WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1824-1857
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other matters touching the administration of the Government, have been discharged with fidelity. If the representatives of the people have failed to sustain him, he feels acquitted of his trust. Whatever of evil that may befall the Nation from the loss or destruction of its archives, must fa,U upon the people, but not by the agency of their President. The rights of a large community in such an event would be sacrificed to the clamor or the supposed interest of a few, without the hope of any possible advantage to those who have resisted constitutional authority of the nation, but manifest an incurable injury to the public welfare. The Executive having thus far discharged his duty, will use no further exertions on the subject, but will leave the matter to the people and their Representatives. He has striven against what he has foreseen as a great and impending evil-he has not been sustained by a co-ordinate department. He is discharged from all further agency and his hands are clear of all the conse- quences and calamities which may result to Texas as a nation. He believes that they will be heavy and manifold! Having so far expressed his candid belief in reference to a matter of so much moment, and enforced by every means in his power, and with an earnestness and honesty which he deems his relations to the country required, reasons for providing for the safety of the archives, he now feels constrained to declare and protest to your honorable body, that he can no longer entertain a hope of their safety; nor can he feel it longer his duty to use any exertion for their preservation. He hopes that he may not yet have to exclaim in the pathetic language of the sacred volume: "The harvest is past-the summer is ended," and add Texas is not saved. Sam Houston.
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1 The Morning Star (Houston), January 24, 1843.
To WASHINGTON D. M1LLER 1 Executive Department, Washington, March 16th, 1843. To W. D. Miller, Esq. Sir, In consequence of the necessary absence of the Auditor, you will act in his place so far as to examine and audit the ac- count of John York 2 of this date, for One hundred and seventy-
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