WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, .184,2
434
I, therefore, return the bill to your Honorable Body, without my approval. Sam Houston. 1 Exec.utive Reco1·d Book, No. 40, p. 21, Texas State Library. :?William N. Mock was born in Alabama in 1806; he came to Texas in January, 1835, bringing with him a wife and two children (a son and a daughter). He entered the Texas Army on the outbreak of the revolution and was a member of Captain Baker's company from April 12, to July 12, 1836 (Comptroller's Milita1·y Se1·vice Records, Texas State Library). At the close of the war he moved to Houston, where he lived until 1838, then he moved to Walker County, where he died in 1841. (Dixon and Kemp, He1·oes of San Jacinto, 196.) TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1 Executive Department, City of Austin, January 21, 1842. To the Honorable the House of Representatives: I herewith transmit, at the earliest moment, a communication to your Honorable Body from the Acting Secretary of the Treas- ury, accompanied by information touching the payment to the judges of a portion of their salary, with a transcript of the Executive order directing the same to be paid; all which I re- spectfully request may be read and published to the people of Texas. It will, at all times, afford me much pleasure to lay before the representatives of the nation any information within my control, relating to the finances of the country or connected with the management of the government. The order given to pay the judges five hundred dollars each (only one half the amount appropriated to each in gold or sil- ver), at six dollars in promissory notes for one of par valuation, was deemed by the Executive a penurious act; for, at the time this order was issued to the Comptroller, promissory notes were passing at eight for one. The last Congress laid down the doctrine of equivalents, by authorizing the payment of numerous sums of money upon con- tracts and for different purposes, "in par funds, 01· their equiva- lent in promisso1·y notes." None has been paid out at less than six for one, since that time. On the 6th of February, 1841, a large payment was made to Captain Pennoyer by order of the then Acting President, and without any direction of statute, which fixed the standard of "equivalents" at six for one. The
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