William Gaston letter to Charles W. Karthaus & Co., 1819 January 9

Savannah Jan'y 9th 1819 Messr Chas W Karthand & Co Gentlemen Your same of 9th ulti is Duly At hand, & I have Delayed Replying in hopes Daily of Informing you Something Conclusive in Relation to the Suit with the Privateer & Gentatina, but am Sorry to Say that the Court has Adjourned without acting on the Case, as it was a Circuit Court, the Judge would not take Cognizance of it before It had come before the District Court, which will sit in next month provided, A Judge is appointed in the Interim, which we daily expect to be done, and At present we have no District Judge in Georgia, Judge Stephens having Resigned. I think our chance is better than it has been; I believe I shall be able to sell Mr. Gobel's claim out to Mr. McKinne who I have offered it to for $20,000 Dollars, Mr McKinne to pay all Expences, Run all Risks of Suit &c: He has promised to give me An Answer in A few days

This Gentleman has Quit Paying & moved near Augusta, where he Plants Cotton, & had A Plantation both sides of Savannah River, one in this state & the other in Carolina, & the latter State has lately Repealed A Law which prevents your taking slaves from this State or any other Into So: Carolina, which makes the whole possession of there Slaves Desirable to Mr McKinne, as He would take them to His Place on the CarolinaSide:- & I have an Increase notice to get the Slaves out of Georgia, as the Legislature of this State have passed A Law lately which might authorise the Gov'r to Seize their negroes, & He has already seized some situated very similarly; & his circumstance makes me very Desirous to Sell out to McKinne, as He could So conveniently move them out of the State, which is his Inducement to Buy me out. Your Power of Att'y & asc is with me & I Shall act on It the moment I get any funds in hand: - hoping to Say Something Conclusive Shortly I am upland Cotton 25 1/2 S: Yours Sincerely Rice 5 1/2 @ 6$ Wm Gaston tobacco 10 @ 12 $

Exports from Savannah from 1st October to 31st December 1818. Bales of Bales of Tierces Hhds: Sea Island Upland Rice Tobacco Octr 1818 Coastwise 1 615 2 "

{ Havre " 430 50 " Novr { West Indies " " 310 " { Castwise " 2,278 181 18

{Liverpool 149 4,183 " " {Havre 20 2,227 246 " Decr {Nantz 44 220 63 " {West Indies " " 499 " {Coastwise " 3,641 350 " Total 214 13,594 1701 18

Savanah Jany 9th 1819 Wm Gaston received Jany 18 an-n 19

Messr Chas W Harthaus & Co Baltimore mail