New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-01
NEwye DAILY TRIBUNE. MONDAY APRIL i. 1861.

free government by oIlng IN lseH ali lne Depart
pents of Goyernu en- and exercising the powers be-
onpng 10 eaeh Our fatlers have taught that free
dom requires that these powers shall not be all logged
TO- sndexercistd BY any one body. Whenever II 60,
the reoPle suffer undet,s de-Io,ism. AZ
Fellow citizens I have reflssd 10 recognize us
Convention. | believe il has derived none OF Ire
powers which il has assumed, either from tseteopie
or the Legislature. believe guilty Of an usvrpaon,
which the people cannot suffer tamely ard Pre.rrS
their liberties. an ready 10 lay down my lie TO
maintain the rights and liberties Of the people OF exss
am ready TO lay down my ethse rather than !ieh TO
usurpation and degradation.
have declared my determination 70 stand by Texas
IN whatever position she assumes. Tier people baye
declared in favor Of q sepsrHton from 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. e. out from the Union
with them; and, though can see but gloom before
me, shah follow the Lone S.ar with the same devo-
| ton Hs Of yope.
| NAV not be sustained now; but, when millions Of
debt press upon you, when the United States bonds
forming your school fund have been sluandered, and
the money upon which your present school system u
based Is gone, when your pubic-domain wasted ana
taxes are ground out Of you, soRe at least viii re-
member that attempted to you from these 6onse
| quences.
Will people reflect upon the circumstances attend
ing the election Of there delegates, and ask Themselves
whether they conferred upon them the extraordinary
powers they have since assumed Was aught said
about changing the Constitution Of the State ap-
pointing delegates 10 Provisional Government, with
powers TO constitute themselves members Of Congress
Wa the power conferred to make Texas part oil a
Southern CoDfederaey without referring the same TO
vote Of tie people Yet these powers have not only
been claimed, but exercised.
| You have been transferred ike sheep from the
SHAMELESS. A Government has been fastened upon you
which is 10 be supported from your pockets and yet
you have been consulted. lou to be taxed in
the shape Of tariffs the neeessares and Injuries u
life which you have hitherto purchased free OF Duty
You have high postage and all else il proportion
and TO forego the Freemans privilege OF eectDg your
President and Nioe-President, Provisional Con-
grees taking the matter out Of your hands fos are to
support Constitution which ignores the very name of
the people, and 10 90 into q Government where you
TO pay tribute to King Cotton and enjoy the priv
lege Of equality until you are nyol ed so far that in
dependence will be'impossibe, and you will be ready
20 put the State Of Texas with her Territory equal
extent TO all the other cotton States at the OF the
Confederacy the terms of slave basis. This is the
\ programmes marked out for YOU You were told the
Union mutt De dissolved might be reconstructed
Now you told that reconstruction ID impractieable
| and impossible.
1t lie well known to the people that had ordered an
election for delegates to Convention Of the Southern
States. The Legislature repealed the law under which
| the election had been ordered, and the Convention
th.n assumed the power to elect the delegates which
did the very day provided for the election Of them
by the people. believed that the people should elect
their public servsns. The Convention wss not will
j ing to trust the people.
1 You have withdrawn Texas from her connection
with the United States. Your act changes the charac-
ter of tie obligation assumed at the time Of my u-
| augmaton. As your Chief Executive, l an no longer
bound 10 support the Constitution OF the United States
If your act did not relieve that obligation, II was moth
ing. II this Is not the result Of the action Of the
people, the position Of the officers Of the State Gov
srument and especially that portion who members
Of this Convention, has indeed been anomalous
Have they still been acting under their oath to support
the Constitution of the United Ststesi As your Ex
ecutiys, no matter what my views may have been,
| am bound to reflect your expressed win L have en-
dsayored to do Were asked to swear to support
49,
source from which the oath am called upon 10
support the Constitution and Laws of the Con-
federate States which have never seen, and "a your
Chief Executive render my allegiance to that Gov.
| eminent, when you have never, in any manner or
form, declared your desire to become annexed to the
| same
Fellow -Citizens In the name Of your rights and lib
critics. which believe have been trampled upon re-
fuse take this oath. In the of the nationality
Of Texas which has been betrayed by this Convention
refuse TO take this oath. In the OF the Cons
tuition of Texas, which has been trsmpled upon, re-
fuse 10 take hs oath. In the name OF my own con-
science and my manhood which this Convention would
degrade by dragging before it, to Pander to the malice
Of my enemies when by the Consttntipn the P.i,ege
to my oath Of Office before any competent author
| ity / refuse TO take this oath.
/ sm ready TO be ostracized soonedthsn submit TO
usurpation. Office has charms for me, that II must
be purchased at the sacrifice Of my conscience and the
| loes Of my self-respeet.
love Texas too well to bring civil strife and blood
6hed upon her. 10 avert THIS Calamity, snail make
endeavor to maintain my authority as Chief Exec
uiive Of this State except by the peaceful exeise Of
my functions. When / can longer do this shall
calmly withdraw from the scene, leaving the govern
ment In hands Of those who have usurped its
thority, but still claiming that ! am its Chief Ex-
ecutive.
exrect the consequences Of my refusal TO take this
| oath. My Office will be declared vacated IL those
who ostracize will be but true TO the inter-
ests Of Iexss have endeavored 10 be- my prayers
will attend them.
Fellow citizens, think not that complain at the lot
which Providence has now assigned me. Ii ia, per-
haps but meet that my career should close thus. /
have seen the patriots and statesmen Of my youth one
by one gathered 70 their fathers, and the Government
which they had reared, rent in twain and none like
them are left unite 1t again stand the last
almost of race who learned from their lips the les
sons Of human freedom. am stricken down now be-
cause will not yield those principles which have
fought for and struggled TO maintain. The seyerest
psg is that the blow in the Of the State Of
Texas deny the power of this Convention 10 speak
for Texas. have received blows for her sake and am
willing n do 20 again.
protest in the name Of the people Of Texas against
all the acts and doings Of this Convention and declare
them null and voiil solemny protest against tue act
of It's members who bound by oath themselves,
IN declaring my Office vacant because refuse 70 appear
before il and take toe oath prescribed
1t has accomplished its mission and its chief object
has been fulfilled II to DIVE from office and do
feat the will of the people an honor, 1t may wear
To prevent my having an opportunity 20 seud mes
sage 10 the Legislature which meets Monday, March
l8 am required appear at its bar to-day and take
she TEsr OATH Even ShyOck granted Tire full three
DAYS ere he claimed his pound Of tesh. The COnven-
tim prescribed that time the limit, but is PRESIDENT
has been lees gracious than Shylock, aud cmors for
the bond ere days gone. III am thus deprived
of the poor privilege Of putting upon record my seDt
ments through refusal on the part OF the Legislature
10 receive my message, will lay the same before the
people and appeal to them, as declared would do in
~ u mo pouFsI SAM HOUSTON,