Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/651

 In March last the Executive tendered to the Secretary of War of the United States 5,000 Texan volunteers to aid in the defense of the frontier. The offer was declined. Efforts have been made to induce Congress to pass a bill authorizing the calling of such a force into the field; but they have been, thus far, unsuccessful.

The Federal Government has, however, from time to time sent reinforcements of the regular army to Texas, until the entire force on our border comprises about one-fifth of our entire army.

These prevent the invasion of our soil by any numerous body of Indians, and occasionally intercept small stealing parties; but to entirely check the latter a more active force is necessary, which should be constantly employed in scouring the country.

The militia act, passed by the last Legislature, was found by the Executive to contain conflicting provisions, which prevented its being put in operation; the necessity of rendering it entirely practicable is respectfully presented to the Legislature.

According to the estimates made, which were laid before the Legislature, the ordinary expenses of government exceeded per annum the amount received from revenue.

The extraordinary expenses arising from the construction of the Insane Asylum and other causes, as well as the balance due from former years, have greatly increased this deficiency, and, as a consequence, the Treasury is now without means to defray the expenses of government for the present year.

The Executive has endeavored, so far as the law gives him control, to reduce the expenditures of government to an economical basis; but his power is extremely limited, and his endeavors in this respect have, of course, been governed by the appropriations made by the Legislature.

The Executive deemed it his duty, on the 8th of February, 1860, to send a special message to the Legislature, showing the condition of the Treasury, and urging the adoption of such measures as would prevent its embarrassment. There remained in the Treasury, on the 1st day of February, but $219,000, against which stood the amount due on account of appropriations made by the present and previous Legislatures, estimated at $508,582.74.

To show the rapid depletion which followed, it may be stated that the State Treasury on the 15th of February reported but $232,903.21 in the Treasury, which included the University Fund, amounting to $109,472.26. There was, therefore, to sustain the civil list but $123,480.95. The balances still due on appropriations were to be paid, and the Government to be sustained until the whole revenue came in, which was estimated by the Comptroller to be $343,447.95. In presenting the condition of the Treasury to your honorable body the Executive urged the necessity of increased taxation.

The Legislature, however, did not second his views, and an act was passed in lieu thereof, providing for the payment of interest on Treasury warrants.

Much difficulty was experienced in putting this act into operation, and the Comptroller did not consent until the 1st of June to issue the warrants. Since that period they have been issued for all claims for rangers' pay; and since, the University Fund has been exhausted for other claims connected with the frontier service where parties would take them.

No one could have more regretted the delay of putting this law into