[1376] [AUSTIN lo BARRETT]
San Felipe de Austin, Dec. 3, 1835.
To D. C. Barrett, Esq. Dear Sir,
I have just received your note of this dale, in which you request my opinion, as lo calling a convention, without delay, on the plan of equality of representation, as nearly as practicable. In two communications, which I have made to the provisiorial government, under dale 30th ult. and 2 inst., I took a view of the present political situation of the country, which has a close connection with the subject of your enquiry. I refer you lo them, as those communications were of an official character; the object of which was lo slate facts, as I understood them. I gav""e no opinion as to when the convention should be called, believing it lo be more proper to leave the provisional government to draw its own conclusions. The present communication is of a different character: I am directly called upon lo give an opinion. I should comply with this request with great diffidence, did I not believe that the prudence and betler judgment of the council (to which you say it will be submitled by you, as chairman of the committee on state affairs,) will detect any inacuracies or false positions it may contain. The general consultation of Texas was elected al a time when the country was distracted by popular excitements, produced by the diversity of opinions which naturally resulted from the disbelief of some that the federal system would be destroyed, or was even attacked, the excited and intemperate zeal of others, and the general want of certain information in all. It could not be reasonably expected that a body elected under such circumstances, would be entirely free from the conflicting opinions that prevailed amongst their constituents, or that a clear and positively definite position would be taken by it. The majority of Texas, so far as an opinion can be formed, from the acts of the people at their primary meetings, was dccideclly in favor of declaring in positive, clear and unequivocal terms, for the federal constitution of 1824, and for the organi1.ation of local govern- ment, either as a slate of the Mexican confederation, or
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