punishment, having furnished the motive for his arrest and confinement, in the first instance,) I could not reconcile it to duty, or to my own construction of the spirit, as well as the letter of the official to send him, personally to the Council. But I have considered, and still consider it, not only reconcilable with both, but, as being in many respects, important to the reputation of the service, as well as to that of those immediately embarked in it, by voluntary association, to forward to the General Council of my Country, copies, of every paper, on file here, relating to the conduct of the individual in question. They are therefore transmitted herewith, endorsed, "Copy of the Proceedings of a Court of Enquiry, in the case of Hugh McDonald Frasier; including Charges and Specifications." A like copy of the same papers, was transmitted by express "to the Commander in Chief, Head Quarters before Bexar," 1st of this month. But this, like most other communications, not immediately involving the safety, or subsistence, of that command was passed over, sub silencio. No reply, no acknowledgement even, of the receipt of such papers, by the Commander there, has yet been received here. On the subject of a Contractor & Commissary for this garrison, I beg leave of the Council to remark, an I do it for their information, that, I regard the man named in their resolution, as having been appointed, as incapable of discharging the duties of the office. Fagan is an old man. The duties of the place, require action. He is intemperate; a proper discharge of the trust conferred, requires sobriety in the incumbent. Moreover he should be a man of business habits, patient, persevering, indefatigable, and untiring. On any other account, I have no objection to the individual named in the resolution here referred to. But constrained as I am, to believe it the intention of the Council to promote, and provide for the service, instead of paralysing, and suffering it to pine away, under a total destitution of subsistence, I consider it my duty to speak freely on this, as well as every other subject, connected with its present and future prosperity Without ample and known provision, for the plentiful and wholesome subsistence of our people, they will he exceedingly unwilling to enter the service, and equally reluctant to remain, after they do enter it. And even after the utmost that we can do, is done, and well done-it will be found a difficult matter, and at best, a
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