glorious and beneficent light. And whether she take her stalion among Lhe illuslrious constellation of the North, or revolve on her own axis and wiLhin her own sphere, that she may display, not only the goodness of Go<l, but the wisdom and prescience of her early legislators. On me rests the duty of presenting to your consideration a brief exhibit of our present political conclilion; and Lo suggest such measures as my be adapted to supply the wants, secure the well-being, and develope the resources of our beautiful country. In the execution of this task, there is much to excite embarrassment and apprehension; but more to animate our hopes and foster a spirit of perseverance. Many difficulties have been overcome and many remain to be subdued. But a general spirit of harmony, unity of purpose and of action, and a sincere devotion Lo the public weal, will easily surmount them all; and Texas will soon be enabled lo assert a legitimate claim to be received among the nations of the earth. The government ad interim, over which I have the honor to preside, has hitherto conducted its labors under every imaginable difficulty. At the institution of that government, the forces of the enemy were rapidly advancing into the country, with an imposing array. The means of repelling the formidable invasion, were not of sufficient power to inspire general confidence, and many families had abandoned their homes and were fleeing from the approaching devastation. The entire settlements from the Nueces to the Colorado had been broken up, and the fall of the Alamo, where the gallant Travis and his brave associates consecraled their lives to the liberty of Texas, had spread dismay even to the line of the Brazos. Our military force in the field was greaLly inferior in numbers to that of the host that was marching against us: and were it not, that there was a vast discrepance between the military capacities of the opposing armies, the subjugation of Texas would have appeared inevitable. Bul that discrepance had conslitu led an important ground of confidence in the sucession, and it was worthy of all estimation; for it was a discrepance, not only of military prowess, but of moral attributes and of political knowledge. The administration which had been organized at the town ofWashington, deemed it expedient to change its location to Harrisburg, from which point it could possess an easier access to foreign countries, from whence our chief supplies of munitions were to be obtained, and a more direct supervision of its naval and other maritime concerns. Such removal was accordingly effected within a few days after the government was created.
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