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TE..'u\S STATE LIBRARY
the national dignity of Texa , in a communication, before the low abuse of whlch Belling gate slang covers in shame. 2nd. He attempted to dissolve the Council by his own mandate threatening rigidly to execute it IJefore refu al wa made, thereby committing an avert act of trea on against the Government. 3rd. By bis own aet be cut off all communication with the govern- ment, thereby rendering the office of Governor vacant, and render- ing the in tahnent of the Lieutenant Governor necessary and al o the suspen ion of the said Smith. By the 3rd and 4th ection of the Organic Law the Governor is made the Executive office alone to execuie the-orders and decrees of the Council, and without the con- currence of both department no action can be had. The cutting off of communication by him, if acquiesced in by the Council, would have been a di solution of the goYernment, .and was a result which their duty "·oulcl not suffer them to permit. To attempt an argument shewing that he had no right to order the Council to adjourn, would oe an insult upon your under tand- ing. Born and reared under the benignant influence and protection of a Pree Government, you all know that no uch riO'ht in him existed. Look back upon the history of your w_hole lives, and en- quire whether you ever heard of the exerci e of uch a power by the Governor of any one of tl1e states? Your recollection will convince you that none ·'uch ever wa exerci ed. And that a claim to such a power avowed by any Governor in that Rcpuhlic would have hurled him in ignominy from his station. I quote here the remarks of the great American orator, Mr. Clay, as to the relative powers of the Executive and Legislative Departments. "There seems to be, (said l[r. Clay,) a great mi conception in reference to the real motives and character of the Legi lative & Executive .function . The former is in it nature deliberative, and involves necessarily free di cussion and a full expre sion of opinion on all subjects of a pJ.1blic interest. The latter is essentially the power of executing, and has no power of deliberation, beyond a cer- taining the meaning of the law, and carrying its enactments into execution, and even within this limited sphere, its construction of powers are formed under respon ibility 11ot only to public opinion, but also to the LEGISLATIVE department of the Government.'' Look, fellow citizens, to the history of other nations, and when do you find such a right claimed T By romwell and Bonaparte and Santa Auna. Do you not now recollect with what feelings of in- dignation you read the account of the driving of onj:!rc s from their seat by the military minion of Santa Anna t .and can you now . it composed & hear th<' same doctrines aYowed J,y men high in office in your own country Vand patiently and 11nconccrncd witne the commi. sion of tlie amc acts of Despotic ontrai?e of your own Representatives in your own free Texas T Dut if the mere cl!lim to such a power ii; so revolting to yonr notion of Rt>puhlicnn con titu- tional Governmrnt, . o monstrou to your sight, so <lawninl? in )'om· e. timatio11, in wl111t light must you vi<'W hi. la t commnnication to the council, threatening their arre t, and trnn mis ·ion to Dejar to be tried by martial law t Fellow citizens of Texas, proud of yonr Anglo-American de cent
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