The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-02-27
Letter from the Louisiana Commissioner

honor to be president, having adiouIheu 70 heet -
too distant TO permit my awaiting us reass9hDl3e
bep leave to ask YOU to lay before that honorable eoa ~
its next session. the accompanying credentials eru
nances and official communication 10
I trust the views contained IN the last may ho' ~
deemed intrusive. 80.
Allow me to assure you personally of my profound res
meet and regard Your obedient servant, -
20 90" GEO WILLIAMSON.
Commissioner of the State OF Louisiana
To the Hon 0. Nc. ROBERTS, president OF the con-
yention Of the people Of Texas.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CosyESTIoS OF
THE PEOPLE OF Texas: have the honor to address you
as the commissioner of the convention OF the people oi
Louisiana accredited to your honorable BODY -.
With this communication, by the fayoro your Presiu
ing officer will be laid before you my credentials, the
ordinance of secession, resolution IN regard " ~
Mississippi river and the ordinance ITO proVlae LOT e
appointment of delegates to convention 10 lorlH 4"
southern conederacv These ordinances and the reso-
luton were adopted their respective dates by the
people of Louisiana in convention assembled AFTER se
ous debate and calm elaboration.
Being DESTROYS Of obtaining the concurrence OF the
people of Texas what she has DONE Louisiana invites
YOU to candid consideration OF her acts, IN resumng
the powers delegated to the government OF the late
United States aud in providing for the formation OF
confrderacy of he States that have seeded and may
secede" The archives of the federal government bear
ampletestmony heloyalty of Louisiana to the Amer
can Union Her conservatism has been proverblai In
political circles The character and pursuits OF her
people, her immense agricultural wealth. her large bank
ing capital her possession OF the great commercial me
tr0pois of the SOUTH whose varied trade almost rivals
that of the city Of ten thousand masts present facts
sufficient to make assurance doubly sure, she dd not
take these grave steps for light or transient causes
She was impeed this action, to preserve her honor
her safety her property and the free institutions so sa
cred to her people She believed the federal agent had
betrayed her trust had become the tace instrument OIL
hostile people and usurping despotc powers-she
considered that the present vaclatlng executive on
the fourth of March next, would be suppanted by Sta
wart fanatic of the northwest whose energetic WILL
backed by the frenzied bigotry of unparioc masses
would cause him to establish the military despotsm
already inaugurated
The people of Louisiana were unwilling to endanger
their liberties and property by submission to the despo
ism of single tyrant, the cantng tyranny OF phar
saiea maortes. Insued by the denial of her constr
tutiona equality by the nonslayeholdng States, out
ragged by their conemptuous rejection OF protered COM
promises and convinced that she illustrating the
capacity of herpeope for self government by withdraw
ing from Union that had failed without fault OF hers
to accomplish its purposes, she declared herself free
and independent State the 26th January last HIS
tory affords example of people who changed their
government for more Just or substantial reasons.
Louisiana looks to the formation of southern con
federacy to preserve the blessings Of African slavery
and of the free institutions of the founders OF thetedera
Union bequeathed to their posteTy As her nelgEbor
and sister State she desires the hearty cooperation OF
Texas in the establishment OF southern contederacy
She congratulates herself the recent disposition
eynced BY your honorable body to meet this wish by the
election Of delegates to the Montgomery convention
Louisiana and Texas have the same language laws and
institutions They grow the same great staples sugar
and cotton Between the citizens of each, exists the
most cordial social and commercial intercourse, The
Red River and the Sabine form common high ways for
TRANSPORTATION OF their produce Oh tue
world. Texas affords to the commerce OF LOUISIANA
large portion of her products and exchange the banks
of New Orleans furnish Texas with her only paper cir
culatnp medium. Louisiana supplies to Texas market
for her surplus wheat grain and stock Both have
large of fertile uncrltvated land peculiarly adap
ted slave labor and they are both deeply interested
in African slavery that it may be said to be absolutely
necessary their existence and is the keystone to the
arch of their prosperity Each of the States has
tended gulf coast and must look with equal socitude to
its protection now and the acquisition OF the entire con-
troll of the gulf of Mexico due time.
No two States of this contederacy are 50 identified IN
interest whose destinies are so closely interviewer
with each other Nature, sympathy and unity OF inter
est make them almost one Recognising these facts but
still confident in her powers maintain separate
existence Louisiana regards with great concern the vote
of the people of Texas on the ratification OF the ord
nance Of secession adopted by your honorable body
the first of the present month. She is confident PEG
pie who so noby and CALAMITY achieved tneir liberties
under such unparalleled difficulties will not falter in
maintaining them The Mexican yoke could not
have been more CALLING to the "army OF heroes of 36
than the black republican rule would be to the survivors
and sons of that army at the present day.
The people of Louisiana would consider il most fatal
blow African slavery if Texas either did not seCede
having seeded should not join her destnes 10 theirs
in southern confederacy. fshe remains in the Union
the abohtionists would continue their work of ncend
arism and murder. Emigrant aid societies would arm
with Sharps rifles predatory bands to fes her north
ern borders
The federal government would mock her calamity in
accepting the brides in the army bill and Pacific
railroad bill and with abolition treachery would leave
hostile savages Experience usties these expectations
professedy friendly federal administration gaveTexas
no substantial protection against the Indians aboh
florists and what must she look for from admnisra
ton yowedly inimcal and supported by vote within
her borders. Promises from the tmid and fahless
poor hostages for good faith As separate republic
Louisiana remembers too well the Whisperings OF Euro
pean diplomacy for the abolition of slavery in the times
Of annexation not to be apprehensive of holder demon
sraons from the quarters and the north IN this
century The people of the slaveholding States are
bound together by the necessity and determination
to preserve African slavery. The isolation of
of them from the Others would make her the theatre
for abolition enmissaries from the north and from Eu
rope. Her existence would he of constant peril
herself and of imminent danger other northern slave
holding communities decentrespect for the opinions
and interests of the gulf States to indicate that
! Texas should cooperate with them.
am authorised to say to your honorable body, that
Louisiana does not expect any beneficial result from the
peace convention assembled at Washington. She
unwilling that her action should depend the border
States Her interests identical with Texas and the
seeding States With them she will present co6pe-
rate hoping and believing in his good time God will
awaken the people Of the border States to the vanity of
asking for, depending upon, guarantees compro-
misses wrung from people whose consciences too
sublimated to be bound by that sacred compact-the
constitution of the late United States That constitution
the southern States have violated and taking
the basis of our government, hope to form a
sayehodng confederacy, that will and
remotest pOsterty the great blessings its authors de-
signed in the federal Union With the social balance
wheel of slavery to regulate its machinery, we may
ondy indulge in the hope, that southern govern
ment will be perpetual. GEO. WILLIAMSON,
| Commissioner of the State of Louisiana
City of Austin, February Il, 1861
AUSTIN, February II, 1861.
| Cor. GEO. WILLIAMSON, Commissioner, &C.
Dear Sir have received your communication as com
missioner from the State of louisiana and will submit
it. together with the ordinances and other documents
accompanying to the convention of the people of the
State of Texas when shall eeenvene at this pace on