THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 1125 unfortunately drawn them, I forbore to exercise the authority vested in me in such cnses.-Unfortunately, my forbearance has Leen mis- construed, and has produced the opposite effect to that which was hoped for and expected.-It has been attributed to timidity, to a consciousness that I lacked authority, or, to a conviction that I had violated the .instructions of the Government and to many other things of this nature.-.- The public peace is now disturbed, and the minds of many of tile settlers publicly disquieted by the acts of these contentious men. It has therefore become an imperious, tho' a painful duty, to change the mild course which has heretofore regulated my conduct, ·and to bring them before -the tribunals of the Government to answer for their conduct.-.-So many misrepresentations, ,(arising probably from misconceptions,) have been propagated relative to .my acts, as well as to those of other officers of the Government who were united with me in the .organization of this .new colony, that, I owe it to myself, as well as to every quiet and well-disposed settler, to request a public investigation·of all my ·acts and conduct of a public nature, since I came •to this Nation.-.-I approve of the principle that every public officer is amendable to the law for his official acts.-It is the only solid basis upon which free institutions can rest.-I hold myself responsible for mine, and have already requested, and shall again, and again request of .the Government, that they should be publicly examined. :I recognize also, as one of the dearest privileges of freemen the principle, that, every. person has a· right to seek redress of grievances, and, lawfully to meet, and petition the Gov-: ernment for that purpose, and I would ever be ·ready.to lend my feeble aid at any such meeting.-propedy ·convened.~or th.e public good. • An invitation for a Meeting has been made and secretly circulated by an individual whose turbulent and refractory. disposition has long disturbed the.peace and public order, purporting ,to have fo1'.,its object an investigation of my authority, and with a.view" to shake off the Yoke and disperse that dark cloud that. hns so Jong kept the settlers in darkness." •As regards this :Meeting, I will merely observe that, it has been prop·osed in open violation of _the laws of the la~d, and particularly that of the 10 th January 1824, for those laws require an application to t-he constituted authorities; and no such application has been made. This invitation proposes "to shalc_e off tlie yolce.'.' ,vhat yoke~ the words have but one meaning-they. are plain, and the inference direct, which is the Yoke of the Governme11,t.-.- . Fellow Citizens, are ,you· prepared to join any man j~ _an open rebellion against the government, under which ·you ~~ve Y<?luntn.rily
Powered by FlippingBook