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Mobile Ala. April 23.d 1837. John Howard Payne Esq. Dear Sir, Your favour of April 7th. 1836, was only received, and my wish was to have answered it immediately - the intention to neglect it was ever, for one moment, meditated. but you know enough of me to be satisfied that I cannot write about nothing - cannot find leisure for mere quipping?. Your suggestions and your inquiries of me about our Indians were to me very interesting. I have been seeking knowledge on the subject for years. I have obtained some, but I desire much more. Neither my own, nor other man's speculations can satisfy me for a moment. That which I have, however, is interesting and you shall have it, after I advert to your Georgia disasters, and some other matters. When I learned the fate of your laudable and only commendable enterprise in Georgia, I felt much regret, but no surprise. You are correct in saying that I admonish you of what you might expect, and if you ever publish your travels you ought to state the fact and the source of my suspicions. I think it almost impossible that I can be deceived in my estimate of a people if I can once dine at a public table among them. I have been importuned to visit the interior of Georgia. I have not yet done so, and if I were to it will be with slender expectations of either enjoyment or profit. But if I should go and be agreeably disappointed I will do them justice. Intelligent gentlemen assure me that I ? be pleased. We have tough times here in the business world but not worse than I anticipated two years since. I warned the people in New Orleans and in this place, from the pulpit two years since. I told them that these difficulties were coming. I named the causes and gave their modus operandi upon the mind?. I was laughed at and told that it was impossible. Some of my friends whom I advised on the subject re...ed? so deeply in speculation that they were crushed to atoms. The man who understands the human mind and the action of influencing causes may speak a prophetically warning voice. Alas! while reason governs wise men nothing less than punishment will govern fools. Be pleased to accept my thanks for the flattering notice you gave of my introductory lecture in the N. Y. Mirror. I am married and married to please myself. I think that you wanto? be pleased with my choice. Perhaps you will see my wife in the course of a year, as I propose visiting N. Y.. I am still a traveller and likely to continue so for some time. I have so established Phrenology in the South that it yields me about $10,000 a year. Bigotry is still against me, however, but I go ahead. I will visit again, before many weeks, the Creek nation {crossed out} country. The Indians have moved, hence I can procure as many crania as I want with care and personal safety. Smith is in Clinton Miss. and making money, but not saving it. I have not seen him since last summer. I have but little hope that he will even take a manly stand in society. I have done my best to exert over him a proper influence. I can do no more.