With the "abnormal condition of free negroes," sixty-three white residents of De Witt County "cannot not hope to make them useful in the absence of white laborers & managers." They note that "our agricultural interest must ... materially suffer from the destruction of our patriarchal system; and it is only by a diversification of labor that we can hope to establish a healthful system of labor and give wealth to an otherwise ruined country." They state that "to this end we should encourage the increase of forges, spindles, looms, Tanneries & work shops of every grade & character of mechanism." They therefore would "encourage the citizens from our sister states lately in rebellion with us to settle amongst us" as "they are homogenous in every respect and a population we could welcome and rely upon for directing free negro labor." They further believe said population "would migrate to this State with proper inducement held out to them." The petitioners therefore "respectfully solicit the donation of public lands to individual & families removing here for permanent settlement from the late slaveholding states."
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Repository: Texas State Library-Archives Division, Austin, Texas
