The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-03

Message OF Governor Bell.
Executive DErARTmxST,
AUSTIN, August Is, 1850.

L
able Tor assembling the representatives Of the PEG.
pie; and It's great heat unpI opitious for and
| satisfactory elaboration. The draft which have
| ielt myself compelled 10 make upon your time and
| personal convenience, and the increased expendi.
lures 10 the State necessarily involved by the extra
ordinary session now convened we're subjects ma
| ture!y considered. aud gave me for time painful
| solicltude.
But as the intrinsic weight Of the great question
which shall have the honor present for your con
| sideratlon continued from time TO Time to augment
| and to present itself in holder relief according as
| bestowed reflection upon it, the objections to the
call which At trst seemed " possess validity and
force were soon Lost in the superior consideration
that serious wound was about to be inflicted upon
the honor OF our State, and great detrment about
| to accrue to her most important interests.
| As the head Of the Executive department of the
| State government, possessing most clearly
| medal agency strong and ethcacious enough for
the emergency, could only acquiesce in The
cessity Which obliged me 10 play the subordinate
but interesting part OF sentinel, charged with the
duty OF guarding with sleepless vigilance against
all uniriendly approaches, and to sound the alarm
whenever the sanctity OF our rights should be
| sailed, no matter from what quarter and in what
| form.
Upon receiving the report of the commissioner
appointed under the authority Of The act Of the last
Legislature, to provide for the civil of
| the counties OF Presidio, FL Paso Worb, and San
| Ia Fe, and other information which subsequently,
came TO my knowledge connected with the subject
of that report, it occurred to that if the coca
sion" contemplated by the Constitution for the ex-
the Legislature in extraordinary session could ever
exist, was presented by the various facts and cir
cunstanccs, IN reference to portion of the terri
tory of our State, requiring, III my dgment, the
most prompt and decisive action lhe part Of this
government; and, though fully sensible Of the in
| convenience and probable hardships To which
must expose you, in asking your presence at the
seat OF government at searon unftvorable, still
! the oath had taken, faithfully TO administer the
duties of the station which occupy, did not permit
me to disregard the necessity OF invoking the aid
| and assistance Of the Legislative wisdom of the
country at crisis in which the interest, honor, and
character OF the State deeply involved.
| In accordance with the provision and require
| ment of the act of January 4, 1850, Robert S.
NeiShbors, esq, was, with the advice and consent
! OF the Senate, appointed the commissioner of the
State to carry into operation the objects conem-
plated by IT. and after receiving such instruction
and aid as 1t was IN the power OF the Executive TO
afford, he left the city Of Austin the Sth of Jan
uary for the region Of country in which the duties
OF his mission required his presence and action.
Upon his arrival in the county of FL Paso, he
took the necessary measures for lis Immediate or
ganzation, and by his prudence, Zeal, and activity
he succeeded 10 the fullest extent OF expccta-
tons. Within the space ofa lew weeks, he effected
with people heretofore unaccustomed To Gov
eminent and laws, and strongly imbued with pre-
JUDGES against us race, full recognition Of
the rights and Of their relations ii, and inspired
in them desire to cultivate those relations the
performance oil all the obligations Of good citizens
The complete and perfect returns of the organiza-
ton of that county, made by him to the State De-
with which the organization was conducted and 1t
Is adverted to now for the purpose OF showing the
capacity OF the commissioner for the performance
| OF the duties assigned him, and that the want of
| entire success IN executing the act referred TO
above is in no wise to be ascrbed TO any deficiency
on his part.
The success Of Major Neighbors in the county of
ii Paso gave rise to strong hopes of accomplishing
tho purposes OF bis mission in the county OF Santa
Fe, and these hopes were strengthened by assur-
ances that he would meet with no opposition or OBJ
1rt At tha fiffpr1
United States forces at that place Previous his
departure from Ell Paso he furnished with a
copy of an official order issued at Santa Fe the
18th day OF March, 1850, by Colonel John Monroe,
commanding the 9th military department, rccog-
| nisng him as "a commissioner Of the State of
Texas for the purpose Of establishing The ciul jris-
dicfon Of the State ocer is territory, and requiring
| from the military authorities under his command
rigid noninterfcrence with him in the exercise of
his functions. This order, and the course which il
indicated as the to be pursued by the authori-
ties OF the United States all that he demanded.
Ii s true, 1t was not all that he had a right TO
Pect from the justice and hberality Of the General
| Government, but it would have been sufficient to
have enabled him 10 accomplish the object he had
undertaken, had II been observed in good faith. |
| regret to be compelled to state, however, that it
was not observed IN good faith-very far from il.
Your honorable body will perceive, from the re-
port of the commissioner and accompanying docu-
ments, (copies of which herewith submitted
marked Al that on his arrival AT Santa Fe, he not
only met with every encouragement on the part of
the individual exercising the authority Of civil and
| military governor, but IL distinctly intimatcd
to him that, If he succeeded in holding his cleo
tons, and in qualifying the officers elected, the iu-
risdicton OF Texas would not be recognised. SUI
peradded TO this, be was threatened by Judge
holding commission from the President of the
| United States with imprisonment if he attempted
10 enforce the laws of the State that territory
Appeals were made by the same Judge TO the pop
ulace 10 resist the authority of the State Public
| meetings we're called and held with the same OBJ
ject which were presided over and comprised prin-
a he nd ntb The
| and employment OF the United States government;
and all this under the immediate eye and obscrva-
ton OF the commanding officer, who, if not the
protector OF these proceedings, -unqucstionably
yielded his assent 10 them, and subsequently
adopted them, by issuing his proclamation calling
aconventon 10 form government adverse 20, and
independent Of own.
This course of conduct the part of Colonel
Monroe would seem strange after his order of
! March l2h, were we not able 10 account for il by
| belief which scarcely admits DOUBT that subse-
quent TO the date of the order he received nstruc-
tons TO repudate the rights and authority of Texas
| in that territory. That lac received what he re-
garded as equivalent TO such instructions there
exist no doubt. II the tone and import Of the mes-
cage sent by the President OF tho United States 10
| the Senate on the l7th June not sufficient to
satisfy the mind on this subject, the letter of the
Hon. Noney E. Howard, Of July 4, addressed TO the
editors OF The !Southpr Press with confirnatory
| evidence from other quarters, places IL beyond
! question. Copies ofthesc documents arc submitted
| herewith marked b. with the request that they may
L
As soon as IL was practicable To prepare the doc
umcnts after receiving the report Of the commits
sioner, transmitted thcm to our Senators and Rep
resentatves IN Congress, in order that they might
be folly advised in official shape Of the actual
| state OF things at Santa Fs.
| also addressed letter to the President Of tho
United States, accompanied with copy of Colonel
! MOnroc's proclamation calling n convention 20
] form State government ia New Mexico and most
respectfully asked him to say whether or not he re-
cognised aud sanctioned the acts Of Colonel Mon
roe, so far as they affected the rights of Texas. At
| the same time addressed letter 10 Hon Yolncy
! = Howard, covering protest against the unaw-
| iul usurpation by the Federal authorities Of
rights at Santa Re and requested him to lay il be-
lore the President in the event of his exceency's
declining 70 disayow the acts Of his military sub
! ordinatcs IN that territory.
Copies Of my letters TO the President, 10 Mr..
Howard TO the delegation in Congress, and Of the
! protest, arc herewith submitted, marked G..
| Although the proceedings referred to no longer
| permitted me TO indulge the hope intimated In the
communication which had the honor 20 lay be-
| fprcv nft nf,p off.