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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
150
too great a responsibility upon the officers created for this special purpose. If they are created independent of the Government, with a moderate salary-and no remarks I shall make on this occasion can apply to any individual, for no names have been suggested to fill these offices-if they are appointed, with mod- erate salaries, we know the influences and appliances that are made, the wants created by the necessity of individuals who will have to transfer their residence to this place from some remote part of the country, and I think the salary proposed would not be sufficient to sustain them a year. It would be inadequate to the duties and expenses incident to a residence in this place. Therefore, I think it well that they should be appointed for life, or if possible for two lifetimes. The plan forcibly suggests to me the fable of the fox and the swallow. If you were to appoint the officers of this board for life, they might, after a time, by means which would certainly be applied, secure enough to live independently, or become rich; but if you exchange them from time to time, and make the time short, the consequence will be that every gentleman must aggrandize himself as far as he can. I have had some experience, and some observation in settling accounts in this city. If the accounting officers are not honest, if they are not capable, if the experience of years, and the revision of the successive heads of departments are not sufficient to restrain them, let new facilities be added to them; but do not create new means of corruption and misapplication of power. Claims have been pending here since I came to this Senate, and I do know that ramifications and influences are not much beyond what is calculated. It can be seen that around this city, there are individuals concerned, connected, and operating with indirect influence, not only upon this body, but upon all the officers of the Government; and unless you get men who are placed above all necessity of dishonesty, those pleas which will be presented to them, of necessity and of the suffering of families, of great wrongs endured by them, and the high claims of justice, may induce these gentlemen to yield a decision prejudicial to the interests of the United States. I well know that in Texas a board of this description was formed. One of the executive officers of the administration was at the head of that board; and I remember that in six months, though it was not a difficult task, Texas was bankrupt, and this law was repealed. Why was it repealed? Because allowances had been made by that board not only destructive to the treasury of the country, but to its moral condition, and claims were created
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