Message of Gov. O. M. Roberts on appropriations and expenditures under the control of the governor to the seventeenth legislature of the state of of Texas, convened at the city of Austin, in regular session, January 11, 1881. Page: 6 of 23

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Governor',q Xessage.

who performed the services contracted for, and has been paid, as shown
in Exhibit B.
THE MERCER COLONY CLAIM.
A suit was brought by George Hancock vs. J. J. Groos, commissioner
general land office, in the Federal Court at Austin, involving a claim to a
large amount of land, and affecting the interests of a great many persons
in the region of the State known as the Mercer's Colony. In said suit an
injunction was issued, restraining the commissioner of the general land
office from the exercise of important functions in his office, and also
restraining the governor from signing patents within said territory.
In view of this extraordinary proceeding, and the importance of the
matters involved, I employed two firms, upon the advice of the attorney
general of the necessity of it, Messrs. Wilson