TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
494
the blood of an unoffending people, quietly ·engaged in the peaceful pur- suits of private life; for it is not against them we war but against the unhallowed dynasty that rules the nation with a rod of iron and walks alike over the liberties of man and laws of God. Behold that dynasty, even now, trampling on every principle of free- dom, humanity and Justice-destroying all t:anquility and order-de-- throning the supremacy of. the laws-gathermg taxes by the sword- filling the nation with robbers, and giving to the injured and exposed no redress or protection-and then becoming alarmed at the conse- quences, behold them stripping the people of their arms, and turning upon them with merciless violence tQ_ silence their complaints or quell the resistance which such oppression could not fail to provoke. People of Santa Fe,-do you not feel and see these things? And how do you expect to escape from them? do not flatter yourselves with the delusive hope that you will soon be relieved from the grasp of despotism by the final triumph of liberty in Mexico. This can never happim. there is no redeeming spirit in that country to save her from the anarchy and ruin to which the vices of her rulers have doomed her. The sangui- nary strife which is now going on, and which has been bloodying the Land for the last few years, like all the proceeding struggles is nothing more than an unhallowed contention between ambitious aspirants, who are seeking their own elevation only and are animated by no other feel- ings than the love of rapine and murder It matters not which succeeds, whether the Federal or the Central party, the consequences will be the same-the plundering of the people, and tho defilement of the nation. Mexico has now existed more than twenty years as an independent na- tion, and during that period, what' has been her history? It has been one of slaughter, desolation and depravity. instead of assuming as she was capable pf doing an honorable rank among the civilized nations, she plunged, from the very hour of her emancipation, into civil broils of the most ferocious character; and has been doing the work of destruc- tion and death, upon her own people from the days of Iterbide, down to the present period. The only cessation from blood, has been the necessary pauses for refitting the veins of the victim:,. Wearied and dis- heartened at these interminable strifes and equally deploring the uni- versal in:famy which they have brought upon the character of the coun- try, the genuine patriots of the land are now looking to the establish- ment of a regulated despotism, as the only escape from the all horible reign of faction, whose spirit has so long directed the destinies of the country, and which still presides like a demon monarch enthroned upon the liberties of the people, with the sword for his minister and his motto-''havoc and spoils, and ruin are my gain." Slight not, then, feHow citizens, the overtures · which Texas now makes to you, you are not invited to amalgamate with a Nation of doubtful stability or declining .fortunes; but on the contrary, to unite with a well organized and energetic Government whi~h posse~ the wil- lingness and the ability to vindicate its rights and_protect its citizens. You are are not called upon to make a change of masters, but to become freemen; and by ' identifying yourselves with an invincible people, to enter at once upon a brilliant career of national happiness and glory. Wherever Texas has .plante_d her bannerl her foe's .have disap~a!ed-:- order has arisen; villages have sprung up, and the wilderness has waved
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