WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1849
64
the clerk returned, whose substitute he was, until he was himself regularly appointed a clerk in the office, for a period of thirteen months. Now, the question arises whether the services have been performed? I say they have; and whether they were vol- untary or regular, I care not, so long as the Government was the beneficiary and received the service. Would it be nonest in us in such case to refuse to pay him? Would it not be a dishonest and selfish transaction to withhold from him 1·emuneration for his actual services? I think this Government is not so stricken in misf~rtune as to be driven to the necessity of extorting from a private individual his labor, his daily toil, and not give him a just and fair remuneration for it. I would be sorry to sit in any hall of legislation in this country, and say, that because a citizen was not regularly inducted into office, although he had rendered services of which the Government was the beneficiary, he could not be remunerated, because he had not passed through all the formalities of appointment. This individual has rendered thirteen months' service; and shall the Senate of the United States hesitate to accord to him a just remuneration? I cannot realize that a serious objection can exist, or can be made to it. I do not wish to discuss private claims, I do not wish to enter into the duties of committees; but when they have investigated a case, year after year, and when they have manifested that the service has been performed, and faithfully performed, no matter whether he was appointed or not, I am willing to be governed by their finding, and to accord, by my vote, a just remuneration. We have abundant proof that the applicant in this case faithfully performed the duties that were assigned to him; and shall we hesitate to do him justice. If he remained there until he was regularly appointed, in the expectation that an additional clerk would be required, it does not alter the case. Will you subtract from him the value of his thirteen months' labor? The Govern- ment has not been defrauded; on the contrary, we have received benefit from his labor, and will you refuse the pitiful sum of one thousand dollars, because he was not regularly appointed? Can you be just without according him remuneration? Can you with-
hold remuneration without positive injustice? 1 Congl'essio11al Globe A7,pendix, 1848-1849, p. 165
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