TEXAS. 



735 



Resolved, That we rely upon the honesty and capa- 

 city of the people for self-government. 



Resolved, That tho powers of the General Govern- 

 ment are restricted to the express grants of the Con- 

 stitution, and all powers not granted are reserved to 

 the States and the people thereof. 



Resolved, That the regulation of suffrage and elec- 

 tions belongs to the respective States, and any inter- 

 ference by the General Government, with intent to 

 control either, is a gross usurpation of power, and 

 the use of the military at elections to overawe the 

 people and prevent a full and fair expression of their 

 political sentiments is utterly subversive of free gov- 

 ernment and should be restricted by all proper means 

 until the evil is abolished, and an honest and un- 

 trammelled ballot restored. 



Resolved, That the abolition of slavery as a result of 

 the war is accepted as a fixed fact, and it becomes 

 our duty, by State legislation, to provide for the se- 

 curity and well-being of all classes of men, native or 

 foreign, white or black. 



Resolved, That immigration of the white races from 

 all quarters of the world should be encouraged, and 

 there should be no unreasonable impediments or de- 

 lay to naturalization and citizenship, the Democratic 

 party having been uniformly in favor of a liberal pol- 

 icy toward persons of foreign birth who in good taith 

 seek a home among us. 



Resolved, That we will yield obedience to the Con- 

 stitution and laws. 



Resolved, That we ? the Democratic party of Texas, 

 are in favor of a judicious, liberal, and uniform sys- 

 tem of internal improvements. 



Resolved, That the radical State government of 

 Texas has forfeited all claims to the respect of man- 

 kind, by its unconstitutional and oppressive enact- 

 ments ; and to the end that the citizens of this State 

 and of the United States may fully comprehend the 

 grievances we are suffering from, the wrongs and 

 usurpations of said radical government, we charge 

 them as follows : 



1. In violation of the Federal and State Constitu- 

 tion, the Legislature of this State has conferred on 

 the Governor, in obedience to his own dictation, the 

 power to suspend the writ of habeas corpus, to de- 

 clare the civil laws suspended, close the courts, refuse 

 to our citizens the right of trial by jury, and subject 

 them to trial by a court-martial, composed of men 

 who know nothing of the rules of law and evidence, 

 and this in times of profound peace. 



2. They have in violation of the constitution, like- 

 wise at the Governor's dictation, given him the power, 

 by aid of a police force appointed by himself and 

 officered by men of his own appointment, to subject 

 our citizens to seizure of their persons and property, 

 and to subject their houses to unreasonable search, 

 without warrant and with no probable cause, sup- 

 ported either by oath or affirmation. 



3. The said police have, without warrant, or oath, 

 or affirmation charging an offence, and even when 

 no offence had been committed, arrested and im- 

 prisoned our citizens, and have extorted from tho^e, 

 as the terms of release, a large sum of money, refusing 

 them the benefit of counsel or trialj without being 

 confronted by their accusers or the witnesses against 

 them, and under a threat of trial by court-martial if 

 they refused the required sum. 



4. The Legislature has, by enactment, in violation 

 of a plain constitutional provision, authorized the 

 Governor to remove officers elected by the people, 

 and appoint men of his own choice ^in their place, 

 which power he has repeatedly exercised. 



5. The Legislature has authorized the Governor to 

 appoint thirty-five district attorneys, when the con- 

 stitution of the State provides that they shall be 

 elected, and he has exercised this power and causes 

 these officers so illegally appointed to be paid in the 

 aggregate forty-two thousand dollars annually out 

 of the State Treasury, thereby violating the consti- 

 tution and plundering the people. 



6. The Legislature has virtually abolished every 

 check that secures the purity of the ballot-box, and 

 throws difficulties in the way of a full vote by com- 

 pelling the people to vote at but one precinct in each 

 county, on tickets that are numbered for future 

 identification, thereby rendering the detection of 

 official frauds impossible, by failing to adopt a 

 different mode of voting, as authorized by the con- 

 stitution. 



7. The radical party of the State has obtained 

 power by fraud and intimidation. The Legislature 

 seeks to perpetuate this power by making the elective 

 franchise dependent on the caprices of registrars, 

 subject to appointment or removal at the caprice of 

 the Governor. 



in utter disregard of the laws regulating contested 

 elections, and without complaint in the manner and 

 time prescribed by law, on ex parte statements or 

 affidavits, deprived members of their seats, and their 

 constituency of representation in the Legislature, 

 with the intention of securing for the radical party 

 a majority in that body. 



9. That, having been elected for a term of two years, 

 they have continued their existence as a Legisla- 

 ture for three years by an enactment of their own 

 body. 



10. In order to subsidize and corrupt the press. 

 they have established new papers in each judicial 

 district to advocate the interests of the radical party ; 

 and, although many of them had, at the time of their 

 establishment, no circulation, in order to give them 

 money and support, they have compelled public or 

 private sales ordered by any court, and sales under 

 execution, in any county of the respective districts, 

 to be published in the paper of the district, at a great 

 expense to the widows and orphans of deceased per- 

 sons, and of creditors of their estates, although not 

 a single copy of the said paper might be taken in the 

 county where the sale is to be made. 



11. It has just attempted to remove the radical 

 Senator who has denounced their corruption, by 

 electing in his stead a military officer, who is not a 

 citizen of the State of Texas. 



12. In view of these high crimes and political mis- 

 demeanors of the radical party, committed against 

 the great interests of the people of Texas 



Resolved, That we invite all good men, whatever 

 may have been their past political preferences, to 

 unite with the Democratic party in removing from 

 place and power those who now control the State 

 government, in order to release the people from 

 oppressive revenue and unequal taxation, to insure 

 an honest administration of the laws, and an honest 

 and economical expenditure of the public moneys, 

 and to throw the aegis of justice and protection over 

 the person and property of every individual what- 

 soever in the State of Texas. 



The political canvass was for tho election of 

 members of Congress. Nominations were 

 made in the different districts as follows : 



Dist. Republican. Democratic. Independent. 



1. G. W. Whitmore W. S. Herndon 



2. Col. A. M. Bryant J. C. Connor A. B. Norton 



3. Gen.Wm. T. Clark.. .D. C. Giddings..L. Steveneou 



4. Edward Degener. . . .John Hancock 



The campaign was long and exciting. A 

 circular was issued by the Governor in August, 

 declaring that no gatherings about the polls 

 would be permitted during the election or 

 registration ; forbidding all persons " to shout, 

 jeer at, or in any way insult or annoy voters, 

 or candidates for office," or to intimidate vot- 

 ers; forbidding the sale or giving away of 

 intoxicating liquors within two miles of the 



