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whereas a separation of them might naturally
interrupt and retard the increase which is
now going on regularly. It would place you
in debt 5 or 6 thousand dollars, but that could
Soon be paid from the Crops, besides it would
give you Such additional force as to enable you
to work 25 to 30 hands and I think you could
safely calculate upon from 100 to 125 bales Cotton -
with an annual increase as there will be young
Negroes added to the force every year. I have
counted up the children now living born on the
place from your women and I make 42 besides
Several which have died - Jenny has 15 children
living, several of them grown -

That part of the land you may not be
able to cultivate at present will be improved
by lying idle. In the meantime you will have
a place to send all your surplus negroes to
If this proposal should meet your views, I
would in order to carry it out and to put you to
the least possible inconvenience, take charge of the
plantation until Fabius gets through college, at
a moderate compensation say 250 Dollars & my expenses
paid when I may have to visit it - To employ an
overseer, do all the correspondence, procure all ne
cessary supplies, and dispose of the Crops