-.AW WM wa?a?wyew 510.622-1111 f?zis book not I'm Texas Library. and-Historical Commission THE STATE LIBRA RY THE ??fm AUSTIN. TEXAS JOURNALOFTHESECEEKDJ I861 - STATE LIBRARY "min, Tex? 72832 EDITED FROM THE ORIGINAL IN THE DEPARTMENT OF. STATE BY ERNEST WILLIAM STATE LIBRARIAN AUSTIN PRINTING COMPANY I "1 resolution was ?lled iwas added the words- ?and to ascertain and 33 -tes polled in the several gates composing this Con? inotion of Mr. Cleveland :1 which was adeptcd. artifieates of election he rity appear in form then lization. enrolled as delegates for their credentials when . Price, Jasper county,- Anderson county, M. D. county, E. P. Nicholson,- ?ames Walworth and Jno.. into an election of a per- ution as a substitute for ;his Convention shall con-v . secretary, 2nd assistant at arms, doorkeeper and rder, Mr. Gray nominated 3. Ochiltree of Harrison red that the Hon. 0. M. invention by acclamation. three were appointed by Roberts and conduct him appointed the committee. ked, bow to the sonar- tical power is inherent in represent. We have been by the spontaneous and a, on THE SEOESSION CONVENTION 17 voluntary concert of the people of. this State, to consider and dispose of questions equally as. momentous and more varied than those that were solved by our revolutionary forefathers of ?76! The crisis upon us involves not only the right of self government, but ith?gymaintew?N nance or a great principle in the law of nations?wthe immemorial rhe- mggiigion of the institution of slavery wherever it is not locally pro: hibitedmand also the true theory of our general government-as enmes- Sociation of sovereignties, and not a. blended mass of people in one social li?OWever grave the issues now presented may be, this body will be fully adequate to their solution, in such man? nor as to preserve the rights of the State. While not in?sensible to the great honOr conferred upOn me by this body of distinguished citizens, I am aware that my selection is attributable more to my position in the judiciary of the State than to my experience or knowledge of par- liamentary ?deliberations. It is an indicatiOn to the world that this movement of the people of Texas has not originated in any revolu- tionary Spirit of social disorder, and I doubt not that the moderation and wisdom of your deliberations and acts will demonstrate it.? The election for secretary being next in order, Mr. Hogg nominated J. Pat. Henry. Mr. Nicholson nominated R. H. Lundy. nominated R. T. Brownrigg. Mesrs. Ireland, Rogers of Harris and Stockdale were "appointed tellers: On the 1st ballot Mr. Henry received 30 votes, Mr. Lundy received 20 votes and Mr. Brownrigg' received 93 votes. R. T. Brownrigg having received a majority of all the votes cast was declared duly elected secretary to the Convention. -Nominations for 1st assistant secretary being next in order Mr. Stockdale nominated John Burlage Mr. Hardeman nominated M. S. Dunn. Mr. Wiley nominated W. D. School?eld Mr. Green nominated T. E. MoSeley. On the ballot Mr. Burl-age received 4.7 votes, Mr. Dunn 25 votes, Mr. School?eld 57 votes and Win-Moseley 8 votes There being no election the Convention proceeded to a 2nd ballot when Mr. Burlage received 44 votes, Mr. Dunn 10 votes, Mr. School? ?eld 80 votes and Mr. Moseley 2 votes. Mr. School?eld having received a majority of all the votes cast was declared duly elected 1st assistant secretary to the Convention. On motion of Mr. Graham the resolution offered by Mr. Scott to- gether with the amendment thereto offered by Mr. Davidson were taken up and the amendment laid on the table. . .. . 'Stqu?h?umx. - tation of'their produce to the markets of the World. 122 JOURNAL OF THE CONVENTION just or substantial reasons. Louisiana looks to the formation. of a Southern confederacy to preserve the blessings of African slavery, and of the free institutions of the founders of the Federal Union, be? queathed to their posterity. As her neighbor and sister State, she desires the hearty co-operation of Texas in the formation of a South- ern Confederacy. She' congratulates herself on the recent disposi? tion evinced by your honorable body to meet this wish, by the elec? tion of delegates to the Monthmery convention. Louisiana and Texas have the same language, laws and institutions. They grow the same great staples?sugar and cotton. Between the citizens of each exists the most cordial social and commercial intercourse. The Red river and the Sabine form common highways for the transpor? Texas affords to the commerce of Louisiana a large portiOn of her products, and in ex- change the banks of New furnish Texas mwith her only paper circulating medium. ouisiana upplies gm surplus wheat, grain a Edastoh hoth Stat have?? arse areas Ofuwfer? tile, uncultivated lands peculiarly; adapted to slave labor; and they are both so deeply intere?s?tedmif?frican slavery that it may he said to be absolutely necessary to their existence, and is the keystone to the arch of their prosperity. Each of the States has an extended Gulf coast, and must look with equal solicitude to its protection now, and the acquisition of the entire control of the Gulf of Mexico in due time. NO two States of thisconfederacy? are sci-identified in interest, and whose destin'es are so closely interwoven with each other. Nature, sympathy anih?mity of interest make them almost one. Recognizing these facts, but still confident in her own powers to maintain a sep? arate existence, Louisiana regards with great concern the vote of the peOple of Texas on the ratification of the ordinance of secession, adopted by your honorable body on the 1st of the present month. She- is con?dent a peOple who so nobly and .gallantly achieved their liber- ties uncler such unparalled dif?culties will not falter in maintaining them now. The Mexican yoke could not have been more gelling to ?the army of heroes? of ?36 than the Black republican rule would be to the survivors and sons of that army at the present day. The peeple of Louisiana-womd consider it a most fatal blow to African slavery, if Texas either did not secede or having seceded work of incendiarism and murder. Emigrant ,aid societies would .arm with Sharp?s ri?es predatory bands to infest her northern bor- ders. The Federal Government would mock at her calamity'in ac- 1 should not 30111 her destinies to theirs in a Southern Confederacy. If . she remains in the union the abolitionists would continue their i to the formation. of a :ings of African slavery, Of the Federal Union, be- her and sister State, she ;he formation of a South-. If on the recent disposi- :et this wish, by the elec- vention. Louisiana and institutions. They grow Between the citizens of mereial intercourse. The ghways for the transpor? a world. Texas affords to her products, and in ex! 'exas with her only?paper 'Texas a market for her i have large areas Of fer- to slave labor; and they wery that it may be said e, and is the keystone to ates has an extended Gulf ;0 its protection now, and ulf of Mexico in due time. dentified in interest, and with each other. Nature, almost one. Recognizing powers to maintain a sep- at concern the vote of the re ordinance of secession, the present month. She antly achieved their liber~ net falter in maintaining lave been more gelling to [ck republican rule would 1: the present day. 2 it a most fatal blow to secede or having secede'd Southern Confederacy. If would continue their grant aid societies would 0 infest her northern bor- ick at her calamity in ac- at" OURNAL or run Seoussron CONVENTION 123 cepting the recent bribesin the army bill and Pacific railroad bill, and with abolition treachery would leave her unprotected frontier to the murderous inroads of hostile savages. Experience justi?es these expectations. A professedly friendly federal administration gave Texas no substantial protection against the Indians or abolitionists, and what must she look for from an administration avowedly inim- ical and supported by no vote within her borders. Promises won from the timid and faithless are poor hostages of good faith. As a separate republic, Louisiana remembers too well the whisperings of European diplomacy for the abolition of slavery in the times of an- nexation not to be apprehensive of holder demonstrations from the same quarter and the North in this country. The people of the slave- holding States are bound together by the same necessity and deter- mination to preserve African Slavery. The isolation of any one of th?m from the others would make her the theatre for abolition emisa? ries from the North. and from Europe. Her existence would be one of constant peril to herself and of imminent danger'to other neigh~ boring slave-holding communities. A decent respect for the opin- ions and interests of the Gulf States seems to indicate that Texas should co-operate with them. I am authorized to say to your honor- able body that Louisiana does not expect any bene?cial result from the peace conference now assembled at Washington. She is unwill- ing that her action should depend on the border States. Her inter- ests are identical with Texas and the seceding States. ?With them she will at present cooperate, hoping and believing in his own good time God will awaken the people'of the border States-to the vanity of ask- ing for, or depending upon, guarantees or compromises Wrung from a. people whose. consciences are too sublimated to be' bound by-that sacred compact, the constitutiOn the of the late United States. That constitution the Southern States have never violated, and taking it as the basis of our new government a slavel?hnl'ding confederacy ?that our its authors designed in the Federal Union. With the (social balance wheel of slavery to regulate its machinery, we may/i fondly indulge the hope that our Southern government will belief: \petual. - we . .. GeoWIIhamson MM. mmi?s?smner of the State of Louisiana. City of Austin {thy 11th 1861. Col. Geo. Williamson, Comr. etc. Dear Sir. I have received your communication as commissioner fromvthe Austin Feby 11th 1861.