fate is nearly sustained by Durango, and from being a free and sovereign State, she is reduced, under the power of the dictator to a military garrison. While this state of things was going on in Zacatecas and Durango, General Cos was ordered to put down the authorities of Coahuila and Texas. The Governor sent an order to all departments of the state for the Militia to turn out to sustain the authorities of the state, but not receiving sufficient aid, he attempted to escape with the public archives to Texas, in order there to reëstablish the government and where he expected to be sustained by a people who have ever been free and who he confidently expected would rally to sustain the constitution they had sworn to support, and the public officers they had elected. In his flight, however, he was arrested by the Military under the order of General Cos, and has been sent a prisoner to Monterey. Not only has he been arrested, but some of the members of congress; the others having fled for safety to the mountains. The Militia of Coahuila have been disbanded and have surrendered up their arms to the Government and that whole country is now a military garrison. All the states have succumbed to the power of the military and as Texas is the only spot unconquered, Santa Ana is marching his troops here to compel a submission to the new Government. And the people have to determine whether they also will yield to the power of the Dictator. Give up their arms; suffer their country to be garrisoned with strong military posts, and live under the rule and sway of the military. They must do this or they must prepare for war; they must submit to the military government or they must defend their province and their rights with the sword and the bayonet, and they must do this without delay for the enemy is fast advancing on our country.

Fellow-Citizens, Let me again assure you that this is the true state of affairs. These the reasons that actuate the General Government. The sale of the four hundred leagues of

land has nothing to do with the subject. You are justly indignant at that sale, so also am I, so also is the meeting which I represent; but that can and ought to have no weight with the public mind at this time. It is too inconsiderable to be noticed when compared to the importance of our country, our property, our liberty and our lives; which are involved in the present contest between the states and the military. Two spies from Colonel Ugartechea, stationed at San Antonio were arrested at San Felipe, and in their possession the official correspondence of Ugartechea and General Cos was found. General Cos writes to the commandannt at Anahuac that the two companies of New Leon, and the Morales Battalion would sail immediately for Texas and that they would be followed by another strong force, which he had soiicited the government for, and which he had no doubt would be obtained. Col. Ugartechea says that the business of Texas will be soon regulated, as the government has ordered a large division composed of the troops that were sent against Zacatecas, to Texas and which are now at Saltillo; that force is three thousand four hundred men.

For what Fellow-Citizens, are they coming, in the name of GOD say not speculation; they are coming to compell you into obedience to the new form of Government; to compell you to give up your arms; to compell you to have your country garrisoned; to compell you to liberate your slaves; to compell you to swear to support and sustain the government of the Dictator; to compell you to submit to the imperial rule of the aristocracy, to pay tithes and adoration to the clergy. For these purposes, Fellow-Citizens, they are coming, and for this purpose a party of soldiers, it is said, have already landed at Copano. Under the excitement created by all this information, many of the people of the jurisdiction of Austin, during court week, assembled to consider of the condition of the country, and of the adoption of means for its protection. A declaration to support the General and

State constitutions and the officers of the state was unanimously agreed to, and so it was resolved to release the governor and drive the military from San Antonio.

Much pains has been taken to persuade you that this meeting was gotten up by Speculators, and that no necessity existed for it. But, Fellow Citizens, believe no such slanders, pay regard to no such falsehoods. At the first meeting held in which it was resolved that the country was in danger and that the Governor should be released, James B. Miller, the Political Chief was Chairman; and in his official character, he called on the people of his department to turn out for that purpose. At the second meeting were many of your oldest fellow citizens, who can have no views of speculation but who all unanimously, upon investigation, declared the country was in danger and that no time should be lost in preparing for war; the Alcade and Ayuntamiento of Austin were of the same opinion, and ordered a turn out of the people to protect the country. There were at the meeting many persons from the jurisdictions of Mina and Matagorda, all of whom believed that no time was to be lost in preparing for war. The meeting at San Felipe had no desire to dictate to the balance of the community or to involve it in war; the only reason why the meeting at San Felipe first acted was because at that place the news of danger was first received and the danger appeared too imminent to admit of delay. Every matter of importance has to be brought about by the action of a few. The whole people never have moved at once in a body. It is only by meetings in different places that the sense of the country can be ascertained. The meeting at San Felipe commenced the matter, and I hope that meetings will be held in every part of the province, to determine what shall be done. But that meeting resolved that San Antonio should be taken, and for these reasons: They considered that the Question of war was settled. That forces were coming against Texas and in a very short time

all Texas would have to turn out and fight; that opinion we still entertain, and still think that San Antonio should be taken. The citizens of that place have at this time the messenger among us requesting our assistance to drive the military from that place in order that they may unite with us in the common cause of protecting the country. By taking that place we would procure one hundred and sixty stands of muskets, many cannon and much ammunition, and also about eight hundred head of horses, belonging to the government and which we indispensibly require for the protection of the country. But, fellow citizens of Texas, other weighty and important reasons exist why that place should be taken; should you permit San Antonio to remain in the hands of the enemy your country is lost. Five hundred troops can so fortify San Antonio as to resist the united attack of all Texas. In that situation they have only to send out their parties of men and harass and destroy the country, without ever coming to a pitched battle; they will so annoy and harrass the country by continual depredations and alarms that wearied out, dispirited, and disheartened, the people will gladly retreat beyond the Sabine. When you least expect it they will descend upon you and call you from your fields to Battle and before you can rally, they will kill and burn and destroy. In the depths of winter they will call you by their depredations to the field, and a thousand attacks and a thousand false alarms will destroy your patience and your property and make your country not worth contending for. But if possible even worse than all this, you permit an enemy to be there stationed that will send the Indians continually upon you.

Inhabitants of the Frontier: Your situation will be deplorable; instigated and protected by the Mexicans, the Indians will be your constant enemies; they will be the continued ravagers of your country and destroyers of yourselves. If you drive them from your neighborhood, they will seek

refuge and protection under the troops of San Antonio, and will retire only to return with renewed violence and destruction. You will hear around your habitations the Indian yell mingling with the Mexican cry, and the shrieking of your murdered wives rousing the slumbers of the cradle from the midst of your burning dwellings will tell you, when too late of the error to your policy in permitting San Antonio to be garrisoned by Mexican troops. Fellow Citizens, depend upon it your policy is wrong and the danger great. If you would save the country and protect the frontier, San Antonio must be taken; already has Anahuac fallen; already has the spies of the country been arrested and the correspondence examined; already have you proceeded too far to retreat; already are the troops of the Dictator on the march against you, and you have to fight, surrender, or run away. There will be no necessity for your garrisoning San Antonio, once drive off the military, and the inhabitants of that place will protect and defend the place. The Mexican inhabitants are a force sufficiently effective for this purpose, but permit the reinforcements to arrive there, and the citizens will be disarmed and you will lose the co-operation and assistance of that whole department.

Fellow Citizens, by taking San Antonio you will also secure the person of Don Ramon Musquiz the Vice Governor, he has expressed his willingness to act provided the Colonists will sustain him, but he dares not attempt it so long as San Antonio is in the possession of the enemy. What can you do, or will you do, unless you bring him into the colonies and re-establish the government. At this time your Courts of Justice are closed, you have no head to direct you, and you are in a state of anarchy and confusion. You can only remedy this by securing the Vice Governor and reestablishing the Government. Unless you do this in less than one month everything will be in disorder and you will.