5

of the money Sewanee owe for
it. I hope therefore you will
loose no time in attending to
this matter for us, & so soon
as you ascertain that Thompson
grant is the oldest, if it be so.
I hereby authorize you in
my capacity as chairman of
the committee appointed by the
Executive Committee last summer
for such purchases
to conclude a purchase of
the land covered by that grant
for the University of the South.

Such is the importance of {illegible: extinguishing?}
Thompson's claim, that purchase
would shut out the Estills from
all that part of the tract which
is of most importance to us. You
will of course make the best {illegible}
you can as to how much shall {part of paper is missing: be?}
paid in cash & how much on time
& {illegible} {illegible} me in N.O. for the cash
I have consulted Col Armfield and