Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-06-23
From the Nfw Orleans Trop,c.
BIOGRAPHY OF MONROE ED
WARDS

kyt his ldlUeT removed 10 I6hhS sever
al years prior 10 The revolution which
separated it from Mexico. and died there
previous to that event = he was very
respectable msn both in his habits, con.
nexions and associations. Monroe re
ceived plain education in his native
State, and commenced life in early man.
hood IN TeXas-he was mol particularly
employed in the Revolution, except at
one time, as a clerk in The counting
house Of Morgan 4 Reed, who did busl'
ness al Galveston Bay-the reputation
he left with his employers was by no
means enViabe, and but little calculated
10 advance his interest in a mercantile
career in that country. The grand dra
ma OF his eventfuI lie. commenced in
The winter OF 49, '36 when al the city
OF New Orleans, no became acquainted
with Mr.. c. Dart, formerly Of Rodney,
Missssi ippi, and having firm in the city
Of New Orleans, under the style Of
Franklin & Dart. and c. Dart d Co., Of
NatcheZ
Dart had become embarrassed, and
Eol having the means Of paying his
debts, after revolving many means Of
exlricaton, be at last fell upon the one
OF buying slaves in Havanna. where they
were cheap, in comparison with the
prices 10 the United States, and settling
them on plantation in Texas, where
the lands were only one 20h of the
price of the cotton lands in the south
west, and where the climate had been
represented to him as peculiarly adapted
to The production of the cotton plant, in
its greatest perfsction from which pro
iect he honestly expected 10 few years
10 realise ample means for The extln-
guishment OF his debts. and have besides
more than a competency for his wife
and children. Bu there were dlfficuI.
ties in The way-he was neither practl'
caIy nor theoretically planter nor
had he any turn for thai sort OF business
In addition to this, if he gave personal
attention 10 the p an,atIon, he would
have TO remove his family there, deprive
his children Of the advantages of educa
lon, and expose his vile, who was ar
amiabe and accomplished woman, to all
the hardships and troubles incident anC
and inseparabIe from pioneer lie; and
in addition If he assumed the control
and management OF The property in
person, and bad things 10 his own name
he ight have been pursued by his Gre
dtors 10 the United States. and broker
up before he had lime TO realize The We
nv means with which he expected to
paw them. and so defeat The very objec
he had in view
At this Stage of his mediations h
met Monroe Edwards, who readily en-
tered INFO his plans, aud promised al
entire devotion to the success Of the en-
terprlse. Edwards had no money, bu
in lieu thereof he was 10 Furnish talents
VieOr, enterprise, &c, and TO cover tht
property 10 his own name. Dart Iurn
ished at the outset $4,000 in god anc
United Safes Bank bills, which wer
equivalent al that time 10 specie, an,
they left the city about the close of lht
year '35 for Havanna, where Dart sue
ceeded IN pgolIating from the house o
Knight 81 Co loan oil $4,000, thu
swelling their cash capital to Ss5 900
They bought and landed in Texas, oI
the BfaZ)s river, sometime in Februar,
1886, about 300 extremely likely an
valuable young negroes, none belni
under 10 and very few over 90 years O
sge. While in Havana an inciden
occurred, which plainly indicated what
in a suitable field OF action, might be b
future career Of Edwards; not satisfe
with the large gang of negroes whlc
Mr. Dart had fairly purchased Tor HIN
he decoyed likely neglo boy on boar
OF the vessel, and there concealed hlt
with view Of kidnapping him; hi
owner discovered it ano was about
apply to The authorities, when the thin
came TO the knowledge of Mr., Oar
who by great exertions hushed he ma
,erup, BY paving the sum Of SI700
Arrived in Texas, Edwards pretepde
10 commence the business of p'antiog
bought an Indifferent tract Of land (C
the seciion Gf country in which he pre-
posed 10 commence his labors, md at
very high price on a Credu--he knc
nothing OF painting. nor did he take ii
requisite pains to inform himseIf-nt
did he seem disposed 10 give the lea
personal care or attention TO The matte
being seldom on The plantation himse'
and employing overseers not for the
fidelity and ahiIly but for heir choa
ness: but there was one thing he d
understand, however, and which he 70
no time in irtue'ng m and 'Nst nj
splashing, he wore he best clio The