WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837
119
Such has been the haste with which the bill has been drawn up, and so various the circumstances of interest, impatience and passion, on the part of some, to prevent its assuming a form better adapted to our condition, that I feel warranted in giving it as my belief that those who are now its best friends will, one day or other, should it indeed become a law, be found among the principal mourners of the calamities it rnay bring on us. The first and principal objection, I have to make to it, is the provision for sectionizing the whole republic, by a base line and four meridian lines. The utility of running such lines as those alone, and no more, with respect to the object supposed to be contemplated by them, I own I am not able to perceive, and when I consider the bill expressly declares that no surveys, either past or future, shall in any way be affected by them, I cannot refrain from supposing that there is no intention of making any use of them whatever; in which case, the mere running them would but too plainly appear a vain and useless labour, incurred for no conceivable purpose. If it should be said that these lines are required to be run in a spirit of obedience to the requisition of the constitution on the subject, it may be replied that the con- stitution is not so easily satisfied. It says, indeed, that the whole territory of the republic shall be sectionized in a manner to be prescribed by law, but it goes on to say also, that it shall be done in such manner as to enable the officers of government, or any citizen, to ascertain with certainty the lands that are vacant and those that are covered with valid titles. Is the running a base line and four meridian lines, such a sectionizing of the country as will enable any one to ascertain vacant or located lands? And can it be the mode meant by the constitution? If it is not, what are we about to do, but to disregard the constitution and in so doing violate our oaths? For my own part I am not willing to make so great a sacrifice, whatever others may think themselves justified in doing. Here I might stop, without making any further objection; but there is still another defect of so glaring a character, that I cannot forbear bring[ing] it into view. It is the want of any sufficiently guarded provisions to prevent the multiplication of spurious claims. As the bill says nothing on the subject, it follows that the 15th section of the law, passed December 22, last, is relied upon as sufficient for the object in view. It will be seen by examining that section, that any person whatever, before any person whatever authorized to administer an oath, no matter where, in public or private, can, by taking
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