The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-08
ANCIENT HISTORY
 BROUGHT 10 LIGHT
Records of Secession in Texas
 Are Interesting
SAM HoUsToN's CAREER
eeieprafed Texan Called Legislature to Meet and Then Lost Place as Gov cnor-Records in San An-
 tonic Are Very old

San Antonio, Tex, January z-(spe- eial.)-The discovery by newly elected county clerk at Bay City, Tex, of an- cient and historically important docu- ments, has brought attention to the fact that in the county and city archives of san Antonia and in the possession of the catholic church here are yelowed papers written by the Franciscan monks, re- cords of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that to the historian would be priceless boom
 At Bay City the new county clerk, in assuming his office and strengthening up old papers, so new book racks could be installed, the other day came across the certified returns of the election in Texas Tor and against secession from the Union, muster roll of companies that joined the Confederate army, an inventory of the Matagorda county property of stephen F. Austin, the great colonizer of ieNas' and also case of papers 15O years earlier than these and concerning affairs Of the earliest days of Texas It Is evil dent they contain matter of intense bis- torical interest. but no county clerk within the memory, of the oldest official has ever had the hardihood 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 over to the State Historical society. N
 Days of Sam Houston
 The data brings back the days when sam Houston, as governor of Texas, op- posed secession and was deposed. From the beginning of Houston's administra- ton the whole United States was excited over the presidential election. Most of the southerners felt that the election of Lincoln would be followed by civil 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 sympathy with the governors views. He was importuned to call convention, but as he was not will ing, several leaders of the secession movement Issued the call. whereunon Houston called an extra session of the iesisiature, to meet January 21, 1861, to consider what should be done. Excite ment was at such a pitch, however. that me people would not wait. On January they selected delegates to a state con vention. which assembled in Austin Jan uary 2S. 1861. and was immediately rec. ognlzed by the legislature in special ses- sion as representing the will of the peo- pie By vote of 166 ayes to nays Texas withdrew from the Union, an &C., ton that when submitted to the people. was ratified by an overwhelming ma jority
 Officers Tnke Oath
 Texas by the decision of the conyar- tion Joined the Confederate States of America and all officers were reouire1 to take the oath of allegiance to the new government. This was wiIlin rly done by all but General Houston. Sec retary of State Cade and Adjutant Gem eral Martin. Their offices were de- clared vacant. In spite of the nrotests of Governor Houston. who refused to retire on the ground that neither the legislature nor convention had the right thus to deprive him of office granted by the citizens. Lieutenant Governor Clark was soprn in as governor June 5 Governor Clark issued proclama- ton declaring that war actually ex isted, officers began to enroll lfyolunteers and by November there were more than 15.0o0 Texans in the Confederate 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 population play ing an important part in the drama of the settlement of Texas. Not only would the historian find much new material, but the writer of romance, out of these yellowed papers could weave many a story of heroism hard ship and love. The Franciscan friars when they built the missions extend- ing from the Rio Grande to the Sa- bine kept complete records of their vxyn rlr fv, a{x 1f~gv, .~s- the various tribes of Indians and many of these records. with other papers re- lating to Spain's activity in settling the province of Texas, are now in Dos session of. the Catholic church. Were they translated from the Latin they would prove an invaluable addition to the history of the United States. Many of them are works of art, printed in vari-colored inks. still brilliant. on parchment brought from Spain, on sheets being we'll bound, several of the volumes having metal clasps. Records Preserved
 In the vaults of the office of the city clerk of San Antonio are numerous l records. reports of Spanish officers in command of the garrison of San Fer | nando. by which name San Antonio was known in the seventeenth and eigh- teenth centuries, and reports of meet ings of the city council after San An tonic became an American municipality when the flag of the republic of Texas | waved over the ruins of the Alamo, where Bowie, Travis and Crockett met death in their defense of the city against Santa Ana Tn the county clerks office are papers bearing the original signature of Spanish gover- nors and. American officers. like Bowie and Crockett. st
 When Theodore Roosevelt was here recruiting his rough riders he became interested in the unexploited field ot Texas history and promised that some day he would return and give the world it's first complete history of the Lone ] Star state. IA
 | r Most Curious Policy