WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
61
might join in the singing. While the speeches were being made, great placards bearing Houston's picture in military uniform, and inscribed with various mottos were carried through the crowd many times. Some of the mottos were: "For President, General Sam Houston. An honest man no platform needs; He follows right, and goes where justice leads." Another, "The People's Candidate for President, General Sam Houston. A great Man." The New York papers commenting on this rally, expressed the opinion that Houston, of Texas, "might actually be the solution of the ugly prob- lem before the nation." 2 This letter to "Some Political Friends at Galveston," March 25, 1860, is in this volume.
To CLEMENT R. JOHNS 1 Executive Department, Austin, May 18th, 1860.
Hon. C. R. Johns, Comptroller, Sir: Your business letter has just reached me. By the law approved, February 3rd, 1860, appropriating the sum of $300,000, provided that "only so much of the appropriation shall be drawn from the Treasury, from time to time, as can be dra,~n with out leaving a deficit in the amount required of the current revenue from time to time, to pay the ordinary expenses of the govern- ment." The Executive requests to know from the Comptroller whether there is money sufficient in the Treasury to pay off Rangers without conflicting with the provision, and whether he is willing to issue certificates of debt bearing ten per cent interest until paid? I will call the attention of the Comptroller to the fact that the entire amount of the appropriation for frontier defence, has already been contracted for, and of course, he will not include this amount in the estimate of funds on hand to meet the ap- propriation of February 3rd. Sam Houston. 1 Executive Records, 1859-1861, ·p. 160, Texas State Library. Johns's 1·eply is in Comptrollers' Letters, Texas State Library.
To J. R. Woon 1 Executive Department, Austin, May 18, 1860.
Lieutenant J. R. Wood, Commanding San Saba Minute Men, Sir: I am informed that several of your company are mere boys.
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