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WRITINGS or SAM HOUSTON, 1842
443
4 Count Jules Edouard Cramayel succeeded Count A. de Saligny as consul from France to Texas in 1842. He served in this office for about two years, then, Saligny returned to it. Cramayel did not like Texas, and gave un- favorable reports of the country to his government; moreover, he was op- posed to French loans to Texas. Notwithstanding this unfavorable attitude toward Texas, Anson Jones said that Cramayel's work in Texas was highly satisfactory. See Garrison (ed.), Divlomatic Co,·respondence of the Rcvub- lic of Texas, II, 32, 127, 1119, 1387, 1416, 1427, 1453.
To THE TEXAS SENATE 1
Executive Department, City of Austin, January 25th, 1842.
To the Honorable , the Senate: In compliance with a reso- lution of your honorable body of the 24th instant, I herewith transmit, from the War Department, information in regard to the expenditures, etc., etc., under the law of the last Congress for the protection of the frontier. It will appear from the tabular statement 2 herewith furnished, that there is now due to various companies of " Minute Men," the sum of nine thousand three hundred and four dollars, in par funds, over and above the appropriation for their services, of seventy-five thousand dollars in Texas promissory notes. The longer continuance of the system, in the opinion of the Executive, will be ruinous to the country. It has proved itself exceedingly expensive. There has been every opportunity to commit fraud upon the Treasury-all control and safeguard, properly lodged in the Department of War, have been transferred to the Civil officers of the country, who are generally but illy qualified to judge of the nature and necessity of military service; and, the·system generally, is open to many objections, all tend- ing to show its inefficiency, expense, and impolity. A repeal of the law is therefore respectfully suggested, both upon the prin- ciple of economy and the hope of success in all other measures for the safety of our frontiers.
Sam Houston [Rubric]
1 "Messages of the Presidents," Congressional Papers, Texas State Library; also Exec11tivc Record Book, No. 40, p. 26. ~The tabular statement is as follows:
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