156
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1858
justice ought to be done; that the Government ought to be administered on the most economical terms. Is this the way to do it? Not at all. What will it save? Will the increase of clerks save money? Will it increase the morality of the Government? Will it strengthen our institutions, or build them up by the multi~ plication of officers? , I think not. It makes places for friends. Members have got friends. A great many of them do not care how many friends they can get into office; but they do not wish to treat their friends at a distance with any degree of favor, or to conciliate them by conferring actual benefits on them through any official medium; and hence it is that you block up the rays of light that ought to be disseminated to the people at a distance. You may talk of benefiting contractors. I wonder how that would be. Do you think you will get your mails carried for a less sum than now? Not a farthing; their cost will never be reduced. They are like the salaries of officers which you are every day eking out. Who ever heard of a salary being reduced? Who ever heard of the number of officers being reduced? You may increase them; but you cannot diminish them. I am in favor of continuing the system that has done well, without any modification of it, unless it be to simplify it, or to save money. If you say that, when officers are writing on official business, they cannot frank a letter in the discharge of their duties, and it is not beneficial to them but to others, what do you gain? If the· Government does not get three cents on such a letter, is it swindled out of anything? I really have never heard the first reason given for this modification of the postage laws, and I should like to hear some. [A more or less idle conversation betweeii Houston on one side and various Senators on the other is omitted.] Mr. Houston. I sincerely thank the gentleman [Jefferson Davis] for his suggestion; but these stamps have to be paid for,: and they will report, after a while that the Government is swindled out of more than they would gain out of this system. I really cannot understand any advantage that can possibly result to the Government. As for the public documents, is it not im- portant that the people should at least receive a portion .of the public documents: the President's message, and the reports of _the heads of Departments? Mr. Davis. They are printed in the newspapers. Mr. Houston. But every man is not able to pay for a news- paper. It would be imposing a ·very heavy tax upon him if you
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