Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-11

/ "HnrR nrom the Teombs n DeIefuI sound.,'
The following letter from Robert Toombs
was found on board of a.vessel recently cap
tured on the Gulfof Mexico by the blockading
squadron:
CoSrEpEaArR srArEs or AMERICA,
.. June ~, 1851.
Colonel M 2. johnson, JolnsOn's Cros.Roads. Tar
DEAR SR: Your letter OF the oath ult. was
forwarded to me from Montgomery, and was
received yesterday. You consider my letter
ill-humored Think have cause to be.
am more dunfed and harrassed for your
debt for a large amount-~have no money to
pay it, can not borrow il, have no means of
paying il but selling my property; and yet
you mock me by talking of my great wealth
and ample means Of borrowing the money.
And when my property is sold (as my Texas
lands werel the proceeds are coolly applied
to other peoples debts, to save their property
from sale. These are the naked facts in the
case. By industry and constant attention to
business have always been able to meet my
own obligations and IL is the first time that
| could not meet them all without selling
property. Your debt that am bound for
has been due over three years; it was debt
of honor, and lent under the most solemn
pledges, which l believed and relied on, and
with which you have not complied. And
now, on account of it, find myself without
money, harrassed with public business, no
means of making arrangements, and your
debt hanging on me. feel myself greatly
aggrieved bv you, and in quarter where
did not expect it. 1t is in vain to tell me you
are good--that is not the question; good at
the end of the law was not my understand
ing of your oft-repeated pledges. Your cred
tor, after waiting nearly four years without
receiving even one cent of interest or princi-
| pal calls on you for half of the debt. Iprom.
| ised to meet it, and intend TO do it. shall
not tell him, am good for it.
AS to the modes of payment which you
propose, can only say will take any thing
that you will pay your debt for which / am
bound. do not think Texas bonds would
do it; Confederate States bonds or Treasury
notes, think, would pay it; but all want
is for you to pay the debt am bound for, or
get me discharged, and l am content. l hope
you will come in Immediately and make
| some arrangements, and make me a fair
showing of what you can and will do, that
may know what can depend upon.
The reason you give for paying Osttell
one-third of the sales of the land is wholly
unsatisfactory. He has no interest in the
lands until all claims against them are paid
! off. You know he has never paid one cent
even of taxes, and that his father had all the
money for granting the land, and did not
pay cent of it, and that the land itself is
twenty thousand acres at least short of what
he said he bad bought; therefore, it itremsins
to be seen whether he has any interest what
ever in the land. The execution could only
have sold young Cattelps interest, leaving
the land still bound for joint expense and
| payments, and as he never pays any thing,
do not see how it could hurt us if any other
man owned his interest. at least, it was
easy to get our consent, which was not done,
and I can not satisfy the act. never au-
thorized any other person than yourself to
sell or receive cent for the land, and can
not look to Colonel Fowler at all in the
premises. The power of attorney was ex.
plicit and limited, andintended to be. Ihope
you will get the paper aud be ready for full
settlement of the matter, for I am satisfied
must settle it, or it may seriously injure me
am respectfully yours,
2. TOOMBS.