tion of affairs, a large body of Coahuilan citizens assembled with the inhabitants of Bexar at San Antonio, on the 13th of October, and resolved, on the motion of Don Erasmo Seguin, the chief of the Department, that a State Convention should be held at Bexar on the 15th of November, to organise a Provisional Government, in order to save the country from "unparalleled anarchy and confusion." A A copy of the resolutions was transmitted to the other Departments of the State: the project was approved by the deputies at Monclova, but it was not carried into operation from the want of concert among the mass of the people. Many of the AngloAmericans who had been previously hostile or neutral upon the question, now began to yield to the conviction that the welfare of Texas indispensably required immediate separation from Coahuila. Austin was still in prison, having failed in the great object of his mission; the evils for which redress had been conceded by the general government were of minor importance, while for the anarchy which afflicted the province no relief could be anticipated from the supreme authority, which was itself a military usurpation and the secret cause of the distraction that prevailed.

In his letter of August 25th, Stephen Austin had warned the colonists against interfering in "the political family quarrels" of the Republic, they "having every thing to lose and nothing to gain." He called upon the settlers to obey Santa Anna, who professed to be friendly to Texas and himself, and cautioned the farmers against "inflammatory politicians," he having begun to lose confidence in all persons ex

cept those who sought their living between "the handles of the plough." But the advocates of separation from Coahuila were sensible that Austin was no longer in a situation to express untrammelled opinions, and they could not fail to remember that he had volunteered very different counsels at a time when the state of the country could have been far less powerfully pleaded in justification of extreme measures. A majority of the settlers, however, fearful of the consequences of civil broils, submitted to the advice of their imprisoned representative, and united with those inhabitants of Coahuila who were favourable to the reconstruction of the State Government. Two parties thus sprang up among the Anglo-Americans, one for proclaiming Texas an independent member of the Mexican Federation, at every hazard, the other for maintaining the connexion with Coahuila, according to the regulations of the Federal Constitution. By that Constitution, all loyal citizens, whether native or naturalised, held themselves bound to abide, according to their oaths.

On the 20th of October, 1834, the Separatists, led by the Political Chief of the Brazos, issued an address to the people of Texas, recommending them to organise, to save themselves from the anarchy which prevailed in the General and State Governments, by declaring perpetual the dissolution of the political connexion between Coahuila and Texas, caused by the "wilful and unlawful" proceedings of the former. "Coahuila will, in this case, be left without a plea or excuse; having wilfully committed an act of treachery, by plighting her faith and forfeiting all her guarantees. She can never be allowed to take

advantage of her own wrong. Let Texas then immediately close in with her, on her own terms; suffering her quietly to enjoy all the rights, privileges, and benefits which she can derive from the reign of anarchy or military despotism."

An answer to this appeal was published in November, by the Grand Central Committee appointed by the Convention of Texas to provide against emergencies. The Committee stated their anxiety to obtain a restoration of the State Government by constitutional means, and expressed their determination to have recourse to no other description of measures; they condemned the plan of organization proposed by their Political Chief, as revolutionary, and the forerunner of civil war; they described the dispositions of the President and Federal Government as favourable to Texas-in proof of which they referred to the repeal of the most obnoxious part of the law of the 6th of April, 1830; they considered it the duty of Stephen Austin's constituents to abstain from inviting "fresh difficulties in the way of his liberty, and perhaps his life," his health being much impaired, and a speedy release absolutely necessary; they deemed it unwise to "scatter the seeds of discord and confusion" when the country was prospering and the mass of the inhabitants contented and happy, and they intimated that the difficulties between Saltillo and Monclova were in process of adjustment, and that the State Government would

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soon be restored to its proper functions." After noticing some of the "inflammatory documents which had been cast as firebrands among the people," the Committee met the complaint against Mexican

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misrule with a plea which must have been as consolatory to the discontented settlers as the comforting of his friends to Job in his afflictions.

"Another complaint is made, and somewhat justly too, that the Constitution and laws are continually departed from; in consequence of which we are compelled to forego some of those benefits and advantages which the Government promised us. It would perhaps be as well for us all to think of this, and speak about it as little as possible, as it might be that the too strict surveillance of the parent would restrict the playfulness of the children. But if the complaint is just, and the inspection would be right, as no honest man will deny-what then? Mexico herself in any better situation? better situation?

Is

Do we not see that faction after faction overturns the Constitution and laws almost daily, keeping up a chaos of dreadful confusion?

"When has Mexico been able to avail herself of the blessings of a great well-ordered Government? If it be not in her power to avail herself of these blessings in her very capital, how is it possible for her to extend them to any other part of the Government? Besides all this, we know that the business of self-government is new to them, they have so recently escaped from the iron hand of tyranny.***** Texas is situated 1200 miles from the capital of Mexico, and owing to the distance and state of war in the country ever since we have known it as a Republic, communications could be no other than tedious and uncertain. In the event of our petitions reaching Mexico in the recess of Congress, they must necessarily wait until the Session, and wait to

be acted upon in their turn, and might at last be neglected, owing to the immense mass of business of more vital importance to the nation occupying their whole time.

"All these, besides many more reasons which might be given, have been sufficient to cause so much delay as to injure Texas materially, without the possibility of remedy, be the intentions of the Government towards Texas ever so good. Self-preservation is the first law of nature; and so thinks Texas, and therefore complains of the Government. So thinks the Government, and therefore neglects Texas. Where are these difficulties to end? They will end in Government getting through its troubles, wherein Texas must bear a part, or she will add to the calamities of the nation and ruin herself for ever."

The pleadings of the peace, or anti-separation party, discouraging as they were, succeeded in allaying the ferment produced by the addresses of the Political Chief of the Brazos and his coadjutors. An adjustment of differences was also effected between the Coahuilan factions at Saltillo and Monclova, under the arbitration of the President of the Republic, General Santa Anna. The State resumed the exercise of its suspended functions, and elected members of the legislature and other constitutional authorities-the entrance of the legislative body on the discharge of its duties being postponed from the 1st of January, 1835, to the 1st of March ensuing.

Amidst the disorder which prevailed in Mexico, in consequence of the alliance of the privileged classes against the Federal Constitution, the Supreme Executive instituted a proceeding which evinced its