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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1837
The Officer who has been employed as auditor 2 is one of the most capable, industrious and untiring men that I have ever known in any department of business, and it is totally out of his power to audit the accounts when presented. The consequence is that great dissatisfaction arises to claimants who are detained at great expense and loss of time; therefore, I would suggest the absolute indisputable necessity of providing for a second auditor and a comptroller of the Treasury. I have no doubt but what it will be a savjng of many thousands of dollars per annum to the Republic, whilst it will diffuse much satisfaction throughout the community and inspire general con- fidence in the Government and the Country. The Auditor has twice tendered his resignation, which I was compelled to decline accepting, because it was impossible to supply his place in the present emergency. I earnestly solicit your attention to this subject, or it will be impossible to tender satisfaction or afford justice to those who hold demands against the Government. Many claims remain to be audited which have been outstand- ing since the commencement of the Revolution. Sam Houston. [Rubric] P. S. I have the honor herewith to enclose to you a com- munication from the Auditor. 3 S. H. 1 "Messages of the Presidents," Cong1·essional Papers, Texas State Library. 2 John W. Moody. See Houston to the Texas Senate, December 20, 1836. 8 The enclosure was as follows: Auditor's Office, Houston, May 26, 1837 To His Excellency The President: In consequence of the rapid increase of the labors of this Department, it is absolutely necessary that there should be another Auditor; one of ·whom should audit the military claims, the other the Naval, Civil and Contingent; there should also be a comptroller who should examine the proceedings of both auditors in order that clerical errors should be detected, if any, and to see that none other should be drawn for than for proper · objects .as contemplated by law; he should countersign the corresponding drafts of each auditor if approved by him, and enter name of claimant in a book the date of the draft, number and check letter, and should be obliged by law to furnish the treasurer on every morning at nine o'clock with a list of said entry in order to prevent forgery and fraud; owing to the state of the times no certain calculation can be made to the number of clerks that would be necessary to perform the different duties of these departments, therefore some descretion should be left with the Executive on that subject.
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