WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1853
409
forward a claim to receive compensation on that account. I know the Executive never did, and that he did not receive one eighth of his salary during the three years he was in po\ver. When the message was issued, notwithstanding the suggestions contained in it in relation to the determination of Texas to pay her debts honestly and justly, only for all she had ever realized, the bonds went up in New Orleans from three to five cents, to eighteen and twenty cents, in one week. That was the impression which this message had upon the currency of Texas at that time. The repudiation had been spoken of, and believing that what I said was an act of justice, and that it would prevent speculation, I came out with the sentiments that have been read. I am satisfied, with the exception of the city of New Orleans, that the great valley of the Mississippi does not at this hour contain fifty dollars of Texas's liabilities, and not one dollar held in the hands of those to whom they were originally issued. [Mr. Brodhead, Mr. Dawson, Mr. Bright and Mr. Rusk spoke.] That lady is very careless about her debt. She says it is scaled in some way, but she does not know how it is; but who is the gentleman who has written the book to which my colleague has alluded? G-o-u-g-e-~-nothing less than Gouge. Mr. Gouge was employed in the Treasury Department of Texas as a clerk for a length of time. Some how or other we find him again in Texas. He does not know how it was, but he says when he got there he had such facilities for obtaining facts, and the people were so very kind to him, that he was tempted to write a book. He did not think of it when he went there! Now, Mr. President, it is a pity to spoil such a pretty story, but whoever heard of a man writing a book of this size [holding up a book or respectable size] without intending to do it? No man ever will persuade me that it was an accident. There was a design in it, you may rely upon it, and that design was to bring the claims against Texas so as to deoreciate Texas in the consideration of that body. I have no time-to do Mr. Gouge justice. I could com- ment on the accuracy of his style, the precision of his calculations, his statesmanlike reflections, and a great many good things could be said about him, but I will leave him to somebody else. My friend from South Carolina [Mr. Butler] can do him justice. But I assure him that I hope he will have no influence to "gouge" Texas. 1 Congrcssio,wl Globe and Av,>end·ix, Part II, 1852-1853, p. 960-963, 973- 975. The Texas debt and provisions for its settlement became one of the items of controversy of the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill of 1853. When Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845, two questions became of
Powered by FlippingBook