The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-04-04

rather than yield to usurpstiOp aud de.
graduation.
| have declared my determination to
stand y Texas, 10 whatever position she
assumes. II people have declared in IA
vor Of the Union. have followed her
banners before, when an exile from the
land Of my fathers. | went back into the
Union with the people Of Texas. go
out from the Union with them; and though
can zee but gloom before me, shall fol-
low the Lone Star" with tie same devo.
tiUn as Of yors.
! may not be sustained now; but when
millions Of debt press upon you, when
the United States BonJs forming your
Schoo! Fund have been squan teret, and
the money upon which your present school
system is based is gone. when your pub
lie domain is wasted and axes are ground
out OF you. some, at least, will retnauber
that attempted to save you fror these
! consequences.
sITIUS OF OLD SAN JAcINTo.
sm ready to b. ostracis-d sooner than
submit TO usurpa,iun Office has no
charms for me, that il must be purGhasrt
at the sacrifice Of my conscience, and the
loss OF my se'f.resprct.
| love Texas 100 well to bring civil strife
and bloodshed upon her. To avert this
calamity, l shall make no entcavor to
maintain my authority as Chef Execu-
tive Of this State. except by the peaceful
exercise Of my fun lions. When I can
no longer do this. shall calmly withdraw
from The scene, leaving The Government
in the hands Of those who have usurped its
authority, but still ella ming that am its
Chef Executive.
| expect the consequence Of my reiu
sal to take this oath. Ny Office will be
declared vacated. Ii thoss who os-
tracise me will be but as true 10 the in.
terests oi Texas as | have endcavored 10
he, my prayer will attend them.
Fellow citiz-ns, think not that com
plain at the lot which Providence has now
assigned me. 1t is perhaps but meet that
my career should close thus. have sten
the patriots and statesmen Of my youth,
one by one, ga hered 10 their fathers, ant
he Government which they had rear
ed, rent in twain; and none Ike th-m
are left to unite it once again. | stand
the last almost ola race who learned from
their lips the l-ssous of human freedom.
I am stricken down now because | will not
yield those principles which have fought
for and struggled to maintain. The Sc
vrrest pang is that lie blow comes in the
name oil the Slale of Texas. / deny tn;
power of this Convention to speak fo
Texas. have receive d blows for hel
sake and am willing to Go So again.
protest in the name Of the people o
Texas against all the acts and doings o
this Convention, and declare them Dul
and void l solemnly protest against the
act Of its members who are bound by nc
oath themselves. in declaring my Office va
cant, because | refuse to appear before i
and take the oath prescribed.
1t has accomplished its mission, and it
chief object has been fulfilled. Ii to priv,
me from Office and defeat the will OF III,
people is an honor, they may wear it,
70 prevent my having an opportunity tc
send message to the Legislature which
meets on Monday, March r6.h, l au re
quired to appear at the bar to-day, and
take the TEST OATH. Even Shylock grant
ed the full three days ere he claimed hi
pound of flesh. The Convention prsscrib
ed that time as tie limit. but its Presi
dent las been less gracious than Shylock
and clsmors for the bond ere two days ar
gone If am thus deprived Of the poo
privilege Of putting upon record my sen
Iimeuts, through refusal on the part o
/, /, the Legislature 10 receive my message.
will lay the same before the people, an,
appeal to them, as declared l would d
i'll my Inaugural