dulies lo perform. I have no wish lo trouble the public, bu l their interests I will protect. The imputations were strong, pointed, and they fell them as I intended they should. They have published their own infamy to the world, by way of creating their sympathy. In my private correspondence I screened their president, but in my public I dare not. He was a stranger to me, and lo most of you; and as such, I had no wish to impeach him, and was willing to make every possible allowance; but his conduct proves him lo be a vain man, and easily tickled into office. It is a bad omen lo see a man attempt to climb over what he vainly conceives lo be another's ruin, and seize with avidity the gubernatorial reins, intercept the public correspondence, and proclaim himself the governor of the la.nd. I say to him, he walks on deceitful ashes, underneath which there is fire. My own claims are slight enough, not having emanated from the people, but from a convention of the representatives of the people. He derives his authority from a bold assumption of power, aided by a goaded Council, and in part corrupt, insignificant in numbers, and who are only the representatives of the representatives of a very small portion of the people of Texas. They, however, seem to think that the fate of the country is in their hands, and depends solely on their continued presence in the Council Hall, and that their adjournment will bring down inevitable ruin on the country: but, fellow-citizens, I feared they had too much the fate of the country in their hands, was one grand reason why I wished them adjourned. If I should be permilled lo judge, I would suppose the planetary system would receive no great shock; that the sun would continue to rise and set, as formerly; and the earth continue its rotary motion, and we would still be blessed with seed time and harvest; and that if the wheels of this government, now put in motion, should, from any cause, become clogged or impeded, they were notified that they would be immediately called by proclamation. I know my duties, and I know my powers. I am well aware I had not the power lo adjourn the Council without their co-operation or consent; but I knew I could cul off their correspondence with my department, and prevent them from doing further mischief unlil the Convenlion mel, and be accountable to the people for so doing. I also well knew they did not make, nor can they break me. For my conduct, I am amenable to my peers, and not lo the Council: they have long been without
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