374
- WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
[Other Senators speak for an hour or more. Houston's next remarks, while on the Post Office Appropriation Bill, are on a distinctly different phase of the matter-routes of the service.] Houston. This subject is one of great interest to the frontier. It is not a measure that has been improperly brought forward and thrust into the Senate. It was brought here legitimately by the Postmaster General. He recommended the course that has been taken. He said that he did not possess the competency to conduct this mail service as the public necessities require. It was of such a peculiar character, so novel, and the establishment of an impor- tant route, that legislative provision had not been made sufficiently on the subject, and that it was proper that it should be referred to Congress; for he had not competency in his Department. 1 Cong1·essio11al Globe, Part 2, 1855-1856, pp. 2179, 2201. The amendment concernipg which Houston speaks was to the effect that the Comptroller of the Treasury should examine fully into the nature and extent of certain claims and settle them on the principle of equity and law. OPPOSING INCREASE OF THE ARMY ENGINEERING CORPS, AUGUST 16, 1856 1 Mr. President, I did not wish to occupy any of the time of the Senate tonight, about this matter; but the subject is so novel,' it is sprung upon us so suddenly, and is a measure of so much importance, urged without an opportunity for investigation or obtaining information in relation to it, that I cannot vote for it. I will briefly give my reasons for this course. In the first place it has come forward very unexpectedly, and I think it is very inappropos for us to undertake to decide in this sudden manner upon the increase of a most important branch of our Army. The proposition is to increase a particular corps-to create a general, colonel, and other officers, but no men. I pre- sume they are all to be detailed for separate commands. They are to have all the incidental advantages that an officer of the cavalry corps would have similarly circumstanced, as if more than one engineer would be employed in the construction of any work or the discharge of any duty appertaining to the corps. But, sir, when we have evidence that the corps is not at this time by any means deficient in numbers, where there is in fact an excess of the corps, and its officers are employed in various civil employ- ments throughout the country, we are called upon to increase and double the present force of engineers. [Mr. Weller. It would hardly be right for me to allow that statement to go out. The heads of the engineer department reports
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