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Wednesday 20. A mail has arrived from the West & the Coast; Among other bre?s brings the presidents message dated Washington Dec? 12th

 As yet the election of officers only had occupied the Houses of Representatives & Senators.
 The Presidents message was little more than a repetition of his speech at Houston.
   I am informed by a settler who has been more than twenty years in this country (the Eastern part) that at an early period Cotton would fetch 30 cents at N. Orleans, but occasionally Mexicans would cross Texas to the East & purchase cotton at 50 cents in cash, which was made up in small & convenient bales, so that a Mule could carry two of them.
 In a few years my informant from being very poor, had a fine plantation and a considerable number of Negros, & Negros he considers the best property a man can have in Texas. A few years since only Negros sold for 1, 2 & 3000 'dollars. at present for 2-300 cash - and less - everything is now by Barter or as called here Trade?.

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