366
TEX.\S
TATE LmR.\RY
them on a ba is, which, without being a prophet, I venture to ~· ert will be codurable with the libertie of this laud of Washington. I repeat it again and again. l\Iexico can never conquer Texas. Her armie may be for a time ucces ful, but they will only be masters of the ground they occupy. We are not congregated in great citie as in Franee or Eng-land, where the conque t of London or Paris is the conquest of the whole country. Our situation re emblcs more the indomitable cythian of old in their forest fastne · e!. Our inhabi- tants can e~ ily retire before a pur uing enemy. But if they tem- porarily 1etire, it will only be to return with redoubled nnmber , and recuperated enerrry. Yes! returu they will, month after month, and year after year, until their object is accompli bed. The tears of every orphan, the shriek of every widow, and the blood of every martyred patriot, wm only more certainly and suddenly seal the doom of their barbarian invaders. If thou and offer up their live., there will ti)] be lives to offer. All will gloriously persevere until relieved of the mi cry of a slavi. h existence, or until their tyrannic oppre. s:irs are made to feel and 1."now, from blood-bought experience, that ''Freedom' battle once be!!tm, But, gentlemen, Texas requires immediate pecuniary aid in orc:k!r to feed and clothe her gallant soldier.. and jhereby accompli h at one , what must ncccs arily be her ultimate de tiny. Without this pecuniary aid a ternporary triumph of despoti m over liberty will take place. Without it, the darkne s of midnight will glitter w:ith the blaze of her dwellings, her soil will drink the blood of her bravest citizen., and the air be rent with the wailings of the widow and the fatberk . Will they, can they, who gcnerou ly and promptly re. ponded to i!nd re- lieYed the sufferings of Greece and Poland turn a deaf ear to thefr :imploring brethren of Texas? Shall suppliant Greece and Poland be heard and aided, and the blood of Texas '' sink in the p-round T'' Shades of our ance tors forbid it! Forbid it hean'n ! Gentlemen, aaain nud ag-ain I appeal to you for succour. I £eel it a glorion occupation to plead in so noble a cau e. I invoke you by every principle of honour, by every feeling of humanity, by every obligation of blood, by your devotion to liberty, and your detestation of oppre ion, to step nobly forward, entitle yourselves to the prayers and ble in s 0£ tbc di - trc sed, and embalm your name. in a nation' gratitude. Do honor to the memories of your departed ance tor -do honor to thi con cerated land of your birth-do honor to the Anglo- n.xon A1nerican race-do honor to the enlightened age in which we live-do honor to the acred cau c in which we are embarked, and more e. pecially do honor to this great commercial metropolis, i'cw-York, and enable her fntmc hi.- torian to ay, with truth and exultation, that although the nil of her commerce whiten every ca, and the lumi of a million animate her streets, yet tl1at her generous ardour and munifie<'11ce in the eansc of liberty and bleeding Tcxa , constitute for her a renown, far more impcri hable and dear to the oul. I will turn your attention for a momrnt, gentlemen, to the intrinsic rrs~urecs of 'l'<'xas. Its soil is 11nsurpas. ed by that of any country on Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son, 'l'ho' baffled oft-is surely won." ·
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