Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-19
BONES
AN Address

AN ADDRESS
Deieercd Gy S. F. AusTlS Of IIds, 10 cry urge Gu'
dience Of Lndi.s 0'la Gentlemen, the SefoHG frcSby-
terian Church, Louisville, Asntacky, on TIC TN 4
.Harch, 1896.
1t is with the most unfrgnad and heartfelt gratitude
that appear before this enlightened audience, 10 thank
the citizens Of Louisville, do in the name OF the
people Of Texas for the kind aud generous sympathy
they have manifested in favor of the cause Of that srug
Cling country: and to make plain statement OF lacts
explanatory Of the contest in which Texas IS engaged
with the Mexican Government.
The public has been informed, through the medium OF
the newspapers, That exists between tina people OF
Texas and Tie present Government of Mexico. mere
are however, many circumstances connected win tnis
contest, lis origin its principles and objecta, which, per
haps not generally known and are Indispensable
to full and proper calculation of this subject
When people consider themselves compe!ird by cir
custances by oppression TO appeal To arms ana re-
sort their natural rights they necessarily submit their
the great tribunal Of public opinion The pro-
pie Of Texas confident in the justice OF irlr cals"
itarirssly and cireruy appeal 10 This tribunal! In do
inu this the first step is To show trust snail be able
to do by snccInct statement Ut facts that our cause
Just and is the of light and berty-thc same holy
for which ioreatlers fought aud bcd:-the
same that has advocate in the brs" of every free
man, no matter in what county, or by what people II
NAV be Cnntrndrd for.
But few years back Texas was 4 wilderness, the
home OF the unciviIizrd and wandering Camanche aud
other tribes of indians who wagrd constant and ru.
nous warfare against thu Spanish settlements These
settlements that time limited to the sm Ill towing
Of Brxar COMMONLY called San hnlDniu) and Gpllad,
situated on the western limits Tie incurs!"ns OF the
Indians also extended beyond the Rio Bravo Del Sorte
and desuatcd that part Of the country.
In order to restrain these savages aud bring them into
subsection. the Government opened Texas for settle
mert. Foreign emgrants were invited and called to
that country American enterprise accepted the invita-
ton and promptly responded 10 the call ll hrst colo
nj of Americans foreign ever settled III Texas was
by myself. II commenced III lc2l under pcfn's-
c..I,. bias III,
vcrnnent previous to the Independence Of Mexico, and
has succrrdcd by surGouGlng those difficulties and dan
gers incident to all and wilderness countries niest.
ed with hostile Indians These difficulties were many,
and al times appalling, and only be appreciated by
the hardy pioneers oi this western cOuntEy, who nave
passed through similar scenes
Tie question here naturally occurs, what Inducements
what prospects, what hopes could have stimulated u.s.
the pioneers and settlers Of Texas TO remove from the
midst OF civilized society, TO eypatrlac ourselves from
this land0 liberty from this native country cndcar
ed to it was and still Isl and ever will be, by the ties
of nativity the "reminiscences of childhood and YOUTH
and local Attachments Of friendship and relationship?
Can il for moment be supposed, that VIZ severed all
these tes-the ties Of nature and OF education, and went
to Texas to rapc with the wilderness and with savage
focs merely from spirit Of wild and isionary adven
ture, without guarantees oil protectln tor our persons
and property and political rights No, It cannot b. De-
lieved No Amrrican. no Englishnan, no one Of any
nation who has knowledge OF the prop!c o.! The United
States or Of the prominent characteristics OF the Anglo
Saxon race to Which we belong-a thai in all
and in all countries wherever it has appeared, has been
marked for Jealous and tenacious watchunes ct It's IL
brrlcs and for cautious and calculating view OF the
probable events Of the iuture-no one who has know
ledge OF this race, will believe, that we removed
to Texas without snc guarantees as free born and en-
,erprizing naturally expect and require.
The fact is had such guaran,irs Tor, III the llrst
place the Government bound itself TO protect by the
act Of admitting US as citizens on the general ana
long established principle, even IN the dark ages, that
IN this enlightened aye has been extended much further
for its received Interpretation is that the object Of
government is the well being, security, aud happiness
of The governed and that allegiance ceases WHENEVER
is clear, Prdn and palpabe, mat TINS OBJECT Is III no
respect etfrc,rd
But besides this general guarantee we had others of
special definite, and positive carac!rr-thr c"n2aIIon
laws Of lS23 "a and -, inviting engrants generally
10 that country SPECIALLY guaranteed protection Tor person
and properly, and the right Ut citizenship
When tI. Federal System and Constitution were
adnprd in ISL, and the former provinces became
States Texas, BY her Representative III the Consttu.
tionaI Congress- exercised the right which was clA!ned
and exercised ~ Nil III" provinces, OF refining within
her own c;ptro the rights and pnwers which apperlaned
10 her as one Of he ucS or distinct societies. which
were coderated together to form The fedeF Republic
Of Mexico But not possessing at That Time suhcient
nonuation TO become State by herself she was, it'll her
own consent united Professionally with Coahui!a,a neigh
boring province society," to form the State OF Coalula
and Texas until lr1"s possessed nc necessary cem's
to prore separate State gf herself quote lie WORDS
nj the constitutional or organic act passed by the Con-
si,ueut Congress Of Mexico, the 9Th Of May lc24
which establishes the State OF CoahulIa and Texas
This law and the principles which the Mexican de
raj compact formed, gave 10 Texas SPECIFIC poll
tical sencc and vested in her inhabitants the special
and well defined rights of self government Stale of
the Mexican confederation she possessed NE
nercssary cIcmrnts Texas consented 10 the provisional
union with Coahula The faith OF this guaranty. u
was therefore solemn compact, which neither the Stale
60 la md Toy
Mexico can change without the consent o the people OF
Texas =.
In 1898 the people of Texas after full examination
Of their population and resources and OF 'e law ahu
I,ons,i,,tion decided in General Convention elected
,r that purpose that the period had arrived contemplate
ed by said law and compact OF 9Th May 1871 and al Inc
country possessed tie necessary elements To form Slale
separate from C"ahal!a respectful and humble prt-
ton was accordingly drawn up by this Convention, ad'
dressed To the General Congress of Alexco praying tor
the admission Of Texas into the Mexican CONFEDERATION
as a State. had the honor Of being appointed ny Inc
Convention the commissioner or agent OF lrXaS 10 lake
this petition to The city Of Mexico, and present 10 the
government / discharged This duly 10 The best OF my
feeble Abilities and, believed, in respectful mar
ner Many months passed and nothing was done win
the petition except To refer ii to committee OF C"t-
gress where it slept and was likely TO sleep hnaly
urged the lust and constitutional clas ut Texas ID be.
come State in the most pressing manner, as believed
il he my duty to do; representing also the necessity
and gond policy of his measure, owing to the al'hos.
total want Of local good Of any kind, the absolute want
of judiciary, the evident impossblIly OF being 60
verned any longer by Coahuila (nr shrcefonhs OF the
Legislature we're from there and the consequent anar-
civ and discomfort that existed in Texas. 1t was my
misfortune to offend The high authorities Of the naon-
my flank and honest exposition Of the truth was con-
slrued into threats. 1890
AT this time (Scp.ember and October, 1882 rc7n-
luton was raging in many parts of the nation and espe.
ciay in the Vicinity OF the city of Mexico despaired
OF obtaining any thing, and wrote to Texas recommend
ing the people there to Organize as State dc Jaet"
without waiting any longer. This letter may have been
mpruder as respects the injury it might do me personal
", bu, bow fa criminal or treasonable considering
the revolutionary stale Of the whole naon and the Pc
cuar claims and necessities OF Texas, impartial men