68
TEXAS ST.\TE LIBIURY
11t thi place on the first :Monday in February next 6 ' to draw up a declaration of Independence, and to organize a government fow1ded upon the .fundamental [priuci] ples of the [inalien]able rights of man L••........•.......•..•........••. J proper [..................................... ] the most implicit confidence that you feel as we do, aud that you are no longer willing to risk your property, your liberties and your live under the ty:rannic way of a military despotism. Fellow citizens, we need not here recapitulate the lawles and re- peated outrages that too many of om citizens have had to endure. ·we were enticed from our native country under the promise of im- portant advantage to our familie , and by a guaranty of our right and liberties. We have been basely deceived in all their promise , and we know not now that we have a valid title to one foot of land in the Province of Texa . Lands have been granted and taken away at the mere will and plea ·ure of a corrupt and pre-judiced Governor, without any regards to the forms of Justice, or the right of the ,Judicial department of the government. Our slaves have been at- tempted to be taken from us and set at liberty; and even the most favorable i sue of that ubject a. is now anticipated would be the ruin of our country and of our every.hope and prospect in it. )lilitary despotism has been substituted for that liberty which was promised a our shield and protection. Our citizens have without 11otice of a charge against them, been se[ize]d by a brutal [sold]iery at the point of the [bayonetl and rhand]cuffed and <.kag..,ed into exile, their property seized and destroyed [ ..................... ) ~t the will of a petty tyrant-and all these things sanctioned by the government under which we live. Great God! can you any longer hesitate, fellow citizens, what to do f Did our fathers who are now· no more, he itate what to do when they were oppres ed 7 . 'o, thrfr blood ran in willing torrent upon the altar of Liberty, when their rights were invaded. hall their sons do le sY Forbid it, Almighty God! ·what have we to fear in uch a contest1 What have we to l1ope from such a corrupt a11d perfidiou "Overnment 1 hall wr sit with our arms folded in fatal security, irntil we are bound in chains nud slavery? No. fellow citizen , we have nothin_!? to hope for, but in our arms. ThE'y will guaranty rig-hts that will not he wrested from ns. Let ns then join heart and hand in the noble strn~1dc fo1· our liberties. We are the children of the same :Mother Country, we are Americans in a foreign land, groanin" under the gallinl? yoke ot inju. tice and opprc.s ion. Onr father in their struggle for Liberty, e:ontended a_gain t the giant of the world [ ..................... ] corrupt and imbecile government [......................... ] own founclaticn, and ready to crnml.Jle r down) it former r..... , ...... -1 '\\'e for om· ·rives haV<' no fear. of a sp<'edy e tahli. hm<'nt of our In- «Edwards was apparently unable to wait until February, however, for a formal declaration or Independence was signed on Der.. 31, 1826. In the Austin Papers, under date of Feb. 1837, Is a list of documents loaned from that collection to Lamar to o.Id him In his wrltln~. This list shows that the above mentioned dedo.ratlon was borrowed from the Auslln Pnpers by La.m:ir. Since then, however, It has evidently been lost; for It Is In neither collection at present.
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