277
THE AUSTIN PAPERS
of- the last election. At that time the form of government.was not changed by any act which had the influence or the character of law; it now is by the decree of the 3 rd of October last. At that time the state government ex- isted; at this, no such thing as a state exists, not even in name. The decree of the 3rd of October has converted them into departments, without any legislative powers whatever, and entirely subject to the orders of the presi- dent and central government in Mexico. Again, the representation in the consultation was very unequal, a prin- ciple that should be cautiously avoided, so far as practicable, in a body that is to settle the political destinies of a community where all are equally interested. The consultation, foreseeing that such a crisis as the present might ar- rive, has very wisely provided for the calling a convention by the .pro- visional government; and I am clearly of opinion it ought to be done with the least possible delay. Another weighty reason in favor, is that the world are not yet sufficiently informed or enlightened on the causes or the merits of the present conflict. The people of Texas have been, and now are accused of being ungrateful rebels, who have repaid the favors and bounties of the nation with ingrati- tude and rebellion. This accusation is unfounded and unjust. That indi- viduals have committed imprudences and even excesses, and by so doing, have injured the character and the best interests of Texas, by giving a pre- text to our enemies to confound the whole of the people with those indi- viduals may be true; but when the causes of such excesses are sought for, they will be found to have proceeded from bad government, bad legislation, bad administration, or no government at all. Is this the fault of Texas? Whenever the people here have tried t~ get a local organization of govern- ment, in order to correct and punish such excesses, they have been treated as rebels; so that the people are denounced because the want of local gov- ernment produces anarchy; and when ever they attempt to apply a remedy, they are treated as ungrateful rebels! This country has been redeemed from the wilderness by the people who now live in it, and without any cost to the general government or to the nation. The 'settlers were stimulated to persevere and to overcome the most appalling difficulties, by the express guarantees of a liberal system of government, and of the right of self-gov- ernment in their internal affairs, as a state of the Mexican confederation. The lands thus received were granted and sold by the state of Coahuila and Texas, and not by the general government, (except a few old grants, pre- vious to the establishment of the federal system) ; and it is worthy of notice, that one of the crimes attributed to the authorities of Coahuila and Texas by the general government, as justification for its military intervention, was a granting of their lands; and yet the general government claims all the
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