The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-10-19

be regarded as crimes, and fix the
mode punishment. He can seize ouI
persons and hold US without trial Oh
without disclosing the cause of ouI
detention. He can enter our houses
without process of law. He can
seize our property and waste our
substance without compensation
He can try us for such acts as he may
define to be offenses, without having
the privilege of taial by a jury, and
by men who are under his direction
and ready to obey his slightest nod.
He can order us to our death for any
act we may commit. Our property,
homes, lives and liberties are in his
hands. His will is his sole guide for
his action.
People of Texas: 1t is thus that
we are in the power of a despot, and
have been enslaved and given over
bound into the hands of an executive
whose ambition for rule and extent
of authority seems boundless and
extravagant as it is reckless and OPP
pressiye. And this giving way of
our rights and liberties has been
done by faction of strangers who
have swarmed into our state, and
by trickery and midnight secret or
CARNATIONS and frauds and force
seized the high positions as our rep
resentatives. AS lovers of liberty
and free government, we stand ap-
palled at the rapid strides that have
been made III such short time to-
wards clothing the executive with
oh IN NoSr
by hired creatures, paid intormers,
bayonets and rapid oligarchy that
| obeys him with slavish reverence.
This is the condition of our once
free and pure state government; and
all this overthrow of rights and
checks and safeguards devised and
provided for by the spirit and genius
of our government has been under
the mask of the suppression of law
lessness and crime, and for the pros
perity and better government of the
state, while it was in reality planned,
devised and concocted solely with a
view of providing for the continu-
ance of the uncontrolled sway of the
executive and his tools, foreign TO
our soil, consumers of our substance,
and Indifferent to our happiness,
peace, prosperity and liberty.
Though these innovations and as
saults on our liberties and InstItu-
lions are sufficient to arouse our in
dignatioD against the plotters and
authors, who are responsible for the
trouble and ruin that will result
from these measures, yet, we most
earnestly beg, that calmness charac-
teriZe your every act and movement.
We have summoned up these out
RACES, in brief form, in order to
show to every citizen of Texas the
fIightful misrule of the faction now
in power, and the danger to our
state, whose government, once re-
publican in form, is moving with
rapid strides to an absolute despot-
ism.
We have not desired to infame
you, nor excite you in this address {;
but to counsel that every interest to
yourselves demands GOODNESS, dis
passionate action and patient for.
bearance as individuals and as COM
mupities. We also address you to
say, that though thus surrounded
by difficulties, we are not hopeless !;
and we trust by harmonious, self
sacrificing acts and united strength,
that we will overthrow this despot-
ism with all its cunningly devised
chains that have been forged to
bind down the people.
After a mature deliberation, in
which our thoughts have been
directed solely to the mode by
which we can change this odious
condition of things, and restore the
state government to a form that
would be conducive to our peace
and prosperity, the undersigned,
representing, and as exponents and
members of all the political parties
in this state, opposing this anti-Re-
publican, one-man power, and the
oppressive measures which they
seek to fasten upon us-unite in this
recommendation, as the plan of
action to accomplish great reform in
our state government:
1. Obedience to...the laws as they
are, until in due and legal form they
are repealed or held void by the
judicial tribunals of the country.
2. That all lend their aid to the
officers of the law in the discharge
of their duties, wherever they meet
with obstruction or resistance.
8. That all enroll in the militia and
perform the duties thus imposed
upon each citizen.
4. That you beware of forming
secret societies as corrective of the
evils that now so grievously oppress
us.
5. That you hold public meetings
throughout the state, in every To-
cality and after a fair examination
of the facts and the condition of the
state government, exercise the right
left to you, and, by resolutions. pro-
| test against the continuance of such
laws as may seem oppressive and
bad, and ask that they be repealed ;
and that you embody your senti-
ments in resolutions, and cause
them to be published by the press
throughout the state.
6. That in case you desire the re-
peal of certain laws, by resolutions
of your meetings petition the gov
ernor and legislature to repeal such
obnoxious laws as would be, or are,
in your opinion, productive of evil
results, hurtful to the citizens, or In
| furious to the state.
z. That should you regard the
measures of the administration, and
the power conferred on the execu-
tive, and the present form of our
state government, so changed from
the former condition that we no
longer have republican form of
government in this state, our earnest
recommendation Is that you express
your sentiments, and, by resolutions,
petition congress to secure to us a
government in the state, republican
in form, as is its duty under the fed
erai constitution.
8. That In order to give publicity
to the sentiments of the state, you
do cause your proceedings to be
published in all the journals.
9. That in order that the action of
the state in this regard may be pre-
sented both to the governor and the
state legislature, and to the president
of the United States and congress
in an effective and seemly form,
that you do send copy of
the proceedings and resolutions
of your meetings to William M. Wal
ton and John l.. Hayes, as chairman
of the committee on petitions for re-
dress of Grievances, and by your
resolutions instruct said committee
to consolidate your action with that
of the other meetings to be held
throughout the state, and authorize
them to present the same with a