Bisbee daily review., 1910-12-24

o aected county clerk ct Bay City, Texas, of ancient and historically i'm portAnt documents has brought at tention to the fact that in the coun- fy and city archives of San Antonio and in the possession of the Cath oiic Church here are yeliowed papers written by the Franciscan. monks, records of the sixteenth and seven teenth centuries. that to the historian would be priceless boon
 At Bay City, the new county clerk in assuming his office and straight racks could be insta led. the other day came across the certified re turns of the election in Texas for and against secession from the Union, muster roll of companies that joined the Confederate army, an in- vent'ry of the Matagorda County property of Stephen F. Austin, the great calonizer of Te~a9 asc a case of papers hundred and fiftv years earlier than these and con corning affairs of the earliest days of Texas. It is evident they con ia re e,---er of forirai interest, but no county clerk, within the memory of the oldest official, has ever had the hardih"od to disturb or investigate these old musty and storm beaten papers. It Is possible that the election returns on the vote for secession will be turned OCT to the State Historical S1ciety.
 The data brings back pe days when Sam Houston, as g-sernor Of Texas, opposed secessirn and was deposed Frolo the beginning of Houston's administration the whole Urited States was excited over the presidential election. Most of the Iinc7ln would be followed by civi' war Governor Houston did all he could to prevent Texas from leaving the Union. but the majority of the people favored secession and had no sv-nnafhy with the governors views. He was importuned to cal. a con. ar x he was not wi ling several leaders of the secession move nent issued the call, whereupon Houston called an extra session of the legislature to meet January 21, 1861. fo consider what shoTld be done Excitement was at such a pitrh- however. that the people would not wait. On January Q they se- leced delegates to state convent1 n, which assembled in Austin January 2s, 1861, and was Immediately rec ognized by the legislature in special session, as representing the will Of the people. By vote of 166 ayes to seven nays, Texas withdrew from the Union, an action that, when sub Init'e1 to the people was ratified by an overwhelming majority.
 Texas by the decision of the conventicn joined the Confederate States of America, and all officers were reuired to take the oath of allegiance to the new government This was willingly done by all but Genera, Houston, Secretary of State Gade and Adjutant General Martin. Their offices were declared vacant. In spite of the protests of Governor Houst"n, who refused to retire on the ground that neither the legisia ture nor convention had the right thr' to Terrive him of office granted by the citizens, Lieutenant Governor Clark was sworn in as governor June s, Governor Clark issued a Proclamat'on declaring that war actually existed. officers began to enroll volunteers and by November there were more than 15.0o0 Texans ip the Con nrederate service
 The Bay City documents throw much light on this stage of Texas history. Bay City, with San Antonio was one of the old centers of popu lation playing an important part ir the drama of the settlement O Texas. Not only would the historian find much new material, but tho writer of romance, out of tbest yellowed papers, could weave man, a story of heroism. hardship ant eve Ire Franciscan Friars, wheI they built the Missions extendinr from the Rio Grande to the Ss bine, kept complete records of thei work n civilizing and Chr'stianizini the various tribes of Indians. am
 many of these records, with othe papers relating to Spain's activitl in settling the province of Texas. ar now in possession of the Catholi' Church Were they translated iron the Latin, they would prove an ir valuable addition to the history z the United States. Many of tier are works of art, printed in variou coicred inks siil brilliant, on parch ment brought from Spain. the shee. tr'no vel hound. several of tn valumes having metal clasps
 Tn tho va-ifs of the office of tn City Clerk of San Antonir are nun erous records. reports of Snarfsh of' ccrs in command of the garrison ( San Fernando. by which name Sa Antonio was known in the seve, tsc1fN and eighteenth centuries, an reTerts of meetines of the Cit