362
TEXAS ST.\TE LlBR.\RY
ARTICLE 4. All the judges and tribunal. of the icta1e., 1111d the ad- ministration of just ice shall continue as heretofore, until the organic laws relative to thi branch be formed. The re. ponsibilitie of the fnnctionarie , which could· only be inve. tigated before congress, shall be referred to and concluded before the Supreme Court of the nation. ARTICr.E 5. · All the subaltem Officers of the state shall al o con- tinue for the present (the place which are vacant, or which may be vacated, not to be filled) but they a well as the officers. re\"enues, and branches under their charge remain ubject to and at the disposal of the supreme government of the nation by means of their re. pcctiYe governors. ¥10UEL B.\RR.\O.\N, President Pro fem. i\L\l\"'UEC, D1As nE BoNH,L.,, Secretary of state. City of ,lfe.:rico. October 3d, 1835. You have now before you, gentlemen the decree, which, as you will perceive. annihilates the tate iiovcrnments. and makt'. all of their officer , even the most subaltern, dependent upon the will of a military de. pot. In order the more effectually to pre\'ent all resistance to this unholy, revolutionary and central despoti. m. the ame con~re. , prior to the decree of October 3d, enacted that the whole population be disarmed, leaving only one !WU to 500 citizens. Against these t:vrannical pro- ceedings, the legislature of Coahuila and Texas protested. That body was immediately dispersed by the troops of the despot. The governor in his flight wa overtaken and imprisoned. It was the misfortune of the lamented .Afi"lam. who was at this time 1·eturni11g from the seat of government to his home in Texas, to be found in company ,nth the governor. For tl1j , in their e timatiou, dreadful offence, and for no other a sii:med or a signable one. he too, was thrown into confinement. After . evcral month. of imprisonment, he wa enabled to effect his c. cape, and he immediately started for Texas. In order to elude the pursuit of hi. mercilegs enemie., he travelled six hundred miles without a road, prosccnting. his journey in the night, and secreting himself durina the day. Throughout this dangerous and protracted journey, he subsisted alone on some few articles of food which he contrived to obtain on his escape from confinement, for he dared not show hi face at any habitation. Early in October last, near the town of Goliad. in Trxa:,, his attrn- tion was aroused by the approach of soldiers. He at fir t, natnrnlly enough conceived that he was overtaken by his enemies, and knowing that if he fell again into their hands, he would be subjeet<-'d to death or endless impri onmcnt, although a. one to fifty, he prepared to sell his life as clearly as po ible. How did his heart rebound, howe,•cr, when on their n<.'nrcr 11.ppronch, he disco,·ered that the:e soldiers were his 'I'cxian rmmtt·YmC'n. on their march to storm the 1\fcxican j?arri on at Goliad f The.\' fnrni hed him with some clothing, of which he wns de titnt<.', nnd with food, for the want of which he was nearly famished. In a few moment: he joined the little band, and as some 1,mnll reven~c for the injuries, so cansclcssly nnd cruelly inflicted on himself, he hna the snt isfaction
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