The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-12-14

| tIOdOiU''Sh3 W. VIZ nv
those measures of redress which under such
circumstances, are the justified resort OF IN
liured nations.
The annexation of Texas TO the United
States constituted no just cause of offence
to Mexico. The pretext that it did so is
wholly Inconsistent, and iueconcilable with
the we'll authenticated facts connected with
the revolution by which Texas became indie
pendent of Mexico That this may be the
more manifest, il may be proper TO advert 10
the canse and to the history of the principal
events of that revolution.
Texas constituted portion of the ancient
province of Louisiana; coded TO the United
States by France in the year 1888. In the
year 1919, the United States by the Florida
treaty, ceded to Spain all that part OF Louis
siana within the present limits of Texas; and
Mexico, by The revolution which separated
her from Spain, and rendered her an Inde-
pendent nation, succeeded to the rights OF
1.-The mother country over this territory In
the wear 1924, Mexico established federal
constitution under which the Mexican re-
public was composed of number OF sover-
eign STATES confedera!ed together in feder-
al Union similar 10 our own. Each of these
States had its own Executive: Legislature
and judiciary, and for all, except federal
purposes, was as independent OF The general
government, and that of the other States, as
is Pennsylvania or Virginia under our
Iconstitution. Texas and Coahuila united
and formed one of these Mexican States.
The State constitution which they adopted
and which was approved by the Mexican
confederacy, asserted that they were Stree
and independent of the other Mexican Uni
ted States, and that of every other power
and dominion whatsoever" and proclaimed
the great principle of human liberty that ''the
sovereignty of the State resides originally
and essentially in the general mass of ndi-
viduas who compose it," To the govern
ment under this constitution, as we'll as TO
that under the federal constitution, the peo-
pie of Texas owed allegiance.
Emigrants from Foreign counties, inclu-
f ding the United States, were invited by the
colonization laws Of the State and of the
, Federal government to settle in Texas. Ad-
vantageous terms were offered to induce them
to leave their own country and become Mex
: lean ciizens. This invitation was accepted
Fl by many of our ctieZens, in the full faith
' that in their new home they would be gov
erned by laws enacted by representatives
elected by themselves, and fiat their lives
e liberty and property would be protected by
constitutional guarantees similar to those
j which existed in the republic they had left
e Under government thus organized, they
r continued until the 1885, when military
, revolution broke out in the city of Mexico
, which entirely subverted the federal anC
n State constitutions, and placed military
i dictator at the head of the government.
a BY sweeping decree OF Congress sub
!. servient TO the will of the dictator, the sew
I'll era State constitutions were abolished, anC
!, the States themselves converted into mere
). departments of the Central government. The
people of Texas were unwilling to submit &c
# this usurpation Resistance to such tyrany
became high duty. Texas fully absolveC
, from allegiance to the Central Government
$ of Mexico from the moment that government
) had abolished her Stale Constitution, and il
its place substituted an arbitrary and despot
h ic Central government.
i Such were the principal causes of thu
:. Texas revolution. The people of Texas a
n once determined upon resistance and flew I,
a arms. In The midst of these important ant
q exciting events however, they did not omi
y 10 place their liberties upon secure ant
, permanent foundation. They elected mem
4 bers to convention, who, in the month o
+ March, 1886, issued formal declaration tina
% their "poilical connection with the Mexican
), nation was forever ended, and that the pee
pie of Texas do now constitute free, SOW
e ereign and independent republic" and ar
, fully invested with all the rights and attribute
v which properly belong TO independent nj
! n TONS" They also adopted for their govern
4 ment a liberal republican constitution
About the same time Santa Anna, then th
- Dictator Of Mexico, invaded Texas with
q numerous army for the purpose of subduini
IS her people, and enforcing obedience TO hi
:. arbitrary and despotic government. On tn
r. 2lst of April, 1886, he was met by the Tex
r. an citize n soldiers and on that day was achieV
?. ed by them the memorable victory of Sa
II Jacinto, by which they conquered their in
70 dependence. Considering the numbers er
q gagged on the respective sides, history do e
h not record more brilliant achievement. Sar
- ia Anna himself was among the captves.
~ In the month of May, 1885 Santa Ann
- acknowledged by treaty with the Texa
;, authorities in the most solemn form, "lhe lu
entire, and perfect independence of the Re
y, public of Texas" 1t is true he was then
70 prisoner of war, but it is equally true h
. failed to conquer Texas, and had met wit
q signal defeat; that his authority had not bee
~ revoked and that by virtue of bis treaty b
% obtained his personal release. BY it hosti
= tiles were suspended, and the army whic
~ had invaded Texas under his command re
,e turned in pursuance of this arrangement III