WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
71
amounts as may be paid. If there be no money in the Treasury to pay them, they may be returned to you, when you will issue a warrant bearing ten per cent interest, which will be numbered and endorsed by the Treasurer and countersigned by me! Should you decline issuing these warrants bearing interest, I will countersign the same and guarantee the interest thereon. Should it be your opinion that the appropriation cannot be drawn without causing a deficit in the current expenses of the Govern- ment, for the next two years, you will then issue scrip for these claims to the amount of $200,000, when I will pursue the course indicated in my letter of yesterday. This will relieve you of any responsibility. I am willing to assume it myself, so that the claims of these soldiers may be paid at once as contemplated by law. The Executive would respectfully ask at the hands of the Comp- troller a statement of the revenue and expenditures of the next two years, that he may know upon what the Comptroller bases his conclusion that the contingent appropriation of $300,000 may be paid without causing a deficit. If you deem it unnecessary to issue warrants, you will simply issue your warrant for the amount of each claim. Sam Houston. 1 Co1nptrollers' Lette1·s; Executive Records, 1859-1861, p. 170, Texas State Library. To CLEMENT R. JoHNs 1 Executive Department, Austin, May 31, 1860. Hon. C. R. Johns, Comptroller Sir: Contracts for furnishing the troops upon the Indian frontier (for which the University Fund was authorized to be used) having already been made upon the faith of that fund, which will absorb every dollar of the amount now on hand, you will not pay out any of it without express orders from the Execu- tive. Sam Houston. 1 Exec.utive Records, 1859-1861, p. 171, Texas State Libra1·y. To CLEMENT R. J OHNS 1 Executive Department, Austin, May 31, 1860. Hon. Clement R. Johns, Comptroller Sir: The form of endorsement on the warrent sent me is objectionable, because the interest is deferred. I send you a form
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