My sister ( Mrs. Caldwell ) writes to me that my boy Addison had left my place in Mississippi and was at her house.1 I have written to her and requested her, to buy a mule for him to ride down, and to hire some faithful man to take him immediately back. The mule I will need on my place. I have written to her to call on you, and have informed her that you would pay to her all expenses, she may have been at, on account of Addison including the price of the mule. This I request you to do, and to retain the amount you may pay her out of the price of my cotton, when it may be sold. I have directed my present year’s crop to be shipped to your House in New Orleans as heretofore. I take it for granted that insurance against the dangers of the River, will be taken out by your House.

The price of cotton is still at a very low point. Should the troubles in Europe be at all quieted I think it must soon rise. Under all the circumstances however I conclude to say to you, and you can so instruct your House in New Orleans, that they are authorized at their discretion to sell, both crops, last year’s and this, or such of the latter as they may have [. . . account]2 at an average price not less than 6. cents per pound. If I cannot get an average price of 6. cents per pound, I will retain both crops for another year. I do not think it probable that the disturbed state of Europe [s]hall continue to be such as to keep the price down at the present point much longer.