WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1861
242
to entirely check the latter a more active force is necessary, which should be constantly employed in scouring the country. The militia act, passed by the last Legislature, was found by the Executive to contain conflicting provisions, which prevented its being put in operation; the necessity of rendering it entirely practicable is respectfully presented to the Legislature. According to the estimates made, which were laid before the Legislature, the ordinary expenses of· government exceeded per annum the amount received from revenue. The extraordinary expenses arising from the construction of the Insane Asylum and other causes, as well as the balance due from former years, have greatly increased this deficiency, and, as a consequence, the Treasury is now without means to defray the expenses of government for the present year. The Executive has endeavored, so far as the law gives him control, to reduce the expenditures of government to an economical basis; but his power is extremely limited, and his endeavors in this respect have, of course, been governed by the appropriations made by the Legislature. The Executive deemed it his duty, on the 8th of February, 1860, to send a special message to the Legislature, showing the condition of the Treasury, and urging the adoption of such measures as would prevent its embarrassment. There remained in the Treasury, on the 1st day of February, but $219,000, against which stood the amount due on account of appropriations made by the present and previous Legislatures, estimated at $508,582.74. To show the rapid depletion which followed, it may be stated that the State Treasury on the 15th of February reported but $232,903.21 in the Treasury, which included the University Fund, amounting to $109,472.26. There was, therefore, to sustain the civil list but $123,480.95. The balances still due on appropria- tions were to be paid, and the Government to be sustained until the whole revenue came in, which was estimated by the Comp- troller to be $343,447.95. In presenting the condition of the Treasury to your honorable body the Executive urged the neces- sity of increased taxation. The Legislature, however, did not second his views, and an act was passed in lieu thereof, providing for the payment of interest on Treasury warrants. Much difficulty was experienced in putting this act into opera- tion, and the Comptroller did not consent until the 1st of June to issue the warrants. Since that period they have been issued for all claims for rangers' pay; and since, the University Fund has
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