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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1858
it very well at that price. It seems to me that if there is danger of corruption in deputies receiving from private citizens whose claims they are allowed to survey, additional fees to what they are allowed by law, fifteen dollars per mile, that there will be a stronger inducement by this Government giving $50,000, and placing it at the disposition of the surveyor general. If you place it within his discretion, he can obtain vouchers, for I have no doubt there are thousands of applicants now that are disappointed and cannot obtain employment from him. It is strange that there has been no remonstrance here to Congress asking for an increase of wages if it is so necessary as is supposed; but it seems that the plea is that the surveyors will be induced to act corruptly, and receive bribes from those who have land, the lines of which are to be run out. Now, Mr. President, I am perfectly satisfied that fifteen dollars per mile will be amply sufficient not only to accomplish the work, but to give a liberal recompense to the surveyor. It is a very easy matter to calculate it. I should at least suppose that they would survey twenty miles a day; and if you multiply fifteen by twenty, you will find that it is a very handsome per diem; and if you allow for contingencies, there would still be a -residuum left that must make it greatly profitable. It seems to me that every inducement of this kind that you hold out to officers of this Government, making them irresponsible, and leaving it dis- cretionary with them to pay money, is a temptation to deviate from the path of honesty, if they have previously pursued it, and to obtain false certificates and vouchers to settle with the accounting officers for the amount. I do not know who the surveyor general in California is, and I am casting no reflections . of a personal character; but would it not be an easy matter to obtain forged certificates of different individuals to the amount of $10,000, and come on here and receive a bonus of $50,000, and put it in his pocket? So you will find that it is a temptation to corruption; and so far from resisting the evil that you desire to guard against, you are encouraging corruption of the rankest character, and rendering officers at a great distance from the seat of Govern- ment irresponsible where neither vigilance nor check can be put upon them. I cannot vote for this amendment, because, in the first place, it is unreasonable, and in the next place, it is holding out inducements to corruption, rather than restraining those who are supposed to take private perquisites for their labor. It is the
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