Soulard is wanting that 
 requisite, hence his case is not within the provision of 
 the act before cited. 
 
 If it should be decided that the Spanish registry is not 
 a requisite to authenticate concessions, the surviving 
 Spanish eommission^i*s might now win as many con- 
 cessions as they please. I firmly believe that there are 
 reams of it already' made. The flood gates for fraud 
 would be wide open. There would be no guess where 
 it might stop. As tlie act giving jurisdiction to the 
 District (?ourt over these chiims dispenses with the 
 requisites of the preceding acts of Congress, viz: that 
 notice of every French or Spanish claim shall be entered 
 within a given time in the office of the recorder of land 
 titles, together with the written evidence of the same, 
 and that no evidence shall be admitted in any court of 
 law of any claim which shall not be thus recorded. 
 
 312 
 
Altlioiiiifh tlio dociimonts lioro onrlosod cannot b(' ex- 
 hibited in the cJisc of Antoinc Souhird now before the 
 Supreme Court, I nevertludess have thought it expe- 
 dient to transmit them to you. 
 
 The document marked "A" goes to invalidate the 
 deposition of Soidard as to the existence and h)ss of a 
 concession in his favor for 10000 arpens. There cannot 
 possibly be any state secrets in the disposal of the king's 
 domain, and the refusal of Soulard to answer questionvs 
 on such matter is unjust ihable and raises the strongest 
 presumption of fraud. 
 
 The document marked '^B'' shows that little reliance 
 is to be placed in the registered arpentage kept by the 
 surveyor Soulard. The two concessions on which the 
 survey is predicated give the Mississippi as boundary 
 on the east and <»n tiie west the road of Carondelet. 
 The erasure marked by the dotted line was the place 
 where the road went. The new line removes the road 
 further west. N. B. the surveyor Soulard has come 
 into possession of that tract of land in the right of his 
 wife. The glueing of a leaf, &c., are all circumstances 
 strongly indicating fraud. 
 
 The document "C presents two instances of the con- 
 ditions of concessions and the actual reunion of land to 
 the domain. For want of com]diance with conditions 
 and of regranting the same, it also shows the usage or 
 practice of regranting still continued as late as 1793. 
 What had been granted in 1780 to another is made by 
 Trudeon. The very same commandant who has issued 
 the alleges! concession in favor of Soulard. 
 
 The document "D" ])re«<('nts nunu'ious instances of 
 reunion made to the domain of land tirst granted and re- 
 granting the same for want of compliance with con- 
 ditions, and also the greatest quantity of land contained 
 
 313 
 
ill uraiits from 17(10 to 1780 whicli establishes a iisaoe 
 and practice. Conform with the ie<;nlations of O'Keill}', 
 I mean as to quantity and conditions. 
 
 Document "E'' contains the reouhitions of 0'Reill^^ 
 They are probably in your poissession, if not, at any rate, 
 this will satisfy you that it is all important to obtain a 
 printed copy of it. I remember that in the year 1804 
 the members of Coii«;ress were furni^shed, amoiiii other 
 Spanish documents, with a printed copy of the same. 
 I had one wliich some land claimant in Missouri has 
 borrowed and ncnei- returned. 
 
 The fore^oini; documentt^ mij;lit have been procured in 
 due time to be used at the trial of the case before the 
 district court if ordinary search and diligence had been 
 used. As to m(\ I was unexpectedly invited to speak 
 on the case when it was called before the. court. The 
 land claimantis and their advisors are influential. The 
 love of local popularity is the bane of republics. It re- 
 quires an extraordinary share of devotion to the public 
 weal to withstand its charms. 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 St. Louis, 11th Sept., 1818. 
 Mr. Samuel Zadig, 
 
 In compliance with the request of Mr. Samuel Zadig 
 to have from me before he leaves this part of the 
 country a statement of the most prominent parts of the 
 testimony taken before me the presiding judge of the 
 superior court of the territory of Missouri for the pur- 
 pose of ascertaining whether Mr. Zadig who had been 
 arrested by a warrant of Judge Bent some time last 
 July ujjon the charge of being accessor}^ to larceny, 
 should be committed or discharged. I declare that hav- 
 
 314 
 
in<;- oxamiued Turner V. Oibbs the pciisou on whose 
 deposition the said warrant was predicated, the said 
 (Jibbs wlio appeared to be a yonn<»- man <>f about 20 
 years of a.uc k la ted without any appearance of un- 
 easiness remorse or shame a full history of a theft 
 which he had lately committed in a store at St. Louis 
 with circumstances that indicated that he was a per- 
 fect adept as a thief. A certain Mr. Lee, a disinterested 
 witness, was examined after, who contradicted an im- 
 portant part of the testimony of (Jibbs which the said 
 Gibbs on cross-examination had repeatedly asserted. 
 It appeared from the testimony of (iibbs taken in the 
 fore part of the day, that Mr. Zadi<; was in St. Louis 
 when he committed the theft and assisted him in cou- 
 cealinj; a part of the i>r(»perty stolen. It was after- 
 ward proven by a resix'ctable witness that Mr. Zadip; 
 had crossed the Mississippi ou the seventh of July in the 
 morning to make surveys in the Illinois Territory and 
 did return to St. Louis ten days after. This last fact 
 was confirmed by (Jibbs on a second examination who 
 declared at the same time that he had eommitted the 
 theft on the seventh in the evening;. Thus an alibi 
 was established in behalf of Mr. Zadii-. The testi- 
 mony of (Jibbs havinu thus been contradicted by that 
 of Mr. Lee, and bein<; also at variance with itself, inde- 
 pendent of the consideration of Gibbs extreme turpi- 
 tude, I considered his testimony to be destitute of any 
 le.nal force or effect and accordin<»ly dischariied Mr. 
 Zadiii from arrest. I considered Mr. Zadi.o- as a man 
 much injurwl, perhaps ])ersecuted. He had been in- 
 troduced and particulaily recommended to me at the 
 city of Washington by a person of respectability, as a 
 man of honor and liberal information. I continued to 
 view him as such on further acquaintance. His char- 
 
 315 
 
acter and vstandiDg- has not in the least been impaired 
 in any mind by this unfortunate occurrence. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Saml. Zadio-, Certiticate. 
 
 This is to certify that having been acquainted with 
 Mr. Samuel Zadi<; for five or six months, both at the 
 citj^ of A\'ashin_nton, where he was particularly recom- 
 mended to me by a person of respectability, as well as 
 at St. Louis, his conduct' has always been so far as I 
 know, that of a gentleman. 
 
 St. Louis, 11th Sept., 1818. 
 
 J. B. C. L. 
 
 Four letters enclosing petitions against changing 
 laws to try the validity of titles to land claimed under 
 French and Si>anish concessions, dated sometime in 
 
 November, directed to Robt. P. Clark, Geo , 
 
 Stephen Glass Cook, David Jones. 
 
 Since, Two letters not enclosing petition on subject 
 of election to senate. Directed to Geo. F. Bettinger, 
 Elisha Doctor Bettis. 
 
 St. Louis, November 6th, 1826. 
 (Circular or Petition to prevent, &c.) 
 Dear Sir: — The intended memorial here enclosed will 
 probably appear to you wanting brevity. I have en- 
 deavored to compress the matter in as few words as 
 possible, but there has been so much imposition prac- 
 ticed upon both houses of Congress at different periods, 
 that no less could be said to convince them of the neces- 
 
 316 
 
sity to be uiiaidHd jioiunst anv cliaiiiio in the present 
 le<»isUiti()n touceruiiiii tiie Fieiicli and Spanish hind 
 (daims. 
 
 I hope that the j-oo^l people of your county will be 
 alive to the true interest and that the memorial will be 
 oenerally subscribed. Should they not understand 
 sut1i('i(Milly the whoh' subject, you will, 1 am pt-rsuaded, 
 be able to ^ive them the necesisary exphuiations. Tliere 
 may be vsome facts whicdi are not known to. you. All I 
 can say is that there is nothiu«> inaccurately stated. 
 That I drafted the memorial willi (he sole intention of 
 benefitting tlie public, and that 1 make myself respon- 
 sible for the trutli and correctness of all it.s contents. 
 Permit me to sug.uest that after a competent number 
 of signers Avill be procured, the memorial ought to be 
 transmitted to Senator Barton. He is the chairman of 
 the committee on i>ublic lands and I know he is fully 
 disposed to promote the object of the memorial. Mr. 
 Benton has taken with him when he left St. Louis a 
 few day.s since, a petition fnnn sundry land claimants 
 residing near or about St. Louis, to be presented to the 
 president of the U. S. as related in the memorial his 
 former report to the senate against the mennuial of the 
 general assembly of ^lissouri, together with his sub- 
 sequent conduct in the senate, shows evidently that he 
 makes tlie interest of the jteople of Missouri in general, 
 subservient to that of the Spanish land claimants. 
 
 This petition was most i)robably put in train by Mr. 
 Benton as lie was their counsel and agent before he was 
 in the senate, and as he owes his seat cliietiy to the 
 inllnence of land claimants, his acts in the Senate show 
 that he is still their faithful agent. 
 
 I am respectfully, 
 
 317 
 
St. Louis, Nov. 23rd, 1826. 
 Dear Sir: — You are so well acquainted with tl:e iu- 
 terest of the State in general and iJarticularly with the 
 local circumstances of the country you represent, that 
 I hope you will be fully saHsfied of the propriety of cir- 
 culatino for subscription anion*;' your constituents the 
 draujiht of petition here enclosed. The facts it con- 
 tains are notorious and cannot be denied, at any rate 
 they are perfectly known to nie. I make m^-self answer- 
 able fdi (heir accuracy. Neither Mr. Bent(m nor liis 
 friends liavc ever atteni])ted to- justify the report he 
 made of a bill contrary to the object of the resolution of 
 the leoislatur»^ referred in the enclosed petition. There 
 is no other way to account for it, but that Mr. Benton 
 preferred the interest of the French and Spanish land 
 claimants to those of the state in "eneral. If no other 
 charge had been exhibited or proven against Mr. Ben- 
 ton, this one would be amply sufficient to disqualify 
 him to represent the state in the S'^nate. He was the 
 agent and counsel of the French and Spanish land 
 claimants before he was elected to the Senate. It was 
 then generally understood that he had promise of con- 
 tingent fees in land to a great amount. It is certain 
 that the land claimants gave him all their support to 
 have him elected to the Senate. His subserviency to 
 their interest in the instance before alluded to strongly 
 indicates that he is still their agent, though p<'rhaps 
 secretly. Permit now to observe to you that it is high 
 time to have a senator independent of the land claim- 
 ants. ^Ir. Sc(ttt is avowedly a land claimant and has 
 been always devoted to the service of his friends the 
 other land claimants. He supported the bill which was 
 passed in the house of representatives during last ses- 
 sion, for confirming a claim to land to the heiiis of 
 
 318 
 
Vallic. It is supposed that he has an interest in that 
 elaim. H. Gyer is at this very day the counsel of a 
 laroe number of land ehiiniants. Major Biddh', another 
 l)retender to a seat in tlie Senate is the son-in law of 
 John Mnllan[)hy u ho iis a land elaimant to a larj^e 
 amount. Indeed Mullanphy miiiht as \v<'ll be voted in. 
 Vou aie hap])ily sitnat<Ml now for the means of com- 
 munication of information and of sentiments. I hope 
 there will be a correspondinj* diis])ositi(m amonji all the 
 members well acquainted with the true character of 
 Mr, Benton. To sacrifice ixMsonal jnedilections and 
 unite in favor of some fit person in point of abilities 
 and unexceptionable in point of character, and if pos- 
 sible, let it be one inde])endent of the land claimants. 
 Col. Reeves mis>ht be safely selected as such. If, how- 
 ever, you could not ol)tain all yon wish; it seems to me 
 that either Scott, Biddle or Gyer would be mmh less 
 objectionable than Benton. I am, 
 
 Respectfully, &c., 
 
 January 4th, 1827. 
 Sir: — The wily and active agents of the Spanish land 
 claimants in the state of Missouri having exhausted 
 eveiy possible means in ('on<»ress t(» avoid a judicial in- 
 vcstiuation of the land claims, have jit last advis<'d the 
 claimants to ai)ply to the president of the V. S. for a 
 recommendation of their claiuK^ (o ('oni»ress in order, 
 im <loiibt. t(t impose u\nm tin lejii^^lature from a quar- 
 tei' not at all susi)ected. A petitiori for that pnrj)ose has 
 been siiiiK'd and addressed by tlic land chiimants to the 
 ))resident, and it is, T presume, in consequence of it 
 that the president has made a particular recommenda- 
 tion in his late messajj;e for the security of land titles 
 derived from the governments of the French and 
 
 310 
 
Spanish nations. Had the president thouj^ht at that 
 time of the existence of the act of the 26th of May, 1824, 
 entitled "An Act Enabling the Claimants to Land 
 \Vitliin tlip Limits of the State of Missouri and Tv. of 
 Arkan.sas to Institute Proceedings to Try the A'alidity 
 of Their Claims", he would, certainly, have been satis- 
 fied that nothing further need to be done by Congress 
 on that score; that the land claimants have now a 
 judicial tribunal in Missouri open and competent to try 
 tiip validity of tlicir titles in due course of law. wliicli 
 is th(^ highest security the commissioners of the U. S. 
 can give to citizens where claims to right or titles are 
 disputed or ccuitroverted. Fi-om tliese it clearly ap- 
 pears that the recommendation of the prcssident on the 
 occasion before alluded to is a mere surplusage. T am 
 aware that the friends and agents of the land claimants 
 in Congress will make use of this recommendation as a 
 pretense to change, if possible, the Dresent course of 
 legislation, for the laud claims are of such a character 
 that they cannot stand the test of judicial investi- 
 gation. A new effort will be made this session to 
 have these claims shifted from a court of law to a 
 Board of Commissioners, where the proceedings may be 
 had ex parte an<l the laws of evidence may be dispensed 
 with as heretofore. Having endured so much perse- 
 cution as land c(tmniissi<uier whilst I endeavored to save 
 the IT, S. from the grossest imposition, I now feel a 
 double interest in seeing the T^. S. be not at last tricked 
 out of millions of acres of the best land and that my 
 labor he not unproductive of ])ubli<' beuetit. 
 
 F(U' further information I beg leave to refer you to the 
 enclosed draught of petition that is now circulating for 
 subscribers, or perhaps has already been transmitted 
 to some members of Congress to be presented. 
 
 320 
 
The foregoing is a copy of letter with small varia- 
 ti(»iis written to Nathaniel Maison, Wm. Markvs, Mr. 
 Stevenson. Pennsylvania Mahlon Diclvenson. The same 
 written -lanuary IS to lOdward Everet, Daniel Webvster, 
 Thomas \Vliii)i)h'. 'I'liomas Newton, Willis Alston, John 
 \V. Campbell. 
 
 January 21st, 1820. 
 Knfus King, 
 
 (Same as to P. B. Barbour, of the 15th January, 1820.) 
 
 January 20th, 1820. 
 Wm. Hendricks, 
 
 (Same as to H. Southard, dated January 15th, 1820.) 
 
 January 20th, 1820. 
 Wm. r. .Maeklay, 
 
 (Same as to H. Southard of the 15th inst.) 
 
 January 20th, 1820. 
 Mahlon Dickerson, 
 
 (Same as to 11. Southard of the 15th January, 1820.) 
 
 January 20th, 1820. 
 John Sargeant, 
 
 (Same as to II. Southard of the same date. 
 
 321 
 
Copy of Draft No. 9581. 
 Sir: — At sijiht pay to R. Smith, Esq., att3\ or order, 
 three himdreil doHars value received. 
 
 (Sig.) TH(3S. T. TUCKER, 
 
 Treas. Un. States. 
 To Jno. Dales, Cash., 
 
 Bank of Miss., St. Louis. 
 
 New Madrid certificate of the Recorder for 640 acres 
 of land in the name of Benjamin Pattervson, Senior, (No. 
 338) for the sum of 2560 Dollars, conveyed to C. Fisher 
 by Col. Ashley,, his Atty., on the 13 of Nov. 1819. 
 Obligation to return the money with interest in case 
 the title proves bad. 
 
 (Draft to B. Pratt, January 1st, 1819.) 
 For 300 dollars, being part satisfaction for the draft 
 for 600 dollare, which was protested. 
 
 Same date letter of advice to Cashier Bank U. S. 
 
 (Letter to W. Lowndes, dated 12th Dec, 1819.) 
 
 (The same as the letter to Mr. Rhea above copied, 
 
 with the exception of the four first lines, and the last 
 
 line. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 (Letter to H. Mason, dated Dec. 17, 1819.) 
 
 Substantially the same as the one to John Rhea, 
 
 dated 12 December, 1819. 
 
 (Sig.) JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 322 
 
St. Louis, May 1st, 1822. 
 (ii((^ Dwi.nht, Eisq., Tlios. K()(l<;<M's, Esq., 
 
 Robert Wallace, Ksi\., (ico. Tciielt, Es<i., 
 (leo. Bucklicait, E.s<|., Capt. Daniel Monroe. 
 
 To all the fVicooinj;', letter of same tenor and date afc« 
 the iiiiniediatel.v preceding to (Jeo. Tinnpkius. 
 
 May 8th, 1820. 
 Sent to Walter Lawrie and Kobert INFoore, papers con- 
 taininjn rciiini of convention election piece, signed Fair 
 Play, kc, &€. 
 
 February 4th, 1820. 
 Sent on(^ Missouri r;az<'tte of second of February, 
 1820, containing Carondelet letter and answer to it, to 
 Robt. Moore, John Rhea, 
 
 Wm. Hendriclv, Samuel W. Dana, 
 
 John Randoli)h, Mahlon Dickerson, 
 
 Marcuvs Morton, Rufus King. 
 
 Wm. Lowndes, 
 
 (Letter from Rite. Smith to Cash. B. U. S.) 
 Off. Dis. & Deposits, 
 
 Wash., Oct. 5, 1819. 
 Hon. J. B. C. L. 
 
 I have the honor to enclose a Treasury Draft for |300 
 on the Bank of Miss, in payment of your last (juarter 
 salary. R. SMITH, 
 
 Cashier. 
 
 (Ix^tter of advice to Cashier Bank U. S.) 
 
 Nov. 17, 1819. 
 Sir: — I have drawn u])on the cashier of the Bank of 
 the U. S. by draft of this day, in favor of Bernard l*ratt, 
 
 323 
 
for the sum of three hundred dollars in pursuance of the 
 information of Mr. Uitchard Smith, my agent at the city 
 of Washington, that he liad placed the same sum to my 
 credit at the Bank of the U. States. 
 
 I am sir, &c., 
 
 JNO. B. C. LUCAS. 
 
 St. Louis, November 10th. 1817. 
 Jonathan Robei'ts, 
 
 (Letter of isame purport a^s preceding. Somewhat less 
 full to Jonatlian Koberts.) 
 
 (Same date.) 
 Nath. Macon, 
 
 (Same subject as the preceding to Leacock. Chamber- 
 lain not mentioned.) 
 
 (Same date.) 
 Joseph Meigs, 
 
 (Nothing said but of my late son Charles and Cham- 
 berlain.) 
 
 (Same date.) 
 John C. Calhoun, 
 
 (Nothing but about my late son Charles and laud 
 business.) 
 
 November 10th, 1817. 
 Jason Chamberlain, 
 
 (Inform him that I have r<'Comnieuded him. Name 
 the persons that his friends from Vermont co-operate.) 
 
 321 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Adams, j yuincy 
 
 62. 63, 65, 70, 75, 77 
 
 Alcorn, James 83 
 
 Adrian, James H 83 
 
 Barton, Joshua 8, 42, 43 
 
 Barton, David 84, 86, 87 
 
 Barbour, Philip B 88 
 
 Barbour, James, Sec}', of War 96 
 
 Beatty, Jos 98 
 
 Brown, George 98 
 
 Chamberlin, Jason 18 
 
 Carol, Genl. Wm..... 25 
 
 Calhoun, Hon. J. C 
 
 57, 98, 99. 117 
 
 Clark. Wm 100. 101 
 
 Clark, Robt. P 101 
 
 Carrall, Thomas 102 
 
 Cook, Hon. Daniel P 
 
 103, 104. 105 
 
 Cozens. H 105 
 
 Crawford, Wm. H 
 
 ... 33, 106, 107. 108. 110, 127 
 
 Dickerson, Mahlon 
 
 35, 40, 59, 110 
 
 luistis, Wm 113 
 
 Edwards, Merrion 114 
 
 Edwards, Nenian 114 
 
 English, Thomas 115 
 
 Farrally, Patrick 115 
 
 Gallatin, Albert 54, 55, 116 
 
 Gales & Seaton 117 
 
 Glassock, Esq 120 
 
 Graham, Hon. Geo 121, 
 
 124, 126, 127, 129. 132. 133. 136 
 
 Hayden. J K 137 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Holmes, Da\-id 138 
 
 Hunt, Theodore 
 
 138, 139, 141, 142, 144, 145, 146 
 
 Ingham, Samuel D 113 
 
 Johnson, David 148 
 
 Johnson, Richard M 148 
 
 king, Ruffus...48. 113. 148. 151 
 
 Leacock, Abner 22 
 
 Lowndes. Wm . . 155. 156, 158, 159 
 
 Lowrie, Walter 37, 164 
 
 Lucas, Wm.. 3, 5,7, 10, 11, 14, 
 
 15,16,21,27,41,52,143, 167. 171 
 
 Lucas, Jaines H 192 
 
 Lucas Adrian 194, 195 
 
 James Monroe 127 
 
 Thomas Newton 147 
 
 Lucas, Charles 26 
 
 Lucas, J. J 12, 13, 195 
 
 Macon, Nathaniel 198, 199 
 
 Meigs, Josyah 202, 204 
 
 Morrow, Jeremiah 205 
 
 Moore, Hon. Robt 
 
 28, 213, 217. 218. 220. 221 
 
 Patterson. Robt 222 
 
 Penrose, Charles 223 
 
 Pentecost, Joseph 223 
 
 Philipson, Joseph 224 
 
 Pleasant, John H 60 
 
 Post, Justus 225 
 
 Pratt," B 225 
 
 Quarles, Doctor 9 
 
 Randolph, John 227, 236 
 
 Rector, Elias 239 
 
 Reeves, Benjamin H 239 
 
 Rhea, Hon. John 35, 241 
 
Jli/V 26 19C5 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Riddle, James 244 
 
 Roberts, Johnathan .... 245, 248 
 
 Rodney, Cesar 253 
 
 Ross, James 253 
 
 Rush, Richard 255, 261 
 
 Russel, James 263 
 
 Rutter, Edmund 264. 265 
 
 Simpson, Jas. Rankin 267 
 
 Smith, John Colton 268 
 
 Smith, R 269 
 
 Smith, Gcnl. Samuel 270 
 
 Southard, Hon. Henrv 273 
 
 Taylor, Hon. J. Wm.. . . 276, 
 277, 279, 281, 283, 286, 289, 
 
 291. 292, 293 
 
 Toinkins. George 298 
 
 Vaugel. John 306 
 
 Van Nortt, Isaac 306 
 
 Vanuxem. James 306 
 
 Walton, General 306 
 
 Wilson, Thos 307 
 
 Wirt, Wm 310 
 
 Zadig, Samuel 314 
 
 Miscellaneous 321 
 
 ►- Ja '08 
 
u 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF 
 
 HON. J. B. C. LUCAS 
 
 FROM 1815 TO 1836.