Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-05-12

TEXAS-Caust of,i, p..ah,,;,.

Ao>tn, one Of the Tcxan commissioners. at a
meeting OF the citizens of Louisville, may be there
lore acceptable TO our readers.
When the MeNicanS succeeded n III. IL,
winch separated that country from the dominion of
SPAN, Il form of government was a,lonted. simlor
10 that which now exists in thi, country. their con-
St'tution embracing both the icderative an nation
81 leainrcs-" Senate, elected BY the State Lee
s'siai'r'S Tor fonr years, and H. of Represents
'Nes elected by the people for two years !; Pre-
sdeh' ana Wee PrcSidenf, elected for four wears,
and removable only by impeachment and trial.
The powers OF the States were the same in sub-
stance as the States OF the L. States, and in some
instances greater During the recess of Congress
hall the Senate formed the council OF government"
AT that time, Texas was almost IA wilderness. IN
hahIted, with the exception of BtNar and Goliad
(lhe scenes OF the recent bloody tragedies, almost
exclusively by wandering and ierocious tribes of
Indians, who were continually making war ON the
settlements. In order to restrain these sayapes
the McNican government determined to adopt mea-
sures to populate Texas, and the door was thrown
open for emigrants, to whom the most liberal terms
were offered as an induccmcnt TO abandon their
homes and country, aud laws were passed, special
" guaranteeing to all who would accept this invi-
'alon, projection iorpersons AMI property and the
rights of relationship.
Under the confederation, however, Texas did
NOT form separate State, in consequence Of its
numerical weakness, but was united professionally
with the State of Coahuila-whicl relation il was
to continue to sustain " until Texas possessed the
necessary elements to form State for hcrself'-
Gen. Austin says
=" In 1888 the people of Texas, altera full en-
ANIMATION OF their population and resources and of
the law and constitution, decided, in general con-
vcntion elected for that purpose that the period had
arrived contemplated by said law and compact of
9Th May, 1921, and that the country possessed
the necessary elements to form a State separate
from Coahnila. respectful and humble petit
ton was accordingly drawn up BY this convention.
addressed to the general Congress Of Mexico, pray
ing for the admission of Texas in the Mexican
confederation as State.
" In 1881, the President of the Republic Gen
santa Anna, who heretofore was the leader and
champion of the Republican party and system.
became the head and leader of his former antaoo-
nists-thc arstocratic and church party. With
this accession of strength, this party ,runphed
The constitution al Congress Of 1884, which was
decidedly republican and federal, was dissolved in
MAY OF that year by military order of the Pre,i-
dent before its constitutional term had expired
Inc council oil government composed of half the
Senate, which, agrceably to the constitutions onoht
to have been installed the day after closing the
session OF Congress, was also dissolved; and a
new revolutionary and constitutional Congress was
convened by another military order of the Presi-
dent This Congress met on the lst January,
1885. 1t was decidedly arstocratic, ecclesiastical
and central in its politics. 4 number Of petitions
were presented to it from several towns and villa
ees, praying that it would change the federal form
otgovcrnmen and establish central form These
petitions were all ola revolutionary character, and
were called " nrOnHHci0mCRtoS," or pronounce
mens for centraIism. They we're formed by par
1al and revolutionary meetings gotten up by the
military and prieSts. Petitions in favor of the fed
eral system and constitution, and protests against
revolutionary measures, were also sent in by the
people and by some Of the State Legislatures
who still retained lrmncss to express thcir opin-
ions. The latter were diSrcgardcd and their
authors prosecuted and imprisoned. The former
were considered sufficient to invest Congress with
plenary powers. 1t accordingv by Decree de-
posed the constitutional Vice President, Gomez
FaraS, who was leading icdcralist, without any
and elected another of their own party, Gen Bar
ragan, in his place. By another decree it united
the Senate with the House of Representatives in
one chamber, and, thus constituted it declared
itself invested with full powers as national CON
yenon. In accordance with these usIrped pow
ers, II proceeded to annul the federal constitution
and system, and to establish central or console
dated government"
Gen. Austin here quotes decree Of the newly
formed despotSm, dated Sd October, 1895, de-
clarng, that the Governors of the States, then in
Office, should continue to exercise their functions,
notwithstanding the time fixed by the constitution
might have expired & that they should be Deepen
dent for the continuance of their attributes not up
ON the people of the States themselves, as hereto
fore, and by whom they had been appointed, but
" upon the supreme government of the nation ;"
aboIishing the State Legislatures and transferring
the government OF each State to council Of five
This decree also makes ali the officers Of the States
the agents of the supreme governments" "a the
central despotiSm is termed, upon which they
were dependent, and to whom they were respon-
sibe Thus abolishing tn federal system AT
a blow, and establishing consolidated govern
mcnt upon its ruins Several ofthe States (Pue-
bio, Oaxaco, Mexico, Ja>co and Zacaccas,) re-
sisted this vital change in the Fundamental law
but they were soon overwhelmed by Santa Anna,