WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
5
To B. W. RoBINSON 1
Austin, Texas, April 9th, 1860. My Dear Sir: Your favor has just been received, and I regret that I have not received the reports in the case of Mr. Rome, or any other reports. I regret also that the Directors thought that they could not examine into the conduct of former employees in the peniten- tiary. There was an examination during the time of Colonel Gillespie, and I did not expect the Directors to go back beyond the term of Colonel Murray. Without examining his conduct and reporting upon it there was nothing to do. When the Resolution was passed by the Legislature, I deemed it useless as it was made the duty as will be seen, of the Directors and so declared in the Chapter "of the duties of Directors" in article 99, a pro- vision bearing on the point. But, if the Directors should think that under my former instructions they have not power to examine into Murray's conduct or of the former Directors, or any employee, send me back the former instructions sent you and I will send you instructions under the Resolution of the Legislature. It is to know what the conduct of the former officers and employees has been that I wish the report. I have received no report of which you speak. Neither as respects the escape of Kuykendall, nor of the convict who escaped from Murray's farm. Nor whether or not it was a general practice to employ con- victs on private accounts, nor have any of the facts in relation to Mr. Rome's case been reported. I expect to be informed on all these matters, as to the facts, I might form my own opinion. I hope that you will write to me directly. I am gratified that things are going on so well at the Peni- tentiary, and I approve of all that you have done, or so far as it has been reported to me ! I can only take a moment to write. Thine Truly Sam Houston. B. W. Robinson, Esq.
1 Executive Records, 1859-1861, p. 125, Texas State Library.
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