WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1860
207
are not lost to reason. Many efforts have been made to prejudice you, in advance of my action, and to convince you that I am un- mindful of your interests, and blind to the fact that the time has come when they may be endangered, unless vigilantly cared for. The fact that I have entertained and have announced the opinion that the election of a President in the mode pointed out by the Constitution, is no just cause for revolution and a dissolution of the Union, has been construed and proclaimed by many of my enemies, to be an evidence that I would use my executive powers fo thwart the will of the people of Texas, and that I was ready to submit myself and see them submit themselves to a violation of their rights by the Federal Government. Such ideas are repug- nant to my feelings. Because I believe that we should not revolu- tionize without a just cause, it need not be supposed that I advise submission to wrong. We have the Constitution to maintain, and in maintaining the Constitution, we must maintain our rights; when the Constitution fails to give them to us, I am for revolution. Whatever may be my individual opinions as to the duties yet imposed upon us by the Constitution, I yet recognize that a time has come when we should plant ourselves firmly upon our rights and refuse to yield them; nor is this all, I recognize that the fear- ful calamity of disunion now impending, calls for the united action of the Southern States, so that it may, if possible, be averted. In my belief the precipitate action of two or three extreme Southern States, would involve the border States in destruction, drive slavery from them at once and ruin their citi- zens. They have long stood the bulwark against abolitionism, and they have a right, now in their time of trouble, to expect their sister States to stand by them. They claim, and I believe with reason, that we can maintain our rights in the Union. Shall we abandon them to abolitionism, or shall we not counsel with them as to our wrongs, and the remedies for these wrongs, and deter- mine to make an effort to bring those at the North, who are fanatical and thus far unreasonable, to a sense of justice, if not by an appeal to their patriotism, by fostering our home interests and making ourselves_reliant in all the departments of manufac- ture, trade and commerce. My action has been prompt, decided and legal. Finding a course marked out for me by law, I have followed it and am now awaiting response. The following communication has been sent by me to the Governor of each Southern State, and the same is now sub- mitted to my fellow citizens:
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