Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-22
TEXAS.
Her Present Political Status and
Condition.
From tne New York World M

| From the New York World
After an election OF five days, from
| February 10 to IA, 1858, the ninety per
sOns-eighty-one white and nine negroes
chosen as reconstruction convention
met in Austin on the 10Th of June fol
| loving, and remained in session up t.
the 23t of August, when they adjourned
until after the Presidential election, the
General commanding refusing to permit
them to draw any more money from the
State Treasury, 500 000 having already
been checked out by them in the eighty,
five days OF their session. Shortly after
the Presidential election the Convention
met again, and Is now in session at Aus.
tin, and chiefly busy in the discussion oi
propositions looking to q division of the
State and q question called a6 initiO, oi
which more further on, to the neglect OF
the prime object OF the meeting, the
framing Of q reconstructed Constitution.
Prior to the adjournment in August last,
Jme little progress had been made, how
ever, in the formation Of an instrument
OF this nature, and q few specimens OF
what has bssn published may serve to
give an idea Of its animls. The instru-
ment thus begins:
"That the heresies of notification and
secession, which brought the country TO
grief, may be eliminated from future po-
litical discussion; that public order may
be restored, private property and human
life protected, and the great principles of
liberty and equality secured TO cur pros
perity, we declare that
" SECTION 1. The Constitution Of the
United States, and the laws and treaties
made ana to be made in pursuance there
Of, are acknowledged to be the supreme
law; that this Constitution is framed in
harmony with, and in subordinStiou
thereto; and that the fundamental prin-
ciples embodied therein, can only be
changed subject to the national author
/ y"
1t v i'll here be seen that the power Of
amendment of this proposed Constitu-
tion, in any important particular, is Ia
ken out OF the hands Of the people Of
Texas, and made "subject to the national
authority" WHAT this authority is does
not appear, but the principle is one Ut
terly destructive Cf that very corner
stone of free institutions-loeal self-gov-
eminent.
The definition of "eitizans " in this
document reads;
AN persons born or naturaliZad in the
luIAEALC~
ton thereof, and aliens who have de-
clared their Intentions to become citi-
zens of the United States, and actually
residing in the State, sre citizens Of the
State Of Texas"
1t is also a noticeable feature Of this in
strument that ian assault upon any per-
son with deadly weapons is held to dis
franchise and render ineligible to Office.
It will be noticed that it is not said as
sault and battery, but merely assault,
which is in law so technical term that
shaking q loaded horseWhip, or BRAN
dishing q heavy stick, with no actual
personal contact, would be sufficient, un-
der this Texas reconstructed Constitu-
ton, to disfranchise.
Pretermitting the completion Of the
instrument above quoted, the Austin
Convention is at this time chiefly intent
on the two Issues Of diUiSiOB and db in
tito. As to the extent of division that
the State should have, there appears to
be as much scrimony as upon the point
whether there should be any at all.
Some want Texas and an East Texas
others q Texas, and an + lst Texas, and
q Middle Texas and others again sll
these three and Territory Of Nonte9Q.
ma to boot. The issue is In some form
an old one in Texas, and though there is
not very great probability of the recon-
structing Convention carrying a divis-
ion, some such step will ere many years
evidently be taken in the State.
The question Of Gb iRiti0 is about this:
Prior to the late civil war there were sew
eral millions of indemnity bonds issued
by the General Government to the State
OF Texas. During the existence of the
the State authGGE:::ttiiss sold
large sIuUuuJ Of these bonds to White,
Child Il Co., and on the restoration of
the Federal authority, the provisional
appointed in the State ap-
peared in the Supreme Court of the URi-
ted States and asked an Injunction re-
strsining parties holding bonds thus sold
from drawing any interest upon them.
These parties now appear before the
Court, and, through their attorneys, ask
that the Injunction be dissolved, upon
the ground that Texas is not State, and
has no standing as such in the Supreme
Court +, or in other words, that all lsgis-
latiOn and public acts in Texas since Sc
cessiOn, are void G6 jSl5tiO.
On this question the debates of the
Convention are as virulent ss on the
issue Of division, the large amount Of
money involved variously affecting the
interest of delegates. The tone of the
Texas press is generally very bitter TO-
wards the reconstruction Convention,
and many pressges Of increased violence
and anarchy are drawn If the instrument
framed by it be put in operation in the
State, though there are not lacking other
opinions which say that the State is
and that the Constitution
will either be defeated or so practically
nullified as to work little lasting injury.
MUSIC HATH CHARMS.