, 1861-04-01
Gov. Honston,a Addresx to tie peos
: pie Of Xe4ua.

give below. Atter referring to the manner In
which he Tas elected, the Governor ssys:
When, On account Of the. election Of Mr.
Lincoln to tho Presidency Of the United States
was urged to convene the -LeRislature, 1refuBed
to do 30, until such time as believed the pub
the people desired the Legislature called,
would not stand in their way. When satisfied
that the necessity existed, I called ittef ether,
and upon its aseemblage, urged upon 1t the
importance offmmedfate Kttlon in reference
to your relations With the United States and
with respect 70 the frontier and the treasury.
In the meantime, the Convention had been
called, which assembled on the 2ath Of Janna-
II. That Convention, besides being reVolu-
tionary in its character, did not reeeiye the
sanction Of q majority Of the people. As the
representative Of a minority, however. large, it
could not claiz, the right to speak for the peo-
pie. It was without the pals Of the Constitu,
sworn to support While sworn to support
the Constitution, It was my duty to standaloo
from all revolutionary schemes, calculated to
subvert the Constitution.
The people who were free Hol such solemn
obligations, might reVolutionize and thereby
abso1ve me from mine, my oath only having
preference to my acts in the capacity Of their
Chief Executive; but as swoEn officer my
duty Was too plain to be misunderstood. Be-
cause others more lightly regarded the bond
they made with Heaven, furnished me no ex-
cuse, # my conscience condemned the act. II
I bed believed That the time had COME for rev.
o1ution, should have thrown of the burden
Of an official oath, FeB{gned my office, and as
one Of the people, B free and Independent citi-
gen, have aided to arouse my countrJmen to
action. i believed that the Constitution and
the laws would provide remedy, and there
fore was not ready tor revolution.
- REFUsA1 70 sUBMr
The Legislature refused to submit the ques-
ton Of our relations with the United States
Government to 8 direct vote of the people; but
authorized the Convention to do 90 The Leg
thus faI, WIGS willing to sanction the act, be-
sause saw that II 10 other way would the
people. get an opportunity to express their
will. ! did 90, protesting against the asEump-
lion Of auy other powers on the part of the
Conyention- I knew full well the designs of
the leaders Of that movement, I SAW Tint, IN
their hands, neither Constitution nor laws
would be sacred; and I put upon record nv
refusal to sanction any attempt, on their pa1t,
to touch the charter Of your liberties or In
fringe upon the rights secured to you BY the
-nen who framed the State Constitution.
Ny worst anticipations as to the assumption
ofpower by this Convention hare been real
ized To enumerate all Its usatpations would
be impossible, as gfeat portion Of its pro-
ceedings have been in secret, This much has
been revealed:
It has elected delegates to the Provisional
Council ot the Confederate States at Mont
gomery, before Texas had withdrawn from the
Union, and who en- the ID day ct March an
ne1ed Texas to the Confederate States aud
constituted themselves members Of Congress,
when it was not officially known by the Cou-
vention until the 4th of March that i msjority
Of the people had voted In favor of secession.
While portion Of the delegates were repre-
senting Texas in the Congress OF the Confede.
rate States, two Of them, still claiming to be
represent Texas in the United States Senate,
under the Administration Of Ar LincolG-an
Administration that the people Of Texas have
declared odious and not to be borne Yet
Texas has been exposed to ob1oqny, and forced
to occupy the ridiculous attitude before the
word Of attempting to maintain her position
time claims to be oneoft the Confederate States
THE TEST oATH
This Convention has deprived the people Of
right to Know its doings by holding its ses-
slonb In secret.
It has appointed military officers and agents
under its assumed authority.
It has declared by ordinance that the people
Of Texas ratify the Constitution of the Pro-
rislorl Government Of tue Confederate States,
and has ehanged the Stale Constitution and
established TEST OATH Of allegiance to The
confederate States, requiring all persons now
In oface to take the came or snffer the penalty
OF removal from office and actuated BY spirit
OF petty tyranny, has required the Executive
aud portion OF the other officers at the teat
OF government, to appear at its bar at q certain
hour and take the same.
WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT?
Fellow. citizens, have refused to recognizes
this Convention. believe it has derived
~ f&f i, I.Sn
either from the people OR the beEisfture, I
eelieye it gnilty OF an nsntpation, which the
people caunot suffer famely and prexerve their
liberties. am ready to lay down nv life to
maintain the rights and liberties Of The peo-
pie Of Texas. I am regdy to lay down ofaee
ton. e'>*''
Ihaye declared nay determination to stand
y Texas in whatever position she assumes.
Her people have declared in favor of & separa-
ton from the Union. have followed her
banners before, when ~ exile from the lsnd
Of my fatherR. 1went back into the Union
With the people Of Texas. I 60 ont from the
gloom before me, shall follow the Lone
Star" with The same devotion as of yore.
\, tnsy Tot be sustained now; but when mil.
nons oi debt press upon you, when the United
States Bonds forming your School Fund have
been equandered, aud the money upon which
/ ROnG.
when your public domain Is wasted, and taxes
ara ground ont Of you, some, ut least, will re.
member that L attempted to save you from
these consequences.
| POSITION or OLD sAN sAcNro.
an ready tohe ostracised sooner than sub.
! nit to usurpstion. Office baa no charms fo,
me, Il 1t must be purchased at the sacrifice
OF mJ conscience, aud the loss uf 1uy self
! respect.
I 1loye Texns too ~en to bring civil strife
and blooathed upon her. To avert this calam
| Icy, shall make no endeayor to maintain m,
authority % Chief Executive Of this StateS "a
eppt oy the peaceful exercise Of ty functions
WGen I can no Longer ea this, I shall calmly
withdraw from The scene, leaving the Govern
meat In the hands Of those who have usurpet
its authority, but still claiming that a1e It.
| Chief Executive.
| ! expect the consequences of nv refusal te
take this oath. ny Office will be declared va
Gated It those who ostracise me will be bu,
~ true to the interests Of Texas Is I have Ell
Fellow citizens, think not that I complain
a. The lot which Providence hiss now assixned
fne. It is perhaps. but meet that nv caree,
should close thus. I have seen the patrio,s
ana aa ssatesns a sn of ny youth, one hy one, gsth
| which they had II ared, rent In twain: ant
none like them are left to unite it once aealn
stand the last almost of race Who !esfnct
from tnc;r Il 10 the lesson of human freedom
/ am stricken down nov because I will no
yleld those principles which have fought To-
and struggled to maintain The seyerest mans
i that the blow comes in the name Of MI
STATE OF Texas. I deny the power OF thi.
Convention to speak for Texns hare received
again e ~ W ~
protest in the name Of the people Of Texas
agAnst all the acts and dotngs Of this Conyen
lion, aad declare them null and yoidT T so]
| e1ini9 profest against the act Of It's me1nber1
wne are bound by no oath themselves. in al
!. eaar1ns my ottes vacant, because + ref11se Il
sppsas oetore It and take the oath prescribed
chief object has been fulfilled. r tn Sr31< ,,<
me from Office and defeat the wiz Or III 1eS
pie ts an honor, It may wear it, I'd nraEai,
my having an opportunity to send =. mpzssnt.
to the Legislature, which meets on Mon5sy
. March 18th, ain required to appear At III; ha,
to-day, and take the TEsTuATH,, Even shr
lock granted the fulf three days ere he claimed
bis pound OF flesh. The Convention prescrIhef
: that time "a the limit, bnt Its President :haa
1een less gracious than shylock, and c1amor,
for the bond ere two days are zone, If an
toas deprived Of the poor privilege Of putttns
upen record my Sentiments, through d refusa
on the part Of the Legislature to receive N,
i message, viii lay tho same before sthepeople
f5mJ Inaugural -
+ :E The Lynchburg Wal Rtpnaltaan hai
the following paragraph:
J. Mr.. Crook, Mr. :Linco1nb rnaM agent on The
/ Alcxaudria road, made his first trjp IN Satur
i day, and In passing Charlottesville was waited
upon hg acommlttee q oS citizens who in,
4prmed tpa him in the politest manner possible,