Letter from William L. Delap to George Cupples, March 20, 1845 Page: 4 of 6 (Transcription)

My Dear Sir,
It is some time since I received your
welcome favor from Washington. Were I to attempt to extenuate my
offence is niglecting to answer it sooner, although it is my professional
duty to patch up bad cases still I am afraid I should
make but a poor defense so trusting to the mercy of the Court
I at once plead guilty. I never received the letter you say you wrote.
The one from Washington was the first. I hope you were much edified
by your visit to the place where the colected wisdom!! of Texas was
assembled, amused you could not fail to be by such a quantity of
ignorance, pomposity and foolishness as was congregated there. I observed there
was some difficulty in obtaining the relief required by M. Castro. Just
the way with our wise legislato/r/s they will strain at a gnat and swallow a
camel. They feel it a duty!! to their constituents to show that they have
done something. (vox et praeterea nihil) and fire away like good native Americans
at all furreigners right or wrong. Poor paddy (alas! my country) they did
not spare him, however at least they did find out that the green sprigs of the
Emerald Isle ( first flower of the ocean, first gem of the say ) had taken a
part in the struggle against the bloody Mexicans and that they really were
not niggers. I did not receive the Register you sent me; it has been taken
by some of the postmasters on the route, not an unusual occurrence. It gives
much pleasure in learning the success of the entirprize, I fear the situation
of Castriville may be exposed to Indian attacks. The annexation of Texas to the United States, which measure has just been passed by both
houses in Congress in the U.S. thros the protection of the frontier on the general
Government. This change must have an immediate beneficial effect on affairs
in Texas. Immigration will increase and we only require a population of
the right kind to make this Country respectable for its wealth by developing
its internal resources. I am glad you and your family are blessed with
the localities of your position, it is indeed a great sacrifice for ladies to have
civilized society to come to a wild country like this. Where is M. Dutitz
How is little Bob? It certainly is gratifiying to me that an humble
individual like myself should receive your thoughts business required my
presence in Bexar last summer I was obliged to defer my visit till
this summer. While Denison is absent I attend to the business here, but
when he comes back, as soon after as I an arrange, I will start for
San Antonio. Which I hope will be June at the latest. Before the
anexation is fully consummated, my deisre is to get all