The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-03-09

1t incarcerated in a dungeon, for 8
long time, one of our citizens, for nc
other cause but jealous endes vor &c
procure the acceptance of our con
stitution, and the establishment of state
government.
1t has failed and refused to secure. on a
nrm basis, the right of trial by jury, that
palladium of civil liberty and only safe
guarantee for the life, liberty and prop.
erty of the citizens. 1t has failed 10 es.
tablisn any public system of education.
although possessed Of almost boundlcss
resources the public domain), and al.
though 1t is an axiom in political science
that unless people are educated and en-
lghtened, it is idle to expect the
continuance OF civil liberty or the
capacity for self-government.
1t has suffered the military command
ants, stationed among us, TO exercise
arbitrary acts Of oppression and tyranny,
thus trampling upon the most sacred
rights Of the citizens, and rendering the
military superior to the civil power. Ii
has dissolved, by force of arms, the state
congress of Coahuila and Texas, and
obliged our representatives TO fly for
their lives from the seat of government,
thus depriving us of the fundamental
political rights of representation.
II has demanded the surrender of a
number of our citizens, and ordered
military detachments to seize and carry
them into the interior for trial, in con-
tempt of the civil authorities, aud in de-
tiance of the laws and constitution. 1t
has made practical attacks upon com
merce by commissioning foreign des-
peradoes and authorizing them to seize
our Vt ssels, and convey the property of
our citizens to far distant parts for con-
tiscation. II denies us the right
OF worshiping the Almighty according
to the dictates of our own conscience,
by the support of a national religion,
calculated TO promote the temporal in
terest Of its human functionaries, rather
than the glory of the true and living God.
II has demanded us to deliver up our
arms, which are essential to our defense
the rightful property of freemen-and
formidable only to tYrannical govern
ments.
1t has invaded our country, both by
sea and by land, with the intent to lay
waste our territory, and drive us from
our homes and has now a large, merce-
nary army advancing, to carry on against
us war of determination.
1t has, through Its emissaries, melted
the merciless savage, with the tomahawk
and scalping knife, to massacre the in
habitants of our defeneeless frontiers.
1t has been, during the whole time of
our connection with 1t, the contemplate
sport and victim of successive military
revolutions, and hath continually exhib-
tied every characteristic of weak, cor
rupt, and tyrannical government
These, and other grievances, were pa
ticntly borne by the people Of Texas un-
til they reached that point at which for
bearance ceases TO be virtue. We then
took up arms in defense of the national
constitution. We appealed to our Mexican
brethren for assistance. Our appeal ha s
been made in vain though months have
elapsed, no sympathetic response has
been heard from the interior. We are
therefore forced to the melancholy con-
clusiOn that the Mexican people have ac-
Quiesced in the destruction of their
| liberty, and the substitution thereof of
a military government that they are
unfit to be free, and incapable of self
government.
The necessity of self-preservation
therefore, now DEGREES our eternal politi-
cal separation.
We, therefore, the delegates, with
plenary powers of the people of Texas,
in solemn convention assembled, appeal.
ing to candid world for the necessities
of our condition, do hereby resolve and
declare that our political connection with
the Mexican nation has forever ended,
and that the people of Texas do now
constitute a free, sovereign and indepen.
dent republic, and are fully invested with
all the rights and attributes which prop
erly belong to independent nations and,
conscious of the recttude of our inten
tions, we fearlessly and confidently com
NIT the issue to the Supreme Arbiter OF
the destinies of nations.
In witness whereof we have hereuntC
subscribed our names.
RICHARD ELLIS,
President, and delegate from Red River.
ALBERT III. s. KMBLE, Secretary.
DELEGATES.
G. B. Stewart, John s. Roberts,
Jas. Collinsworth, Robert Hamilton,
Edwin Waller, Collin Mckinney,
A. Brigham, A. III. Latimore,
John s. d. Byron, James Power,
Francis Ruis, Sam Houston,
j. Antonio Navarro, Edward Conrad,
VIM. ID. Lacy, Martin Farmer,
VIM Menifee, James Gaines,
John Fisher, VIM. Clark, jr,
Matthew Caldwell, s. o. Pennington,
VIM. Motley, Samuel p. Carson,
Lorenzo de Zavalla, Thomas j. Rusk,
George w. Smyth, VIM. =. Crawford,
Stephen ii Everett, John Turner,
Elijah Stepp, Benz. B Goodrich,
claiborne West, James q. Swisher,
William B. Leates, Geo. w. Burnet,
NJ. B. Menard, Jesse Grimes,
A. B. Hardin, E. o. Legrand,
John w. Bunton, David Thomas,
Thomas ]. Galley, 3. Rhoads Fisher,
r. N. Coleman, John w. Bower,
q Robertson, j. B. Woods,
Geo. @. ChildIess, Andrew Briscoe,