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WRITINGS .OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1842
zJohn Henry Brown, History of Texas, II, 211-218, gives a brief account of the Vasquez Invasion of March 6, 1842. Also see Tclcg1·avh cmd Te=i:as R egistc1·, April 12, 1842. 3 See a copy of the Const·itution of f.he Rrpublic. of Tcxcts (a .copy may be found in Gammel, Laws of Texas, I, 1069-1085). In Article II (the article that defines the powers of Congress) Sections 4, 5, and 6, we find: Section 4, "To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and to regulate captures"; Section 5, "To provide and maintain an army and navy, and to make Jaws and regulations necessary for their government"; Section 6, "To call out the militia to execute the Jaw, to suppress insurrections, and to repel invasion." Article VI (the article that defines the powers of the President) nowhere gives the Executive discretionary powers over the army, navy, or the militia. Section 4 does declare that he shall be the commander-in-chief of the army, the navy, and the militia, but limits even this power by declaring that it shall not be exercised without the authority of a resolution of Congress. Section 3, which contains the Executive's oath upon his being inducted into office, indirectly gives power to use the military forces, in that the President must swear "to the best of his ability to pre- serve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the Republic."
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JULY, 1842
To THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS WEST OF RED RIVER 1
Sabine, 2d., July, 1842.
To the Citizens of Texas West of Red River : The present crisis in Texas calls on you for aid. The Enemy are said to be advancing upon us in great numbers. Their force is estimated at from 8 to 12 thousand- their numbers must be exagerated-their force will be composed of raw recruits and men pressed into service-their army which returned from Texas naked, dispirited and almost despersed- their officers and men have refused to return-those they will force to come will come without confidence and disheartened. We must meet them. A single advantage on our part will again rout them and drive them from Texas forever. All our citizens must now repair to camp- there is now no excuse for delinquency, and if men will do their duty our army will be as numerous as theirs. The citi- zens of Texas will have nothing to apprehend from the Indians- they may rest assured they will remain quiet- let men do their duty and Texas will at once become the home of the free. Those who do not defend the country cannot share the soil; let all the citizens act promptly and the Enemy will be·expelled. You have already met them three to one and vanquished them; we can always do it when we meet them with the resolution to conquer.
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