The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-10-12

ain arraying the acts of the pres
ent administration, that should ex-
cite the indignation and arouse the
fears of every lover of liberty, and
every friend of a constitutional,
economical and honest government,
we lndict the authorities at present
controlling the government of Texas
for high crimes against us as a free
people in these:
l. They have expelled from the
legislature duly elected and quail
flied members, whose only offense
was opposition to their usurpations
and despotic measures, and have
seated in their places persons who
were not elected by a majority OF
the voters.
2. BY false and scandalous state
ments regarding lawlessness and
crime, concocted as an excuse for as
Stunning despotic power, they have
injured the prosperity of our state
by lettering immigration.
8. They have created a multitude
of new offices, and swarms of new
offices, to harsss the people and eat
out their substance.
4. They have suspended and de-
layed legislation on matters neces-
sary to meet the immediate wants
of the people, until odious and op-
pressive laws that have for their aim
the perpetuation of their tyranical
rule were fastened upon us.
8. They have authorized the ap-
pointment by the executive of a
special police force of two hundred
and fifty men and officers, to prey
upon the people, the expense
and maintenance of which alone
will cost two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. This force
8 chosen by the executive and
placed under his command; is al
ways ready for action, having for its
duty the part of spies and detectives,
| whose vocation renders them odious,
and unprincipled, and dangerous as
hirelings, both to our regulations
and our lives. Their pretended au-
thority is co-extensive with the
/ state, to arrest and hold in custody
the people of the state.
6. They have Individually recon
mended and sided in the organiza.
ton of secret political societies,
banded together by solemn oaths to
assist each other and thus have pro.
vided, encouraged and fostered Sc
| cret bands of men unused to liberty,
that stand organized to assist in
rendering permanent the despotiC
powers of the executive and his sub.
servient legislature; and through
which secret bands, in darkness
under solemn oath of secrecy and
obedience, devilish plots can be con.
cocted and executed by base and i'll
famous men who are rousing the
negro element to deeds of hostility
and violence, and melting them ia
hatred and suspicion against the
whites.
z. They have established laws fol
registration and elections which
give the executive the power tC
appoint all the officers and mana
gers thereof, and clothe him and the
secretary of state with the power to
cast aside the returns of any county
they may find necessary to retain
the control official positions in the
state government, aud extending tC
all officers elected by the voice o.
| the people.
9. They have taken from the hands
of the people the election of officers
elective under the constitution, and
placed the appointment in the hand:
| of the executive, thus further cen.
tralizing his power and giving him
unlimited control over the citizen
IL. They have arbitrarily anG
without lawful authority placed sen
ators and members under arrest and
deprived them of a voice in the leg.
islature. They have held them sc
suspended, Illegally, improperly and
/ by force and violence, without justi
tication or excuse, and heaped indig
mites on them as men and as legis
lators. And during the time suct
senators were thus deprived of O
voice in our behalf, without caus,
other than the most paltry pre-
text, which even by hired de
tectives, they were unable to substan
tiate the despotic faction in the sen
ate assembled together and passed
the militia law, the police bill, tn,
enabling act, the registration act, the
election law and other odious meas
ures; and also approved of execu
tive nominations for judicial anC
other offices of great importance anC
responsibility; all ofwhich measure
go to our oppression, while many o
the men nominated and confirmed
for office, are unqualified as to ca
pacity, charged with high crimes
corrupt as to morals, strangers t,
our soil and willing tools of the ex
ecutive despot who is grasping 70
all power.
Is. They are passing laws for tn
support of their establishments tina
will involve the state in an enormou
debt. To support the hordes o
offices they have created, unknown
10 our system, to carry out thei
plans and to provide for their ex
travagant administration ant
schemes that are looking to tn,
interests of their party, and o
individuals of it instead of the state
great debt win burden tn
state the payment of which will
its interest will cause the people I,
groan under oppressive taxation an,
bring the state to bankruptcy o
. reputation. The ordinary appro
priation for per annum expenses o
the government heretofore has no
exceeded 100000, while the est
mates of the present executive ex
ceeds $1,600,00O. exclusive of tn
, frontier defences, and other extra
ordinary expenses of government.
IA. They have arbitrarily in
time of profound peace passed IN
, constitutional laws for the immedi
ate organization of the people into
standing army; to be under the com
mand of favorites and tools of tn
executives; and through the machin
cry of war department, put activel
on foot measures for drawing me
from their peaceful vocations, an,
arousing the spirit of war and vic
lence.
is. They have provided for the
organization of state guard, tn
men and officers ofwhich are to b
chosen by the executive, and subicc
to his command; thus creating
special organization to be compose,
of tools of despot to protect Elm il
his usurpations and to enforce hi
odious and oppressive laws and die
tatorial orders
| 16. They have given to the execu
tive by the color OF q law, the powe
to declare martial law, in any dis
trlct of this state; and, by sucl
pretended, law authorize HIM, in ad
vance of any actual disturbance, q
set aside ali law and act according t
| the dictates of his own will. In tn