Texas, by the terms of the joint resolution of annexation may be & probably ere long will be, divided into five states. There are reasons to hope that one or two of these states may be secured to free labor & real republicanism. The same system that is relied upon to preserve Kansas—the organized introduction of free laborers—has already been silently at work in the Western part of Texas. That region (between the Colorado and Mexico) is suited to be worked by whites, being not a cotton or sugar planting, but a grazing district.

A German Emigration Company has thrown in upon it, on a merely economical system, 7,000 free Germans all of whom nearly are dependent on their own arms for a livelihood—and almost all of whom appreciate the inevitable antagonism with slave labor. Their numbers have been swollen by about 4,000 individual German emigrants, making altogether 11,000 intelligent men whose interests and ideas conflict with those of slave-holders.

Besides those there are 25,000 Mexicans annexed with the country—voting citizens—all of one mind against slavery.

One fifth the American population are Northern born men, and but a very small part of the remainder are actual slaveholders.

Altogether it is thought that the interests and secret wishes of a large majority of the inhabitants there are opposed to slavery.

Could this people be brought to feel their power and act together, this part of Texas, to be set off into one or two states, would with great certainty, become free.

A year ago, a free German paper was firmly established, which has cautiously but firmly advocated these ideas. It has gradually got to be considered so dangerous by slave owners that an effort has been made to buyout and silence the paper. Upon this, the Editor has determined to purchase the paper of its proprietors (stock holders) and to secure himself an entirely free position. To enable him to do this he has written to a personal friend here to aid him to the amount of $350.

Unable himself to give the entire sum, the writer asks such as are disposed to help sustain & further this free influence to contribute towards it. He is himself cognizant of these facts and knows this Editor to be a man of great [320] strength & beauty of character & of perfect integrity—admirably adapted to his precise position.

This assistance given now in a quiet way may ultimately prove of infinite importance.

To Dr. Adolph Douai, Editor of the “San Antonio Zeitung”

The undersigned have contributed the amounts below and beg you to accept them to be used at your discretion in furtherance of the rights of free labor and the enlightenment as to their true future, of the free laborers of Western Texas.

To be returned to Fred L. Olmsted, Southside, Staten Island, N. Y.