WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1844
530
has been made by these individuals upon a representative of a foreign government for copies of correspondence in relation to a particular subject, and not coming within the sphere of his duty to communicate. This act, therefore, furnishes to the Executive a strong reason to doubt the propriety of communicating corre- spondence of the government upon the subjects of importance, when he knows such extraordinary means are being resorted to to gain possession of it. It is certain that no knowledge or facts could be furnished to the committee of which they are not already possessed. Sam Houston. 1 Executive Reco1·d Book, No. 40, pp. 314-315, Texas State Library. Jones: Lamar Pa7>ers, IV, Pt. 1, pp. 35-37; also The Qucirterly, Texas State Histori- cal Association, XIII, 320-324, show that William E. Jones was a member of the Bexar District Court, September, 1842, and that he was captured and carried a prisoner to Mexico. In 1844 he was the representative of the Galveston District to the Eighth Congress and served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. Sec the Journals of the House of Revre- sentatives of the Re71ublic of Texas, 8th Congress, 1st Sess., vassim. To THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1 Executive Department, Washington, January 26, 1844. To the Honorable, the House of Representatives: The Executive is fully impressed with the importance of a prompt and faithful publication of the laws of Congress at the earliest practicable period; and to this end, as far as may rest upon him, he will see that every facility is given. The joint resolution/ however, for the relief of Messrs. Cruger & Moore, 3 presented to him on yesterday for approval, requires of the Department of State the performance of an impossibility, and on that account is returned to the House without signature. It is utterly impossible for that officer to furnish the public printers "with copies of all laws and joint resolutions enacteri by the eighth Congress, immecliatel11 after the passa.ge," of the res- olution in question. The Congress has not yet adjourned, and it is reasonable to suppose that before its adjournment, other laws will be passed; and until they are passed, copies thereof cannot be furnished. Suppose the joint resolution should pass in its present shape and the public printers not comply with their proposals, the: next thing we should hear, would be that the fault was with the gov- ernment: that they had nOi.. oeen furnished with copies of the
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