system, who are now groaning in prisons or wandering in exile-let the Constitutional of 1824, which still raises its dying voice from beneath the feet of military usurpation-let the free and impartial in Mexico and in the whole civilized world give the reply. They all ::my, he used il lo destroy what he avowed he had taken up arms to protect; hw used the federal party as blind instruments lo destroy the federal system; he abandoned his federal friends who had given him power, and united with the military, ecclesiastical and central party, against whom he took up arms in 1832. The same party is now governing in Mexico, and they say to the people of Texas, in the language of friendship and persuasion-in that of sugar-plums and honey, that in the new Constitution, or central government that is orgaizing in Mexico, guarantees shall be given to the people of Texas, their rights shall be protected and secured, and they are told that the government expects from their "docility" a submission to all the reforms and alterations that may be agreed to by the majority of the nation. See the official letter of the .Minister of Relations, a translation of which is published at the end of this paper, numbered I. But who compose, and what is this majority of the nation spoken of by the minister, and how are · these reforms to be effected? It is composed of the same military power before spoken of, who have assumed the voice of the nation, and have suppressed, by military influence, the expression of public , opinion; and the reforms are to be effected by unconstitu Lional means; a sufficient proof of which is, that the present Congress in Mexico, who was elected with constitutional powers alone, have, by their own act, declared themselves to be invested with the powers of a national convention, to frame a new constitution, or reform that of 1824 as they think proper. Whal is here meant by "reforming" the Const-itution of 1824, may be clearly deduced by the "reform" of the militia made by this same general Congress. This "reform" reduced the militia made by this same general Congress. This "reform" reduced the militia of the States· to one militiaman for every five hundred inhabitants, and disarmed all the rest. The people of Zacatecas resisted this iniquitous law, but were unfortunate and compelled, for the time being, to submit to the military power of the reformer: so that, in fact, "reform" means destruction.
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