I have received your letter of the 4th ultimo. You inform me that the boy Joe , has behaved badly, but that he is at home again. I hope that he will remain at home and do his duty. I wish you to release him from his confinement, beat him well, and if he leaves you again, I wish you to request Mr Leigh to dispose of him, and procure another hand in his place. The draft which Mr Leigh drew on me in your favour for $315.76. has been presented to me and has been paid. I have not yet sold my last year’s crop of cotton, and will not do so, at the present low prices. As soon as I sell I will inform you of the amount which is due to the hands, and will authorize you to pay it over to them. Tell them that they will be sure to get their money as soon as the cotton is sold. After you finish cultivating the crop this summer, I wish you to employ any time you may have, before the gathering season, in clearing more land, as I expect to increase the force for next year. In your next letter I wish you to inform me whether the blacksmith Harry gets work enough from the neighbourhood to keep him employed, and whether he is profitably employed.