Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-04-27

portanco of il had been cot forth the advertise
Inents. These advertisements were printed about
the time that Governor Houston was iii this city.
lie was understood to be man of broken fortunes
and blasted reputation. IL was nevertheless be-
lcycd that the President entertained friendly feel
inrs towards him, but that III consequence of his
bad reputation, the President could not openly
reward him. or nominate him to any office of honor
| or c,nolumcmt. L understood that Governor Hous.
ton was an applicant for this contract, and that
one of the objects Of his visit to this city
| obtain this contract L saw by the terms OF the
! proposals that no individual, not favored by the
! Head of the Department, or the President, could
make any considerable sum OF money by it, by the
of the advertisement for proposals the right
was reserved to the Secretary of War to enlarge
or alter the quantity of rations TO DO issued, and
/ the right also OF continuing the contract to any
period of time that he might think proper, and to
terminate it AT pleasure when any OF the conditions
of it should be broken. l had heard of the propo-
sails which Mr.. Prcntss had made. l heard from
Mr.. Prcntiss himself of his application, and the
difficulties that he met with. From tho facts and
circumstances which have related, was led TO
believe, at the time, that there ar
lrangemcnt between the Secretary of War and Go
vernon Houston, ut the time these advertisements
were prepared, which designed to give to Go
Houston the contract for the supply of these
rations at a greater prico than Others would have
supplied them for. A knowledge of this transact
ion induced Inc to oppose the Indian Bill. L had
other objections to that measure, but, the belief
that the passage of the bill would give occasion to
numerous frauds of similar character, was one OF
the strong objections had against it. l mention
ed these objections which had, before the passsgc
of the bill, to several of my friends The evidence
| have no,o, that Governor Houston was concerned
In the proposed contract, is the deposition of Lu
Their Blake, taken before magistrate in this cit y,
which ask mag be read by the Clerk.
mir. Stanbcry then handed in paper at the
| Clerks tablo
Ihc accused, by his Counsel, objected to the pa
per produced by the witness, and called deposi-
| tion as not being evidence until shown how taken
| The reading Of the said paper deposition, was
called for by Mr.. Horace Everett and tho reading
being objected to by member,
| The question put-Shall the paper be read
| And passed in the affirmative.
| The said paper then read, and is as follows
81, Luther Blake, of Arkansas Territory, being
duly sworn, do depose and say, that on the 2lst
day of March, 1880, as | coming out of the
War Office, in Washington, Governor Samue
Houston accostcd me, and alluded to certain bid:
that had been made to supply the Government will
rations to the Emigrating Indians of which bids
had then PIT in the lowest. Governor Houston
having apparently made himself acquainted will
the amount of the different bids, informed me that
he had not put i'll bid i'll his name, but hat
entered several III the names of other persons, Of
which he had the control. My bid was at eight
cents per ration, and he, the said Houston, propo
scd to me, that should withdraw my bid, and buy
up those of William Prentiss and David Butler
jun, and that should then Join with him and his
E"'!or''' vi" io' iiaHe)Who was cohcclnc'
with HIM IN contract which might be secured al
much higher rate than the bids of either mine
Prcntiss, or Butler, and that thereby we might Sc
cure an independent fortune and until the Oath o
March, 1880, each day successfully cnquired o.
me, to know if | had succeeded in purchasing the
bids of Prentiss and Butler
LUTHER BLAKE.
'Subscribed and sworn to before
| sd. A. Hall, Justice of Peace"
And the question stated, shall the said paper
or deposition he received?
And pending this question, it was,
On motion of Mr.. Lewis Condct,
Ordered That the further hearing of the case
be postponed until IL o'clock, A. NJ. tomorrow
when Samuel Houston remanded into the Gus.
tody of the Sergcant-at-Arms and was conducted
from the Bar.
And the House adjourned until tomorrow, II
o'clock, A. M.
| (*Thcse words with brackets are not upon tn,
Journal, but arc inserted by the copyist.l