Proceedings of the Senate and Documents Relative to Texas, from which the Injunction of Secrecy Has Been Removed Page: 57 of 119

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[ 341 ]

On the side of'the United States, no natural boundary is presented; but
on' the west and north, the Rio del Norte, and the mountainous deserts
tvhich skirt it, make bold and prominent territorial divisions.
The geographical points determined by astronomical observations in
Texas are few, and confined to its eastern boundary and the Gulf coast.
The interior is filled up from a comparison of a variety of maps, viz: those
published in London, by the celebrated geographer John Arrowsmith, F.
R. S. and R. A. S.; the maps of Tanner, Austin, Kennedy, Randall, and
Hunts, with the best histories and manuscripts, and verbal information derived
from several distinguished and intelligent Texans-the whole made
to conform to the geographical points taken from the archives of the bureau.
It will serve no useful purpose to point out the immense discrepancies
in the different published maps of Texas, further than to say that-such do
exist.
Statistics.
The report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office of 1839
slows the area to be, in square miles, 318,000; in acres, 203,502.000.
His last report on the subject, in 1841, states the amount of appropriated
lands at 67,408,673 acres; leaving the amount of public lands undisposed
of 136,111,327 acres.
No correct estimate can be made of the white population, the census
never having been taken. It is estimated at $14Q,000.
The tax list shows the number of slaves to be 22,410, of which 14,554
.are over the age of ten years, and 7,856 undet that age.
The finance committee, appointed to investigate the affairs of the Treas-ury
Department in 1841, reported the amount of the public liabilities as
follo ws:

Funded debt, bearing 10 per cent. interest
Bonds sold and pledged to 10 per cent. interest
Treasury notes without interest - Audited
drafts and unsettled accounts

-
$1,650,000
- - 1,350,000
- -3,000000
- 1,00,000000

Total - - - - - -7,000,000
Since the date of the report above referred to, the revenues of the Government
have met its expenditures, except an expense incurred in 1842,
in expelling the Mexicans under General Woll, supposed to be less than
$400,000; so the public debt, with the exception of this item of $400,000,
and the interest which has accrued, remains as in 1841.
Population of towns.

Galveston
*Houston
'San Augustine
San Antonio
San Philipe de
Nacogdoches
Washington Bastrop
Matagorda
Columbia
Lagrange

Austin

5,000
5,000
1,500
1,500
1,000
600
400
400
400
350
250

Shelbyville
Austin
Brazoria
Cincinnati
Franklin-
Liberty
Jasper
Swartwout

-
- 200
- - 200
- - 200
- -'- 200
- 200
- 200
- - 150
50

Franklin on the Trinity - 50
Harrisburg, (burnt by the
Mexicans) - - None.

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United States. Congress. Senate. Proceedings of the Senate and Documents Relative to Texas, from which the Injunction of Secrecy Has Been Removed, book, 1844; [Washington]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2363/m1/57/ocr/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

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