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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1853
405
consideration of supplies furnished to the army, services ren- dered in the army, and services done generally to the country. In their hands the obligations had depreciated, and it was with these individuals, under the pressure of necessity, .that this gentleman had these transactions. Whether this ought to be characterized as speculation I know not, nor do I care. But this · I do know; he left his money to be invested, and it was invested in 1841, when T'exas money had depreciated to sixteen cents on the dollar. This is the gentleman who now comes forward with the most chivalrous complaints against the State of Texas, for the manner in which he has been treated. I have given the facts of the case, and will leave it to others to decide whether the transaction partakes of the nature of speculation. As I have before stated, this gentleman had no transaction with the government of Texas to the amount of one dollar; nor did he get his certificates at their face value. If he was civilly treated it was because we received well all respectable strangers whether they came as visitors to see our country, or on speculation, or whatever view they came with. The gentleman to whom the Senator from Kentucky alluded, says that he gave money to sustain the war of Texas, and to uphold her cause. If he did, let him bring forward his vouchers. If he was so indifferent, or so superabundantly rich that it was unnecessary to husband his means, he ought not to bring it up as a charge against Texas. If he contributed anything to her aid, he ought to have taken vouchers for it, and to have come forward as he would have done in Tennessee or Kentucky. And if he had done so, he would have received dollar for dollar, and cent for cent. But, sir, that gentleman says that was not all; but that he also sent his son equipped to aid Texas in her war; that in this way he contributed to her aid and to her cause. The young man was a gallant fellow. I accord to him all the respect that a father can demand of me. But he was engaged in that un- fortunate and lawless expedition to Santa Fe, a bill to authorize which was met by almost instant rejection, when simultaneously introduced into both branches of the Texan Congress; it was literally kicked out of Congress. As soon, however, as the Con- gress adjourned, the then President ordered, upon his own responsibility, that expedition, which cost a million and a half of dollars; obligations for which were issued from the treasury,
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