The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899 Page: 13
[335] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Oran Milo Roberts. 13
proclaimed that he would reply at the same time and place.
The speaking took place, and it was typical of the earnestness
and vigor of men's convictions at that stirring period. A few
extracts from Judge Roberts' address may serve to show the di-
rectness and fervor of his method of dealing with the subject. He
said, in conclusion: "What shall Texas do? As one of her citizens,
I am for State action-action by the constituted authorities of the
State-action singly and conjointly with other ,Southern States, un-
til we are made secure in our rights, liberties, and honors. Our
allegiance is due to both the State and Federal governments, be-
cause the sovereign power of Texas, at the time of our annexation
to the general government, so ordained it. And until the same
sovereign power shall be brought into action, and declares a differ-
ent will, it is our duty, as citizens, to make ourselves subservient to
the one as well as the other. * * * In all these stages of State
action, too great solicitude can not be felt by all parties, to preserve
the social order; so that, if the Federal government should fail to
recognize the right of the State to exercise its reserved power of
changing its form of government, and should endeavor to subjugate
it, the energies of the people may be united to repel invasion. Which
one of these remedies may be adopted is for the people to say, when
they shall have found the means of expressing their will. It is my
purpose now to show that 'the present attitude of public affairs jus-
tifies them in adopting either of the remedies that they may think
necessary for their safety. I have no fear that inconsiderate rash-
ness will control them. They have pondered upon the issues of 'this
crisis long and well. They have made up their minds. There is
no agrarian spirit abroad in this country. There is no war of
classes. There is no conflict between labor and capital. Our peo-
ple ,are not seeking or asking to extort favors from the government
to themselves, or to deprive others of any right. They have no
desire for a social rupture at home. 'Their excitement arises from an
entirely opposite cause-a high resolve now to throw themselves in
the breach; not to destroy, but to protect rights; not to destroy
property, but to protect property; not to destroy life, but to make
life worth having; not to produce discord, but to end it. This ex-
citement is not a shallow, noisy ripple, but a deep, irresistible cur-
rent, springing from the firmest convictions of the mind."
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899, periodical, 1898/1899; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101011/m1/17/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.