Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-17
True copy of The original
JAMES PAUL, Private Secretary.
RICHMOND, OCTOBER 10, 1862

JAMES PAUL, Private Secretary.
lIB1 RICHMOND OCTOBER 10, 1862
His Exceency JEFFERSON DAVIS, President, &c.
SIR: On to-day Mons Tabou-lle, French Vice Consul at
Richmond sought an introduction to the Senate
chamber and stated that he desired tn obtain from
certain statistical information in regard to Texas told
him that did not then have the tina to give him the de-
sired information but if he would call at my would
take pleasure giving him any information which pos
sessed He promised call this evening, which he did
and has ju-t left my deem it propar to give you
the substance Of the conversation between it had
with the subecnater of the correspondence
between the Governor of Texas and French Consular
Agent at Galveston of which you advised Gen Wigfall
| and myself few days since.
Aftsr had furnished him with information in regard
to the population, debt, taxes and agricultural
productive capacity Of Texas he remarked that the
of the State were magnificent and capable of sup
porting ronetu and Independent people and then asked
aoheher Thought aoond not be TO the interest of the
STATE 10 assume an Independent nationality told him that
the people Of Texas being mostly emgrans from the old
Southern States, strongly attached t. those States
and to our ederatye system OF government, which at
some length explained to him. told him that they
could have been induced to secede from the United States
but to preserve that form OF government which was in dan
ger of being destroyed further stated to him that not only
the affections and sympathes but also the nteres Of the
people Of bound them the States ofhe Conederacy
that their institutions pursuits and agricultural products
were the same and that mutual safety required harmony
amongst them which could only be insured by Confede
racy that as separate and independent State Texas
would be weak and incapable of elfdefenca that we were
sensible that would be subject TO be nyoved in COLI
with sister Southern States that the similarity
of institutions and produci on which now bonds of
union and the cause Of harmony would become
rvares eaouses and perhaps between the States
that in the Confderacy would not be weak aud de-
pendent people incapable of resentng insult or repelng
aggression The subject then waived aud we talked
| OF other matters
But for the fact had called my attention to the cor
respondence between the Governor of Texas and the
French consular agent at Galveston, this conversation
would perhaps have msde impression upon my mind
but Introduction to sought by the Vice Consul
with the view to obtain statistical information regard TO
Texas and the subject Of the separate that
State was thus introduced by him. it struck me that it
was not casual accidental He furthermore stated to
that he had written TO the consular ageut Galveston
for information upon the of Texas and had re-
cevsd from him specimen sample of Texas wool
which he either had or intended to send to France
have deemed it proper to communicate the foregoing
to you, airdng courmstoFy evidence to the concu-
that it the object Of Louis Napoleon and perhaps OF
other of the European Powers to induce Texas
an independent nationality. The fact communicated by
you to Gen. Wigfal and myself put my guard, and
caused me 10 b. explicit and spec fc than IN ght
otherwise have been for the purpose OF dispatng such
design if it exists aud to aduce whatever steps that may
be taken to be r the benefit Of the entire Conederacy
/ am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
w s. OLDHAM