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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
Department as little as possible with contracts. They are over- whelmed with duties; they have not had an opportunity to investi- gate the subject so thoroughly as has the committee. I had much rather that the selection was made by them. There is no political influence operating on them. There is no personal importunity. There is no political influence brought to bear to press the claims · of individuals, and warp the judgment of the head of the Depart- ment! I have no idea of troubling the Secretary with it, if that can be avoided. I defer very much to the opinion of committees when they have matured a subject and have thoroughly investi- gated it; and I am prepared to vote upon the judgment and find- ings of the committee in preference to leaving the matter open to competition and the judgment of one single man controlled by the influences by which he may be surrounded. icongressional Globe, 1857-1858, Part 3, p. 2454. These remarks were made on the Civil Appropriation Bill-H.R. No. 200, making appropriation for sundry civil expenses of the government for the year ending June 30, 1859. The question pending was an amendment providing for the purchase of the Holmes's life boats for each of the twenty-eight life-saving stations on the coast of New Jersey, at a cost of $6,440. The amendment passed. CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS AND CUTTINGS May 28, 1858. Mr. Houston. I shall not vote with the gentlemen who announce their intention to strike out this appropriation. I think it one of the most useful in the bill. I am not one of those who decline the little offices of <;luty to my constituency; I am anxious to distribute seeds, and to disseminate the best possible that I can obtain. Throughout the State which I represent-and it is not very cir- cumscribed in its limits-persons are writing to me to obtain seeds, of various kinds, from the Patent Office of the United States; announcing to me, in many instances, the excellent prod- ucts they have had from those they have received on former occa- sions, and requiring others of a different character. They have husbanded those they have obtained, and distributed them among their neighbors; and their production has been very fine. In addition to that, persons living remote from the center, where we now are, have not an opportunity of obtaining them through any other medium than the Government. The distribution of seeds, and transporting them, does not incur any additional expense to the Government. The expense is only here. If they
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