Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-11-25
The Convention.

D
OF conventions called 10 change or modify
the organic law Of the States comprising
the Federal Union, but no convention hith-
orto called for that purpose, have had to
deal with questions Of such vast response
biliiy, or enter upon so many fields of UNI
tried experimental legislation, as those
States recently comprising the now deGnct
Confederate States.
No election in tho State OF Texas, has cy-
or taken place that viii rank in Importance
with that of delegates to tho convention
soon TO take place, for members to a consii-
tutional convention soon to assemble at
Austin, This body will be required to
determine and settle questions, in compor-
ison with which, the labors Of tho conyon-
ton that framed our most admirable State
Constitutiou,appea smalla and insl gnifcant.
Arc the people prepared for this election
have they lhought.or its imporiance-hayc
they in their minds selected men to vote
FOR, who they deem equal to the perform
ance of the duty that viii deyolye on them,
These aro important questions, that sooner
or later each voter must 10 prepared TO an
swer. The convention sh Guild be composed
Of the best minds in the State, without re-
gard TO past polltiealossooiation In franz
ing our present State Constitution, we had
the assistance Of he matured intollects Of
such men as Rusk, Henderson, Lipscomb
Hemplill and Howard, men of consumnte
ability and enjoying the confidence of the
masses in an eminent degree, men who had
been tried in the Revolution, and who were
found equal to the performance Of the work
before them, and right well did they per-
form that work, beQueathing to us a Con-
stitution SO perfect, that its greatest culcgy
is found in the fact that all men concedo
that its greatest defects consists in the
amendments subsequently made. But the
most OF those who assisted in framing our
State Constitution are now sleeping in the
grave, or have retired to the shades of pri-
yate life, so that we can not have their ser
vices in this our day of trial and suffering;
YET, though dead, they have left us their
deliberate judgment upon most of the i'm
portant questions likely to come before the
convention. However, there arc other and
different questions, most important in their
bearing upon society, upon the social and
political well being of the State, questions
never discussed in the convention that
framed our present Constitution, ques-
tons that must be discussed, acted upon,
and finally put to rest by our Convention
when it shall assemble at Austin. The
most important questions to be solved by
that body are those in regard to the negro,
the "gentleman in black binding" will be
before the convention, and the convention
must in some way give him q quietus, this
thing can't be blinked, can't be fanked, nor
can we retreat from it, action will be re-
CURED, prompt, decisive and efectual action
must be taken in regard to the negro, and
although his freedom at present renders
him worthless to himself and the country, we
cannot ignore his existence, nor forget that
lie is present in our midst, that he is still
our negro, and that he must of necessity,
exert an influence, either beneficial or dot-
rimental to society, an influence that the
white people of Texas must try to direct
and control, so that he shall be saved from
the folly of his own acts, and the reckless
ness of the northern abolitionists.
The convention will be required to de-
fine the status of the negro, define what
rights and privileges are granted and de.
MED him. Taking for granted that the ne
gro has passed from slavery to freedom,
that he is no longer property, but free
person, makes it absolutely necessary that
the convention should clearly and distin Ct
ly define his positionin the State, but should
hc careful not to come in collision with tho
views of the general Government on these
questions.
Justice, humanity and public policy in
dictate that the negro should, nor that he is
free, be permitted to own and enjoy proper
ty, where honestly acquired, that he should
be protected in his person from all unlaw-
fui violence, and that in these respects, he
should be placed under the protection Of the
law, as fully and amply as the whites
Should the convention fail TO grant to the
negro the protection of the Ian for his per-
son and property, the Federal government
would then establish in our midst special
courts for the trial of all causes in which
the negro shall be party, this would put
our people to the most serious inconycn-
fence, and would be real calamity to
them, yet this annoyance and inconyen-
fence we would be compelled to submit to-
if we fail to act wisely in this matter,
But whilst doing justice to the negro, let
us not forget what is due to the white man;
nor forget that Texas belongs to the white
man by right Of discovery, by right of cen
quest, and by right of settlement; it does
not belong to the negro, nor should he ever
be allowed TO control or in any manner give
direction TO the public affairs of the State.
Our own safety as people, and as State,
our hope to transmit to our children firm
and stable State Government founded and
by an enlightened public
forbid that the ne0ro should ever