276
THE AUSTIN PAPERS
them. I gave po opinion as to when the convention should be called, be- lieving it to be more proper to leave the pr"visional government to draw its own conclusions. • The present communication is of a different character: I am directly called upon to give an opinion. I should comply with this request with great diffidence, did I not believe that the prudence and better judgment of the council (to which you say it will ~e submitted by you, as chairman of the committee on state affairs,) will detect any inacuracies or false posi- tions it may contain. The general consultation of Texas was elected at a time when the country was distracted by popular excitements, produced by the diversity of opin- ions which naturally resulted from the disbelief of some that the federal system would be destroyed, or was even attacked, the excited and intem- perate zeal of others, and the general want of certain information in all. It could not be reasonahly expected that a body elected under such circum- stances, would be entirely free from the conflicting opinions that prevailed amongst their constituents, or that a clear and positively definite position would be taken by it. The majority of Texas, so far as an opini.on can be formed, from the acts of the people at their primary meetings, was de- cidedly in favor of declaring in positive, clear and unequivocal terms, for the feder·al constitution of 1824, and for the organization of local govern- ment, either as a state of the Mexican confederation, or provisionally, until the authorities of the state of Coahuila and Texas could be restored. This measure was absolutely necessary to save the country from anarchy; for it was left without any government at all, owing to the dispersion and im- prisonment of the executive and legislative authorities, by the unconstitu~ tional intervention of the military power. Some individuals were also in favor of independence, though no public meeting whose proceedings I have seen, expressed such an idea. We have seen the consequence of these conflicting opinions, i-n the decla- ration made by the c~nsultation, on the 7 th of the last month. It is not en- tirely positive and definite in its character. Whether or not the crisis in w~h Texas is now placed, can be met and sufficiently provided for, by a position which admits of construction in its application, is a matter of opinion; as for myself, I believe it cannot. The character of the struggle in which Texas is engaged, is now clearly developed; it evidently is one of life or death, "to be, or not to be." It is no longer a mere question about the forms of political institutions; it is one of self-preservation. Texas is menaced with a war of extermination: •the government of Mexico has so proclaimed it. The people now under- stand their situation, and consequently are much better prepared to elect public agents to provide against such a danger, than they were at the time
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