Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-04-15

guaranIee for the enjoyment of those
ineStimabIe and unaIienabIe rights, b
comes an inStrum ent 10 the hands o.
evil rulers for their oppression. When
The federal Republican Constitution ol
their country, which they have sworn
70 support, no longer has a substauti al
existence, and the whole nature ol
their government has been fOrcibly
changed, without their consent, from
a restricted federative republic, com.
posed Of sovereign staleS, to a consoIi
dated central military dsspo,ism, 10
which every interest is disregsrdsd
but that Of the army & the priesthood
both the eternal enemy Of civil LID
er'Y, the ever ready miniOns Of pow.
er, and the usual instruments Of ~
rants When long after the spirit OF
the Constitution has departed, modsra
'ion 10 at length so far-IOst, by those ia
power, that even the SembIance of free
dom 10 removed, and the forms them
selves Of the constitution discontinued
and 80 far from their petitions and re
mONS'rHOceS being regarded, tho agents
who bear them are Ihsown into dun.
geOnS. and mercenary armies sent
forth TO force a new governm snl upon
them at the point Of the bayOnet.
When in consequence Of such acts Of
maIleasance aud abdcalion, on the part
OF the government, anarchy, prevails
and civil society is dissolved into il 5
original elements. 10 such a cri,Is,
The FIRST law Of nature, The right Of self
preservation the inherent and inslien
able right Of the people to appeal 10
first principles, and take their political
affairs into their own hands 10 extreme
caSes-enjoinS itss q right towards
themselves and q sacred obligation to
their poSterity, TO ABOLISH SUCH GOV
ERNMENT AND CREATE ANOTHER, 10
ITS stead, calculated 10 res cue them
from impending dangers, e. 10 secure
heir welfare and happiness.
Nations. as wei! as individuals, are
amenable for their acts TO the public
opinion Of mankind. A statement Of
part Of our grievances is, therefore,
submitted 10 an impartial world in JUS
'i6calion Of the hazardous but unavoid
able step now taken of serving our po
lIlical connexiou with the Mexican
people, and assuming 40 Independent
attitude among the nations Of the
earth.
The Mexican government, by its
coloniz zuion laws, invited & induced
the Anglo American population Of
Texas 10 cOlOniZe its wilderness, un.
der the pledged faith Of a written con
stiIu,iOn, that they should continue to
enjoy that constitutional liberty and
republican government, 10 which they
had been habiuated in the land Of their
birth, the United States of A neriCa.
In this expectation they have been cru
ely disappointed, inaSmuch as the
Mexican nation has acqriesced in the
late changes made in The government
by GEN ANTONIO Lopez SANTA AN
MA, who having overturned the consti
tuition Of his country now offers Us the
alternative either to abandon our
homes, acquired by so many priVaiiOnS
or submit % the most intolerable Of all
tyranny, The combined desPOtiSm Of
the sword and the priesthood.
II has sacrificed our welfare to the
stale Of Cohuila; by which our interests
have been continually depressed through
a jealous and partial course OfIegIsIation,
carried on at far distant seat Of govern
ment, by hostile majority, in an Un-
known tongue; and this too, notwith.
standing we have petiIioned in the hum.
blest terms Tor the establishment ofA sep
arate State Government, and have IN &C
cordance with the provisions Of the Ma
lionaI Constitution, presented 10 the gen
sral congress a republican constitution,
which was without just cause, con.
rejected.
1t inca:cerated in dungeon for long
time, one Of our citizens for no other
cause but a Jealous endeavor to procure
The adoption of the constitution, and the
establishment of a State Government.
1t has failed aud refused 10 secure on a
fair basis, the right Of trial by jury, that
pAIIsdium If civil liberty and property Of I
The citizens.
It has failed to establish any public
system of education although possessed
of almost boundIess resources (the pub.
lie do nain,) and although it Is an axiom
in political science, that unless people
are educated & enlightened, 1t is idle to {
expect the continuance OCcivil liberty, or {
he capacilv of self government.
II has suffered the military command
l