CHAPTER I. HOUSTON'S ADMINISTRATION-CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS-LAND LAWS-THE NAVY-GOVERNMENT REMOVED TO HOUSTON. HOUSTON'S FIRST ADMINISTRATION.-After having been formally installed into his new office, and having delivered his inaugural address, the new President presented to the Speaker of the House his sword, the emblem of the military authority with which he had been clothed, and said: "It now becomes my duty to make a presentation of this sword, the emblem of my past office. I have worn it with some humble pretensions in defence of my country; and should the danger of my country again call for my services, I expect to resume it and respond to that call, if needful, with my blood and my life."* The question of disposing of Santa Anna had not been settled when Houston came into office. The distinguished prisoner, after being delivered over to Captain Patton, of the army, had been taken first to Columbia and then to Orizaba, the residence of Dr. Phelps, a few miles up the river. On the 16th of August, the Pasaic, a strange schooner, with an unusually large crew, arrived at Columbia, under the command of a Spaniard, who went up to Orizaba and had an interview with Santa Anna. It was *That speech and emblematic act were characteristic of President Houston, and have been noticed by all the historians. But inasmuch as he had relinquished the command of the army on the 5th of May, when he took his departure for New Orleans, and had just been re-invested with the command of both the army and navy, the propriety of this highly symbolic act is not very apparent. at once suspected that an attempt would be made to rescue the prisoner and convey him to sea on this vessel. For fear an attempt of that kind would be made, Santa Anna was ironed and the guard doubled. This was done without the sanction of President Burnet. When Congress met a resolution was passed requesting that the irons should be removed, and it was immediately done. But Congress refused to pass a bill to set him at liberty. However, soon after that body adjourned, President Houston assumed the responsibility of setting the prisoner free. Santa Anna and Colonel Almonte, of his staff, and Colonels Bee and Patton, of the Texas army, left the Brazos on the 22d of December, and proceeded across the country on horseback to the Mississippi River, where they took a steamer on their way to Washington City. A radical change was effected in the judicial system of the country. Heretofore, no Supreme Court had been organized. During the government ad interim, one court with admiralty jurisdiction had been created and B. C. Franklin appointed judge. The Republic was, at the session of the first Congress, divided into four districts. The Supreme Court was formed by having one chief justice, while the district judges acted as associate justices in the higher court. These judges were elected by joint ballot of both houses of Congress and held their offices for four years. Provision was also made for county and magistrate's courts. The financial question occupied a large share of attention. An ad valorem tax was placed upon property, and to raise a revenue by imposts an act was passed, December 20th, imposing ad valorem duties of various rates, from one to fifty per cent., and a tonnage duty of $1.25 per ton. Other acts authorized the President to borrow various amounts; but, as he received no propositions which he deemed it advisable to accept, these brought no relief to the exhausted treasury. Destitute as the country was of available means, Congress. |