The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume I

PAPERS OF ~IIR.\BEAU Buo APARTE L .H1IAR 173 thi e,use be left without plea or excuse ha,;ring wilfully committed an ,act of treachery by plighting her faith and forfeiting all her guaranties, she can never be allowed to take advantage of h~r own wrong. Let Texas then immediately clo e in with her, on her own terms; suffering her quietly to enjoy all the rights, pri,vilege and benefits which she can derive from the reign of anarchy or military despoti m. • But Texas is certainly not compelled to follow in her train; she i. left free to act for herself. Let her then act the wise and prudent part· by sustaining her elf within her own limits, under the au. pices of that con titution which . he has worn to sustain and support· and thereby leave nothing dependent on the action of the gen 'l government. Texas would then occupy a position which she has long desired; if not entirely as she wished, as nearly so as circumstances at present will pos ibly admit.. If she will act promptly and assume that position; it will be one against which the general, nor no other government in the world can take exception; ·and by that and no other legitimate means can i::be save herself from anarchy. I deem it all important, then, that Tex~s be immediately consulted by her repre. entatives from every section, (one or two from each jurisdiction would be uffi- cient) to meet in public council, to deliberate and d.etermine on the course the best calculated to protect and promote the intere. ts '>f Texa. at the present crisis. If, on a fair scrutiny and inves- tigation of my fellow-citi:i;ens, my views, (the outline of which is here delineated) should be found consistent, and to accord with the f!eneral interest, it would be well for t.h different ayunta- mientos of this D.epartment to issue their writ and hold their elections as usual, and make their returns as formerly, in order that all the municipal offices be filled out in conformity with the constitution and laws of which duties they are hereby notified and required to perform. In continuation, let the Central Commit- tee at San Felipe, by virute of the authority vested in them by the former conventions, imiµediately convoke the people of .aH Texas, through their representatives to meet in public council and formally protest against the further interference of Coahuila with- in her domain, and that in as much as she ha of her own choice forfeited hei;.... birth-right, and with it all the guarantie extended to her. in common with Texas, in the civil compact; that the latter by virtue of those guaranties declares herself henceforth and forever eparated and detached from the former; and that all acts emanating from the authorities of Coahuila. since her inovation, in any wi. e calculated to operate or interfere with the local or political affairs of Texas, will by her be considered as an infringement, and treated as null and void. Let all the offices which have been vacated (cau. ing. the present inter-regnum) pe as speedily as possible filled out, and as nearly in conformity with the pro- vision of the constitution as circumstanc~s will possibly admit, leaving nothing undone which would be in the least calculated to furnish within the limits of Texas a ·complete system of gov- ernment as designated by that instrument. Texas in doing this would not only act worthy oi, and afford herself. protection, but

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