United States, Baltimore, 17th October, 1836.

My very Dear Sir,

Since writing you from Norfolk, on the

8th inst, I have visited Petersburg and Richmond, Va., and

Washington City, whence I came last evening. As I anticipa-

ted, when I wrote to you, I made a visit to the President of

the U.S., who received and treated me kindly; his feelings, as a

citizen, is warmly with us, but his position as chief Executive

officer of this country, in his view, (and I think properly too) prompts

him in the exercise of his official duties, to observe the strictest

neutrality. In speaking to him of the present position of Texas,

I expressed the belief that there was a large majority of the

citizens of Texas in favor of annexation to the U. States, and

the [that] being placed in an attitude which would enable us to

make the connection, was that which the whole Republic most

ardently desired. He replied that, “without a legislature and

Courts of Justice, a posture in which Texas had been and was

in, from the last advices, it would be impossible for us to do any

thing on the subject of recognition”—that “a regularly organized

Government must exist, before the U.S. could assent to recog-

nize Texas free and independent.” I expressed to the Pre-

sident in reply, my fullest confidence in the belief, that

within three months the Government of the Republic of Texas

would be regularly organized and in successful and

harmonious operation. The conversation here ceased upon

the merits of this question, but during other portions of our

interview, which was almost exclusively upon the sub-

ject of Texas, and Texian relations, I think I am autho-

rized in saying, that so soon as our Government is or-

ganized fully, and the fact properly communicated to

the President of the United States, we shall be acknowledged by

this Government free and independent, and if the citizens of

Texas, as I believe is the case, desire a connection with the U.S.

(_____ [?] . . . (it is