WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1854
64
t1See Garrison (ed.) Diplomatic Correspondence of the Republic of Texas, II, pp. 31, 114, 118, 168. 0 Garrison, II, 175, 176. •See · The Quarterly, Texas State Historical Association, XIII, 85-88; Telegraph. and Texas Registe,·, February 22, 1842. BThis letter, as well as most other documents mentioned by Houston in his speech may be found in To the People of Texas, An Appeal in Vindication of His Conduct of the Navy, by Commodore Edwin W. Moore, T. N. This particular letter is to be found on pages 119-121. 9 To the People of Texas. See above note. 10 This document is among the Legislative Papers for 1853, also a copy may be found in the Public Debt Pave1·s, both collections being in the Texas State Library. 11 See Remarks in the United States Senate, July 12, 1854, in this volume. 1 :?See Volume IV, pp. 486-498, for Houston's speech on the Texas Navy, July 31, 1846. 13 John J. Grumbles was one of the famous Texas Ranger captains who rendered such valiant service in Texas during the period 1840-1858. He came to Texas from Tennessee in 1837 and settled at Fort Wilbarger, about ten miles from Bastrop, on the north bank of the river. In 1840 he moved to Travis County, settling at Webber's Prairie, where he lived until 1845, when he removed to Barton Springs, about one and a half miles from Austin. There he bought the William Barton home and water mill. He died at San Saba, Texas, February 20, 1858. See Frank Brown, "Annals of Travis County and of the City of Austin" (MS.), Chapter V, p. 15; XIII, p. 8. REMARl{S CONCERNING THE AUXILIARY GUARD, JULY 27, 1854 1 I in part concur with the Senator from Virginia. I am not in favor of discharging this guard. I think they ought to be retained. I do not think that they act to the satisfaction of every one; but it does appear that a police is necessary for the extent and peculiar situation of this place. If the appoint- ment of this guard be left to the Superintendent of Public Buildings, and if he is acquainted with the population of the place generally, with their capabilities, their industrious habits, and all these matters, he can make a better selection than the Secretary of the Interior would have it in his power to do. The Secretary has business accumulating upon his hands, and a great addition is made to it by this bill. Now, if you compel him to give his personal attention to this subject, he must be acquainted with the individuals whom he appoints; and it does seem to me that he would have to rely either upon the corporation or some other person entirely independent of himself, and that he would, therefore, be a bad hand to select suitable persons to constitute the guard. The appointing power should have a r l '
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