Duplin County, NC - Jesse Grimes Letters

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     ST 24

            Washington Old. C. H.    August 29, 1850

Jesse.      I have delayed writing to you longer than
usual, waiting for. Something to occur of interest
but everything is like the hills around me.
 I want to hear your opinion upon the proposition made by act
of resolution lately passed by Congress offering the State of
Texas certain terms of compromise which if accepted by your
State will be a final settlement of all dispute about boun-
dary. I presume you will see the terms offered before you
will this letter, however, I will give a sketch the outlines etc.
The boundary line offered to commence at the point at which
the meridian of 100° west is Intersected by the parallel of 36" 30n
thence due west to the meridian of 103, thence due south to 32°N.,
thence on that parallel to Rio del Norte, thence with the river to 
the Gulf. The State of Texas to cede to the U.S. all her claim to
territory exterior to the limits above; to relinquish all claim
upon the U.S. for liability of the debts of Texas and for compen-
sation for surrender to the U.S. of her ships, forts, custom houses,
revenue, public buildings, arms etc.; for which the U.S. proposes
to pay Texas ten million of dollars. These are the important
items in the proposition of compromise. Now will Texas be
content is the question that I want to hear answered?  My
opinion is that you will be glad to get the territory of your
bounds and as much gratified to have ten millions of your
public debt cancelled. Believing that you are fully posted in
all the affairs of Texas, you can now tell what your State will do
   I have never seen a year so difficult as the present to the
planters.There has been but little else up to this time. The heavy &
continued rains of winter & spring with snow & frosts kept back the 
crops until late and all late corn is either utterly ruined or nearly
so for many miles around me. The cotton is four weeks later
than common years and held back by the parching drought.
Never have I seen crops suffer so severely in the same length
of time. The weather has been the hotest ever known, has been
for six weeks and continues so and will continue till rain.
I have a tolerable fair crop of corn with but poor prospect
for cotton. The same may be said for my neighbors.
   The health of the country very good, not a case of fever 
about here. Whooping cough is the only travelling disease we 
have been visited with since the year commenced.
   When James G. Branch was at your house he wrote me a
letter saying that he would pass through Mobile about
the 1st March.  I have since understood from a Mr. Ford
that he came from New Orleans with him to Mobile and that.
Herring & Branch as he believes got on the Steamer Orline
St. John to go to Montgomery the trip that she was burnt.
There was not less than sixty persons lost by the burning of
the boat, many of them strangers and very few escaped from the
boat. I wrote an answer to James's letter and sent it to Duplin
but have not heard from him. The belief is that Herring & 
James were both lost.
   Did you see them and did they intend moving to Texas?
During the session of the Texas Legislature I received from you
several newspapers (the Tri-Weekly Gazette) in which I found
some hot headed speeches upon the New Mexico subject which
reminded of speeches frequently made in So. Carolina by
demagogues.
The Governor's message and Commissioner of the Land Office
report were also received and to me interesting documents, 
especially the latter. The Gazette showed me the manner of 
doing business in your Assembly. It is certainly one of much 
formality in the committee reports. The Commissioner of the 
Land Office by his report shows that you have territory enough 
for four large states. Why but you agree among yourselves to 
quarter the State amd make four slave holding states out of 
it to keep up with the non slave holding states?
  Inform me as soon as you can what Texas will do in regard 
of the compromise etc.
       I have nothing else to write.

                                        Wm. Grimes.

Address shows:-

Old Washington C.H., Ala.
Aug. 30/50            10

Hon. Jesse Grimes,
Anderson P.O.,
Grimes County,
Texas -

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