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AMERICAN HISTOP..ICAL ASSOCIATIO~
It is necessary to take a retrospecti,·e Yiew to understand the cause of the evils that originated the disturbances at Anahuac. The arrest of the Commissioner of the State of Coahuila and Texas, Don Francisco Madero by Colonel Davis Bradburn: Commander of Anahuac- The suspension by military orders of the Constitu- tional .A..yuntamiento of Liberty-the creation of the Ayuntami- ento of Anahuac by the same power without the authorization or knowledge of the only Go,ernment lawfully competent to do so, The State of Coahuila and Texas. The arbitrary arrest and ex- pulsion of se.eral honorable citizens, by Colonel Da,is Bradburn- The arbitrary inten·ention of that Officer in preYenting an organiza- tion of a company of militia by the Ayuntamiento of ..Anahuac, and the arrest of said Officers of said company and finally numberless acts of despotism perpetrated by that military Commander ha,e caused the people on the Trinity to belieYe with reason that there were no constitution, la"s, or guaranty for the protection of person or property in that section, sa,e the law of might. The Go,ernment. of the State did not resist Colonel Bradburn's bold measures as it should ha,e done, and therefore the unfortunate inhabitants sank into despair, and I suppose pronounced them- sel,es in fa,or of Santa Ana whose 2xowed object is the reign of the Go,ernment and not that of whim and personal caprice. Con- sequently if there is an insurrection among the colonists it is for supporting the constitution and the honor of the )fexican flag, and not for attacking them. It has been said that the Colonists have insulted the Mexican flag; I dare answer that it is false; those who ha,e trampled upon the constitution: Laws, and guaranties under the authority of that honored flag are the ones to bear the reproach of the insult, and not the :Mexican citizens who resisted such abuses of power. All that has been said in regard to dangers for the integrity of the Territory of Texas, is a mere tale, which ser,es in ruining the progress of that unhappy Territory, by creating prejudice amongst the Mexicans, and disgust among the Colonists, thus disturbing pub- lic peace. Koman who is acquainted with Texaswillsayorthinktbatit ought to secede from Mexico, supposing that it were in its power so to do. I am well aware as to what is the true interest of that country, and know the opinion of the people and therefore I su.y, that werr. the Government to declare that Texas was free to secede or not, The answer of the inhabit.ants would be, "Let the Constitution of the nation and State be obserYed, and we will never consent to such a secession." I beg to insist on this point in order to enable you to make a ~is- tinction between a lawful opposition to infractions of the Constitu-
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