Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/315

 may have delegated to him the power. The Constitution provides that certain means should be placed within his control, to enable him to exercise all his legitimate powers. Amongst these are the services of certain officers, such as are necessary for the collection, safe keeping, and disbursement of the treasure of the country. These, also, are to be responsible and accountable to the Executive for the trusts delegated to them. If their trusts are violated, they are amenable to the laws and accountable to the Executive. He is responsible to the nation, and if the means necessary are placed in his power, and he does not employ them to the advancement of the public good, or should use them for purposes not contemplated by law, he is answerable for their perversion. I would respectfully suggest to the honorable Congress that I desire to exercise no privileges or power but that which is delegated to me by the Constitution, or accorded to me by the Congress under the sanction of that instrument. I do, at the same time, solicit from your honorable bodies, as the representatives of the nation, stich provision and assistance as has heretofore been deemed indispensable to the administration of the Government. The same facilities will be required by the present Executive that were accorded to his predecessor during the first two years of his administration. Indeed, there is reason—pressing reason — why those facilities should not be diminished. The accumulation of business in the offices, and the derangement which has been consequent upon the consolidation of several departments during the last Congress, and the unsettled state of some bureaus for years past, overwhelm the officers now in service with a task which they are totally unable to perform.

The objects of retrenchment should be to dispense with all the unnecessary officers, and retain those only which are necessary to the speedy and accurate transaction of business. Persons who have public business to transact in the offices will, otherwise, be detained at the seat of government at great individual expense and detriment for weeks and months. That there should be a responsible head to each department of the Government, agreeably to its first organization, to my mind is clear and decided; and that they should receive a just and liberal compensation is beyond all question. Men of capacity and character can not afford to bestow their time, and incur the responsibilities of office, without an adequate reward. With such men employed, the Government has a right to expect beneficial results. If adequate salaries are not given to them to command their services, the consequence will be that necessity will compel the selection of such to fill those high places as will bring into the Government neither capacity, character, nor responsibility. If those aids, which I regard as indispensable, are furnished the Executive in the administration of the Government, he, at all times, will be prepared and willing to meet his responsibilities to the nation. If they are within his control, he will be answerable for their employment. He will be able to hold the subordinates of his administration accountable, and to establish the strictest accountability in the offices of the various departments. Without these aids, so necessary to the existence of the Government, many important duties must be neglected.

The people hope much, and expect much, in our present calamitous condition. Should the Executive not receive the necessary support from Congress, their hopes as well as expectations must be disappointed. The co-operation of Congress, with the aid of the judiciary, will be necessary to their accomplishment. With this assistance afforded, I will always be proud and happy to respond