WRITINGS OF SAl\I HOUSTON, 1853
443
It is understood that the Department of the Interior is sup- posed to suppress any important facts, and not give them to the world. I want those facts. They relate principally to the section of country which I in part represent. They relate to the entire country between Texas and California. They are very important to the region of country, and not only to that region, but to the whole country. It is important to obtain the informa- tion which otherwise may be suppressed for years, and not brought forth to the world. I have reason to believe that the facts are very important, and that the country will be materially benefited by them; and we will better understand the subject of our future action, not only in the Senate, but in the House of Representatives; and it will be understood throughout the whole country. We are all interested in our western frontier-the country connecting California with the Atlantic coast. We are interested in all these things. For that reason, I urge the adoP- tion of the resolution. I have no particular interest in regard to it. It seems to me to be very reasonable. ·we are in the habit of spending money on other subjects, and I do not see why we should not be making books, for I find a great demand for them, and I am told the demand is increasing every day. I have heard that when gentlemen have transmitted Owen's Report from here to their various localities, those reports did not get halfway. They are stolen out of the mails. That proves the great value of the works, and the great anxiety of the people for intelligence, [Laughter,] and urges the necessity of getting a bountiful supply of books by the Senate. I have been so well guarded, that I have ordered all that I have received to be boxed up, and it will cost me two or three thousand dollars to get them home for distribu- tion in Texas. [Laughter.] I am not afraid of the mails being robbed there. They can be distributed there. But I cannot take the risk of mailing them here. Now, Mr. President, I insist that the vote shall be taken on the resolution. [Mr. Butler. We are called upon to edit a book the contents of which not one Senator here knows anything about. We are required to edit a book of geology, mineralogy, entomology, biography, astronomy-an encyclopedia containing materials furnished by whom? I want to know something of this book from some other source than Mr. Bartlett or Mr. Gray. The resolution would imply that they are the only two authors of the book; but there are others to whom credit should be given. I take the liberty of mentioning the name of one-Colonel Graham.
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