WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
348
been repeatedly accused of improper conduct. Successive secre- taries, instead of investigating such charges, have permitted them to be suppressed, or compromised, or withdrawn, when it was their bounden duty to see that they were held amenable. But, Mr. President, my friend from South Carolina [Mr. But- ler] made some explanations in regard to a few matters to which I alluded on a former occasion. I referred to some circumstances that took place on the Brazilian squadron at Rio Janiero. To my statement my friend from South Carolina took exception. Com- modore Shubrick, in his letter of October 28, 1846, to Commodore Rousseau, inclosing the survey that had taken place on the vessel Saratoga, remarks that "the Saratoga having been found, on examination, unfit to continue her cruise around Cape Horn in her present condition, he has ordered Commodore Shubrick to report to him (Rousseau) that after having repaired the injuries sustained by the vessel, he may exercise the discretion given him in the letter of the Department of 20th July last." Commodore Shubrick says further that in the course of her repairs she may be found even in a worse state than represented-if so, taking into·consideration the length of time which has elapsed since she was ordered to the Pacific, he should think she could be of little or no service in that squadron. Commodore Rousseau taking this as an intimation, tantamount to an order, coming from a superior for the inspection, ordered the Saratoga back to Norfolk; so that she never joined the squad- ron as authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, but repaired to Norfolk, and her service was withheld from that squadron during the whole time. I understood my friend from South Carolina to say, that Com- modore Shubrick had taken Mazatlan and Guayamas. Guayamas was taken, I think, by Captain Lavalette, not by order of Com- modore Shubrick. He was sent out to Cape St. Lucas, and whilst there, the weather becoming unfavorable, he was impatient to return, and he went and took Guayamas himself without orders from the Commodore. My friend also stated that Mazatlan "was taken in the face of a superior force" by Commodore Shubrick, and that he had achieved everything that was achieved on the Pacific. It appears that Mazatlan was taken without a solitary man resisting. The American flag was run up by Lieutenant Halleck, of the army, with two men; and Commodore Shubrick was informed by the municipal authorities or council, on Novem- ber 11, 1847, that-
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