PAPERS OF MrnABE.\U BuoNAPARTE L.nrAR 325 tures of the "'Overnment, and ere-ct in its stead ab olute DESPOTISM. He a erted in his single person the right to dissolve the council, and to retain in his own hands .all power~the right to convene and dissolve them at pleasure,-to censure or approve their conduct in official communications, and to control & direct the reins of gov- ernment with their assistance or without, as wh.im and caprice in- fluence him. His order to the council to dis olve was not only a despotic usurpation of power, but was the most daring 'insult on the intelligence and moral virtue of a free people that modern times record. Permitted to pass unpunished for the time, he gathers con- ofidence and daring, and proceeded to the secret organization of a party to sustain him in his traitorous course-and having, as he con- ceived, perfected his plans, on the 2nd inst., sent'to the general council of Texas the following communication. 43 · No •doubt any longer existing of the treason of the said Henry Smith-and the fact being manifest that his intention was to appea1 to the military-that the civil authority was to be put down, and military rule established, the general council have caused the said Henry Smith to be served with a copy of charges of treason to be · preferred· against him and have notified him to answer the same before t-he next convention. And in as much as the secret opposition which he has effected may assume an imposing appearance and be productive of _the most horrid and ruinous eonsequences I have thought it ~y duty to make a full exposition of my views, & of the course I shall pursue-peTsuaded that the people of Texas only re- quire to be informed of what is their duty, to induce them to per- form it, and anxiously desiring to preserve any from pursuing the cour e of treason which bas been marked out, and saving them from the consequences which will most ceruiinly befal[l] them should they persist in opposition to the Government. l\Iany per ons I am aware have disputed the right of the General Consultation to establish the present form of Government. The purity of their motivE!'s I am not disposed to question-that objec- tion bas been confined to no one particular party or set of men. And knowing that when critically examined much truth and force is found in the objection I am not di posed to attribute to them any other motives than an anxious desire to see the Government estab- lished on a clear and undisputed basis, and a disposition to resist any exercise -of power by the people's agents not clearly delegated. But altl10ugh sncb may be the fact, and although this sort of objec- tion at first, may have been not altogether unauthorised; at the present period it is undoubtedly so. ·we have proceeded too far to retrace our steps. The Consultation, whether cloathed with au- thority or not, did establish the present form of government. It has been in operation for three month . The various Judicial and political officers throughout Texas have been appointed by this Government, and we have to sustain it from necessity. Destroy this Govern- ment, and what is the consequence? Anarchy, worse than despotism will reign and rule and govern with desoluting vengeance. mbition will prompt the daring and unprincipled to seize upon the disorder of the times, and a Robispierre may arise among you, ruling with his . .
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