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TEXAS STA'J.'E LIBRARY
changes of the times, have not extend<'d to any who are gathered around this social board. As I cast my eyes over the company, I 1·ecognize many, very many of the devoted friend of State Rights with whom I mingled and acted in 1830. 1 ~evertheles there are faces which I saw then, that I do not meet with now. ,vhy are they ab ent on occasions like this? Have they grown lukewarm in the cau e they once-espoused with so much ardour? Have they grown cool to their former friends; and become alienated to their early faith? Ala.. , I am told that many who once fought shoulder to shoulder with u in the State Right 's rank , are now to be found under the standard of the ancient foe. I will not ~top to enquire who they are; nor into the causes of their apo. tacy. If they arc honest in their dereliction, I lament their mental delusion; if otherwise, I leave them to the in- flictions of a guilty conscience and to the corpion chastisement of public scorn. Turning then from all the deserters of principle , per- mit me to hail this little band of Spartan heroes, who stil11·ally around the banner of their country's rights. Brave a ociates in a common cause, welcome to you all! I rejoice to meet you on this occasion. I rejoice to find no change in your principles; no abatement of your feelings. I rejoice that you are still the same ardent and tmcorrnpted defender of violated liberty. Since last we met, I ha, 1 e seen Villiany triumph over virtue; I have seen truth honor, patriotism, - every enobling principle of man. all . acrifised upon the altar of unhallowed ambition and c11pidity. I have een your State in ulted and derided -her rights, her character, her Sovereirnty all pro trated by military domination. I have een your Chief Magi trate · the cont<.'mptible Executive of an Endependent tate, quail like a guilty craven at the glance of a tyrant' ·eye: And I have seen a free people, when their oil was invaded & their fellow citizen murdered by armed soldiery sinl,? ho. anna to the invader ·a11d spaniel-like, meanly lick the hand that ba ely smote them. Surely my friend none of you could have been of this number. Surely none of you have participated in these scene of corruption & cowardice. 'Did yott rejoice when the federal bayonet bristled upon your border T Did you give a pu ylanimous sanction to the murder of yQur brave fellow citizen, Owens, because his blood wa shed by order of a Chieftan whom you ba ely feared f Do you con titute any portion of that popnlation who bow to wron"S from cowardise; who .barter liberty for gold & office, and are slave. from instinct f Xo, no, uch i not the character of tate Right men. Around this beard, I ee intelligence in every eye and integrity on every brow; and can uch people be the/ oes, - no they arc the friends of their State. I see no countenance here, on which villiany is en- throned; I ee no one here, who.e hand are tnined with crime, - whose character i darkened with infamy, - who e life is a hy tory of guilt, brutality and profli1,?aey: I , cc no abandoned out-law, - no sharp-eyed windier - no convicted felon; and not meeting with any such I take it for granted that you arc all the friend. ·of yom tate, devoted to her welfare, and arc ever ready to make your breast the shield of her rights and your hands the avcn er of her wrongs. Brave companions - incorruptible patriots - here i my heart and hand; "I giue yo,t all, I cun no more ', a heart that bC'ats warmly in th cau. or
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