WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
391
Gentlemen:- Your memorial to the President has been re- ceived, after it had been delayed for some time on the way. I regret that the means placed at the disposition of the government wilJ. not enable the proper department to extend the mails to the exposed frontier of the south. Nor is it less to be regretted that not one dollar was appropriated by the last Congress, and placed under the control of the Executive for the protection of the frontiers. Five hundred dollars only was given for the support of Col. Jack C. Hays' 1 ~ command-and that in the currency of the government. As was to be expected, and as must have been known, this amount has been expended without enabling Col. Hays to keep up such a force as would repel even a band of robbers, much less those who might invade San Antonio under the sanction of the Mexican authorities. Hays has, by his in- domitable energy and generous preseverance, skill and daring, achieved more than could have been expected of any man under like circumstances. He left here two days since for his com- mand, every means having been placed at his disposal which the War Department could possibly raise for the purpose of affording some protection, where the Congress had afforded none. This will be sufficient for his present wants. Had the fifty thousand dollars appropriated by Congress for the support of the six companies, or even half of it, been placed under the control of the President for the support of Col. Hays' command, it could have been rendered both effective and useful on the frontier. The bill for the six companies was passed for the gratification of the Western Delegation; and if it has failed thus far in the object for which it was declared to be designed, it is only what was to be expected and what I predicted. It is utterly useless as a measure of protection. The inutility of the bill was so manifestly apparent to me, that I felt myself bound to oppose my veto to its becoming- a lawY It, nevertheless, became one, and by its provisions, the President was divested of all control over the actions of the Major-General. In my message at the opening of Congress, I requested to be afforaed the means of rendering such protection as the situation of the frontier required. This request was not granted; nor have any adequate means such as the situation of the country required for its protection, ever been given me while I have exercised the duties of the Executive of this nation. At the commencement of this administration, $20,000 Exchequer bills only was allowed for the protection of the whole frontier.-The Indians were commit- ting hostilities from the Red River to San Antonio, and even in the
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