WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1861
229
civil war to follow, Texas can "tread the wine press alone," in a day of her misfortune, even as her freemen trod it in the past, and if she fails in the effort to maintain liberty and her institu- tions, upon her own soil, she will feel that posterity will justify her and lay no blame at her door. Texas, unlike Alabama, has a frontier subject to hostile incur- sions. Even with the whole power of the United States to defend her, it is impossible to prevent frequent outrages upon her citi-· zens. The numerous tribes of Indians, now controlled by the United States, and restrained by treaty stipulations and the pres- ence of the army, their rights can neither be ruined nor degraded, and if Texas takes upon herself the holy task of sustaining the Constitution, even in the midst of her enemies, history will accord her equal praise with those who sought only their own safety, and left the temple of liberty in their possession. Were I left to believe that Alabama is disposed to second the efforts made to secure cooperation of the South, in demanding redress for our grievances, or that her course would in the least depend upon that of Texas, I would suggest such views as sin- cere and earnest reflection have induced. But, as you express the opinion, that Alabama will, through her Convention, without waiting to know the sentiments of the people of Texas, act for herself, there can be no reason· why I should press them upon your attention, nor is it a matter of importance whether they reflect the proper sentiment of the State, or not. They would be alike unavailing. Nor will I enter into a discussion as to how far the idea of the adoptio·n of the Constitution of the United States will be acceptable to the people of the States forming a Southern Confederacy. It was framed so as to protect the slaveholding States against the encroachments of the non-slaveholding. The Statesmen of the South secured a repre_sentation for three-fifths of our slave property. Whether this, and other provisions of that instrument will be deemed applicable to States which have no conflicting interests so far as slavery is concerned, is not for me to say; but I cannot refrain from expressing the opinion, that if the proud and gallant people of Alabama are willing "still to cover themselves and their posterity under the folds of the old Constitution of the United States in its purity and truth, the rights of Texas will be secure in •the present Union, so long as that would by the dissolution of the Union, be turned loose to provide for themselves, and judging from the past, it is not unreasonable to suppose they will direct their savage vengeance against Texas. The bandits of Mexico, have within the past year,
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