Year: 1866

tStmiHcu u COuteSI tHttf DIate dJ neF Gu
suing election, though without hope OF
success That is right. Though they
should now poll but Ten Thousand votes,
they will have gained by organization a
status and knowledge of each other
which will be of immense value to them
in the future. Every year will increare
their numbers and their influence, until
the decay of the rebel spirit will give
them the ascendeney. IF all men voted
there would be majority now;with two,
thirds of their number denied the Right
of Suffrage by Rebel Convention, they
must "learn to labor and to wait" The
following is their platform:


81. That we are unalterably devoted
to our republican form of government, as
established by the patriots of 1776, and
that we depounce the assumption of those
who seek to justify the late Rebellion by
declaring that republican institutions
have proved to be failure; that we have
no sympathy with monarchists or imper-
ialists, but fondly hope that our free in
stitutions may endure to the latest pos
terity; to which end we pledge ourselves
to contribute, as much as in us lies, by a
hearty and undertaking support of the
constitutional authority of the Govern
ment of the United States and of the
State.


"2. That we fully recognize the su-
premacy of the Constitution of the Unit.
ed States, and of the laws made in pur-
suance thereof; that we believe it was
wisely ordained that they should be the
supreme law of the land, In all the States
Of the Union, anything in the Constitu-
tion and laws of the State TO the contrary
Notwithstanding; that we regard the un-
ion of the States, under the Constitution,
as the best guarantee of civil liberty to
the American people, and that under the
benign influence of the Union, we and
our posterity may reasonably hope to en-
Joy the fullest protection for life and
property, and the largest measure of pros
perity and happiness.


3. That we hold the act of Secession,
adopted in convention, at the city of Aus
tin, on the first day of February, A. ID,
1861, to have been in violation of the
Constitution of the United States, and OF
the constitutional obligations of the State
of Texas to the other States of the Union,
and, therefore, null and void from the be-
ginning.


"a. That we feel, in its full force, the
obligation which rests upon the whole
people of the United States to maintain
the National credit; and to that end we
pledge ourselves to give hearty support
to the National Government in all proper
efforts for the liquidation and discharge
of the public debt; and we will oppose
every effort to repudiate the same, and
| every effort to burden the loyal people Of
the United States with the debt of the
Confederate States, or any portion of it.
"5. That we have undated confidence
that the wisdom and patriotism of the
President of the United States, and Of
the representatives of the people in Con-
gress assembled, will prove adequate to
the task of guiding the country safely
through the perils and difficulties of the
present time, and of restoring the States
to their constitutional relations to each
other, in such manner that the great prin.
ciples of constitutional liberty will be al
the same time vindicated and preserved
"6. That we acquiesce sincerely in the
act of the nation abolishing Slavery; and
that we will endeavor to ameliorate the
condition of the freed people in our midst
by treating them with justice, and by &C
cording to them, not grudgingly, but will
lingly and heartily, the rights which are
now, or may hereafter be-. secured to then
by the Constitution and the laws.


az. That we proclaim anew the liberty
of speech and of the press, and the righ
of the people to assert and publish theil
opinions upon all subjects touching tn,
public welfare; thatupon the preservation
of these inestimable rights depend tn,
permanent existence and value of repub
lican government; that their suppression
in this State, during the past five years
was both ruinous and despotic, and tina
we hold it to be one Of the highest dutie
of the people to rally to their reassertion
and to fix them upon immovable founda
tions.


"S. That our form of Government re-
poses upon the intelligence of the people
and that an honest and patriotic devctio.
to its great principles is entirely consist
ent with individual freedom of opinion
That we fully recognize the fact that YER


grave questions are now for the first tim
presented to the people, and that we


therefore, freely tolerate difference Q
opinion upon all subjects not embraces
within the foregoing propositions.