WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1838
211
as he has no legal competency to take any other course with the application. That debts to a considerable amount have been con- tracted by the Department, there is no doubt; but to state how much with accuracy is impossible. The Executive never author- ized any debts to be contracted by the Dept. nor by any other person, except authority which he gave to Mr. Borden, Custom House Officer, to procure subsistence for the Officers and men who were in needy circumstances. Since the gale of October last, the Executive ha:s endeavored from time to time to obtain information with regard to that post, but all in vain. Finding that it was impossible, he some days since dispatched a most worthy and intelligent Gentlemen, well acquainted with naval service, for the purpose of obtaining and reporting to him accurate information, as the only alternative he now considers available. At the last session of the Hon. Congress, no general appropria- tion was made for the navy in Texas. The purchases of these :Supplies for the Navy, have been contrary to law, therefore they have not been audited, nor can they be adjusted unless Congress will authorize the Executive to direct the same and make such appropriations with provisions to authorize their payment. It is respectfully suggested that it will require a sum between Forty and Fifty Thousand Dollars. The President will direct that an abstract be made out showing all purchases, by whom made, under what authority, of whom, the prices, at what time, how applied, the amount needed, and what remains on hand, for the information of the Honorable Body. When the purchases were made and most of the contracts, it was known to the Officers making them that there was no appropriation and that it had been forbidden by the Executive. The transactions occurred in direct violation of law and in con- tempt of the President's orders.
Sam Houston [Rubric]
1 "Messages of the Presidents," Con,qressional Papers, Texas State Library,
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