The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-04-10
Governor NOustOn's Address. to
.,,... the People OF Texas.

AS 10 dfeauy huohHB kuo AeAlS SECESSION
Convention, finding that Gov. Houston
would not be subservient to their traitorous
designs, procured tho endorsement Of the
Legislature to a resolution declaring the
Governors tfice -vacAut. The Governor,
however, ia not at oil frightened, as will. be
seen by his address to The people Ct T5xls,
the most important part of which we give
below. After referring to the manner in
which be was elected, the Governor says:
When, on account OF the election of Mr.
Lincoln to the Presidency of the United
States | was urged to call the Legislature,
refused to do so, until such time as beIiev.
ed the public interests repaired it. To all
soid, that il tho people des red the Legisla.
ture called, would not stand in their way.
When satisfied that the necessity existed, |
called it together, and, upon its assembling,
urged upon it the importance OF immediate
action ia reference to your relations with
the United States and with respect to the
frontier and the treasury.
In the mean time, the Convention had
bsen called, which assembled on the 23lh
of January. That Convention, besides be.
ing revolutionary ia its character, did not re-.
ceive the sanction OF majority Of the peopie.
1t was without the pale OF the Cons titutien,
and unknown to the laws which had sworn
to support. While swyrn to support the
Constitution, it WIS my duty to stand aloof
from all revolutionary schames, calculated
to subvert the Constitution,
The people, who were free from such sol.
emn obligations, might revolulionize, and
thereby nbsolve me IRON mine, my oath only
having reference to my acts in the capacity
oil their Chief Executive; but 0s sworn
officer, my duty was too plain 10 be misun-
derstood. Bac8use Others more lightly re.
garded the bond they made with Heaven,
furnished me no excuse, ii my conscience
CONDEMNED the oct. If | had believed that
the time had come for revolution, should
have thrown off the burden of IN olfici,l
oath, resigned my Office, and as one of the
people, tree and Independent citizen, have
| aided to arouse my cou1trymen 10 action
believed that the Constitution and the laws
would provide a remedy, and therefore was
not ready for revolution.
Tie Legislature refused to submit the
question of our relations with the United
States Government 10 a direct, vote OF the
! necpla: but authorized the Convention to do
So. The legislature havirg recogniz the
Convention thus far, | was willing to sane
ton The act, because saw that in no other
way would the people get nn opportunity to
express their will. did SO, protesting
oanst the assumption Of any oher powers
on the part O! the Conventiop. knew full
we'll the designs Of the leaders of that move
, AZ hni hnD ds
Cor stituton nor laws would be sacred: and
put upon record my refusal to sanction
any attempt, on their part, to touch the
character of your liberties or infringe upon
e the riohts secured to ycu by the men who
d framed the State Constitution.
NV worst anticipations Os to the assump-
ton Of powers by this Convention have beeI
{ real 2sd To cnumerate all its usurpltion
5 would be impossible, as great Pvriion o
r, its proceedings have been in secret. Thi
n much has been revealed:
It has elected delegates to the Pfovsiona
Council OF the Confederate States ut Mont
G oomery. before Texas had Withdrawn lror
the Union, and who, 90 the ID day of Marcel
annexed Texas to the Confederate Slate
and constituted themselves members OF Con
> nress, when it was not officially known b
" The Convention until the 4;h OF March tbs
,. a msiprity of the people had voted in fave
OF Secession.
While portion of the delegates We
representipg T,Xls in the Cong ess OF Il
T. Confederate States, two OF them, clamil
n. TO be Uniicd States Senators, have conu
lis ued to represent Tex,s in the Uoited Stat
Senate, under the Administration ot h
Ijnrola, an Administration that the peoF
III of Texas have declared odious and not to
ng borne. Yet Texas has been exposed to Q
nj, loouy, and forced TO occupy the rdieulo
al altitude before the world OF attempting
! r,lintain her position as one o: tht Unit
"e States. ard at the sqms time claims to
Ill, one of the Confederate States.
ID. This Convention has deprived the peop
ua Of n riGltt to know its dJi1ss BY holding
sessions in secret.
1t has appointed military officers q
l agents under its assumsd authority.
to 1t has declared by ordinance thlt the pc
i'm ole of Texas r0tity the Constitution OF I
Provisional Government OF the Contedera
States, and has changed the State C0nstit
ton and established TEST OATH of.
lily lerisnce to the Confederate. States, ,requ1
nd ING all persons now in Office to take
ii. same, or suffer the penalty OF removal frt
= Office; and actuated by osprit of petty I,
! amy, has required the Executive and p
my tion of the other ulficers at the seat Of Gc
to ernment, to appear at its bar at cest
m hour and take the some.
A.. .a Fellow.ciliaens; have refused to rec'
: nize this Convention. believe it has {
ar srived none of the powers which it has
MT sumed, either from the people or the Leg
er- lature. believe it guilty olan usurpatI
ms (which the people cannot suffer tameiy
W. nreserve their liberties: / am ready to
!. dawn nv iife to mnintoin the rights and
his critics Of the people to Texas. amsrei
WIS to lsy down office rather than yield to Us
her Ipation and. degradation. .
N / have declared my determination to sta
"e by Texas, in whatever position she assum
Il Her people have declared in favor OF 90
is sration from the Union. / have follow
4 lher banners before, when exile from
-. Hand of nv fathets.aI went back into
4 Union with the people of Texas. go /
eel from the Union with gthems and thong
es; can see but gloom before me. shall Toll
the the "Lone Star" with the same devotions
~ lofvors. telp " afl g19s aa6
- " NAV not be sustained now; but wi
d millions of debt press Upon you, when
said United States Bonds foEIniDg your Sch
her Fund have bssn sqnandsted, and the mo-
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