WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1858
77
his instructions, the more important duties of the expedition, and that in obeying his instructions, he was necessarily compelled to intrust to others, not only the command of the vessel, but the discharge of the purser's duties, also." ~ow, Mr. President, if the Department sent him out unpre- pared, the Secretary of War was to blame for that. If, however, he had all the necessary appliances and conveniences that are usual on such occasions, he has failed in the discharge of his duty. It is to be presumed that an officer who is placed in com- mand of a vessel at sea, is not only familiar with his own duty, but with all the duties subordinate to his own, so that he may be enabled to execute the purposes of the Government understand- ingly. If he is not acquainted with all the duties subordinate to his own, he is incapable of the duties of commanding officer; and for that reason, I insist that either the officer himself is to blame in his statement, or that the Department failed in dis- charging its duty. He says that he had no clerk. Now, sir, I have informed myself on that subject; and I have a statement from the Department that he did have a clerk for whom $500 was paid-and it was upon his voucher that this clerk was paid. Therefore, his assertion that he had no clerk, and the letter of the Department, showing that a clerk has been paid, seem to be in conflict. · It is not unusual, but customary, under the circumstances under which he sailed in the service upon which he was detailed, that the commanding officer of the vessel shall act as the purser; because the duties are not sufficient to require a purser to be sent from vessels of superior character and size. He says further- more: "The losses incurred and for which he is held responsible, arise from payment made to sailors who deserted from the vessel in debt to the Government." Sir, he had no right to let the sailors contract a debt of a cent. He was bound to see to it that they did not go over their pay, and that they received pay only for services rendered, and after the service had been rendered. Instead of that we find that they were paid in advance by the purser's steward. He had his clerk to supervise the action of the purser's steward, and he must • have been in communication with his clerk; so that this remissness in attending to the duties of purser either grew out of his own neglect, of the villainy of men on whom he relied; and he must have selected the individuals for the discharge of these sub- ordinate duties and therefore he is responsible for their acts under him.
=
Powered by FlippingBook