WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 184-2
420
what now remains on hand; from which it will appear that there has been almost a total loss of the large supply of valuable furni- ture belonging to that vessel. 'l'his is, however, but another ex- ample of the universal destruction of public property through a long course of shameful abuses practised upon an impoverished people by agents of the government. How long this disasterous course of official dereliction, fraud and peculation is to continue, your Honorable Body can determine. I ask for the means of establishing and enforcing accounta- bility. If I am denied the power of arresting existing evils, and millions be squandered to save a few hundreds, I must be acquitted to the country as I shall ever be to my conscience, of all participation in the resulting injury. Information says that the costly and splendid furniture of the Zavala is distributed to various families and friends of official functionaries. But who is to account for this disgraceful waste? The law combines in the same individual the duties of Naval agent to purchase, naval store keeper to take care of and Com- modore to appropriate and use the public funds for Naval service: a law well adapted to the encouragement of fraud and the ruin of the nation, because it prevents the possibility of detecting of- ficial peculation and delinquency. Sam Houston. 1 Executive Record Book, No. 40, p. 15, Texas State Library. 2The inventory of the furniture of the Zavala is not copied into the Rec~ ord Book, and has not been found. To COLONEL L. B. FRANKS 1 Executive Department, City of Austin, January 5, 1842. To Col. L. B. Franks : Sir-You are requested to ascertain, so far as may be in your power, the disposition of the wild Indians for peace with the Texians. You will communicate with me and give me all the information in your power. If it is practical to make and pre- serve peace on our frontiers, it is my ardent desire to do so. Should you meet or see any of the wild tribes, you may assure
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