The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume I

184

TEXAS STA'l'E LIBRARY

this she does not only protect herself from anarchy; but retrieves her violated constitution; and at the same time evades collision. .N"ot being able to ·correct or remove the existing evil, she should with prudence and promptness count«?ract its effects; and be ever found in the faithful discha.rge of her constitutional duties. The plea of physical inability, if plead at the proper time, will be a suf- ficient justification, before that tribunal whose duty it is to patiently hear and redress her grievances. 'l'hese evils have been thrown in upon Texas without her agency or consent; let her then not partic- ipate and become an accessary, by quiet submission; but promptly repel them, on the immutable principles of justice, by counteracting their effects. 1£ Texas should remain inactive, submitting herself to circumstances, she has every thing at hazard; being as she evidently now is, witl1out government; without law; ,vith a con- stitution violated and trampled under foot, existing only in name- ' in a word in a, complete state of anarchy and confusion. When a calamity like this happens to a constitutional and law biding ' people, the power which they have transferred and vested in their depositories, for the mutual benefit and better government of the whole, in conformity with the provisions of the civil compact; immediately reverts to the sovereign people, from whom all power is originally derived. A people theu, thus situated, must so remain, until they determine to re-organize by· the proper appointment, of new agents, in whom they can confide; in order that a healthy and legitimate actiou may be again restored to the complicated machin- ery of government. This is the course pointed out by reason, and warranted by the laws of nature. It must appear evident to every man of sense; that if Texas re- main quiet and inactive, that Coahuila in herself constituting a ma- jority, has it completely in her power to dispose of her destinies; that she can change the form. of government at will; that she can paralyze and ruin her interests at pleasure; and by thus infringing bring about collision, and revolution. Texas by her }aches, having left herself without plea or excuse; having failed to plead at the proper time, and before the proper tribunal, becomes at once the creature of circumstances; compelled to submit herself to a goYcrn- mcut formed without her agency 01· consent. It is evident then, by failing to redeem her pledge .L,y actmg cc11- stit11tionally, she leaves every thing at hazard. The Central Committee te11s you, that they are assured that the difficulties in Coahuila are all settled, and the government will soon be restored to its proper functions. Now I must admit that this would be a degree of political juggling with which I have never yet )Jecome acquaiutcd; and I very much doubt whether even the as- :sistance of the committee would be sufficient to restore every thing to its proper action; for it is very evident that however trifling thl• cause which has hecn the means of producing· so great an evil, that it will at least require the action of the whole people to restore th1• Government to its proper function.-We will admit for the snke of argument, that Coahuila becoming penitent had determined to re- trace her steps, by reinstating all the civil authorities which she

Powered by