WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1837
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same, as I am extremely anxious that the Corps should be speed- ily organized and rendered efficient Sam Houston 1E. W. Winkler (ed.), Sec1"et Journcils of the Senate, Republic of Texas, 1896-181,5, 59. ~For the list of the thirty-three officers ·nominated by Houston on this date see Ibid., 59-60. All the nominations, except one, were confirmed by the Senate on the same day. To THE TEXAS CONGRESS, VETOING THE RESOLUTION TO SEND ARMED VESSELS TO MATAMORASt Executive Department, City of Houston, 31st May, 1837. To the Senate and House of Representatives of Texas: Gentlemen: Your resolution was recd-on the 29 th · Inst. in- structing the President to send the armed Schooners Brutus and Invincible to the Brazos Santiago, and has been read with some surprise and regret. After giving it all the consideration due both to the importance of the measure and .the dignity of the body from which it em- enated, I regret that I ·am compelled to withhold my sanction and the more so as it contemplates an object in which the deepest feelings of my heart are concerned. But having been instructed by my country with the exercise, vested by the Constitution, in the Executive Department, I feel myself constrained to adopt the views respectfully submitted to you and in so doing I will endeavor briefly to give you the rea- sons for my course. . As a naked question of ordinary prudence, it would be a most hazardous step after the Enemy have already in their possession one of our armed vessels to send the other two without either knowing the force they have on the Gulf, or the course they will pursue in regard to our flag. If they are disposed to receive a flag and to treat for an ex- change of prisoners, a flag sent by a neutral or unarmed vessel would answer all the purposes of two armed vessels of war, and should the Enemy be disposed to disregard the rules of civilized warfare, would we not hazard too much to place in their hands the remnant of a Navy already too weak to defend our coasts in the Gulf and only sufficient to protect our Bays. From all the information I have been able to obtain, I have every reason to believe that Mexico has a Navy that would greatly overpower
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