280
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1861
Prominent among the acts of your Honorable Body, ere ·your adjournment, was that recognizing the Convention which as- sembled on the 28th day of January. That Convention had been precipitating the State of Texas into the same hasty course of action pursued by the Gulf States. It was revolutionary in its character; but clothed sufficiently under the forms of law, to silence the fears of the people. To give it character and credence among the law abiding citizens of the State, an array of names, comprising high official characters was produced, and the Chief Justices and County Commissioners were requested to order the elections unofficially. All this show of high sounding titles and legal attributes did not suffice to win the respect of the people, or induce them to enter into the movement, and as a consequence, the delegates were returned by the votes of scarce one third of the people, certainly by so small a vote, that the Convention has never published it to the world. Those opposed to the revolution- ary course pursued, thus leaving the onus upon those favoring it. A majority of the people stood aloof, thus refusing their countenance, and the Convention therefore, by no democratic rule could claim to represent the sovereignty of Texas. The Con- vention had been called with the full knowledge of the declaration on the part of the Executive, that the Legislature would be con- vened, whenever the people desired it, or the public interests rendered it necessary; and there was therefore no reason for the call, other than the desire to supplant the constituted authori- ties, break over the restraints of the law and force the people into revolution, whether they will or not. The manifestations of disapprobation on the part of the people, and the meagre vote which supported the pretentions of the Convention, however awakened a laudable desire among those who controlled its move- ments, to at least have the sanction of law, if they did not have the sanction of the popular voice. The Legislature was appealed to, and an effort made to secure a full recognition of supreme and sovereign powers in the Convention and appropriation for the pay of its members. This failed ; but the Convention was recog- nized as possessing power to act with reference to submitting the question of withdrawing from the Union to a vote of the people. No other powers are contemplated in the act; and that no other construction should be placed upon it, the Executive deemed it his duty in signing the bill, to affix thereon his protest against the assumption of any powers on the part of said Convention, beyond the reference of the question of a longer continuance of
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