A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas Page: 50
vii, 908 p. : ill., ports. ; 26 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSONj ANDERSON,
mitted during the war," says Newconbl,
No sooner was it known that the mlajority
of electors chosen on Novelmber 6
were in favor of Lincoln than South Carolina
took the initiative and called for a
convention of the Southern States to Ineet
at Columbia, December 17. Heavy pressure,
too, was brought to bear upon Houston
to force him to call a special session of
the legislature, to which he finally yielded,
much against his will, appointing January
21,1861, as the day for its asseiimbling. His
previous views were now slightly Imodified,
though he was still as strongly opposed
to secession as ever. Hie still hoped
that disunion might be avoided by temperate
representations of a convention of
the Southern States. But the voices of
the Unionists were silenced by a majority
of outspoken advocates of slave-State principles.
The legislature, too, ignored the
governor's proclamation, the zealous class
proceeded to hasten matters, and on January
8 sixty of them issued a call for a
State convention, to meet at Austin on the
28th of that month, the chief justices of
the counties being recommended to order
the opening of the polls at the different
precincts for the election of delegates to
said convention. The election was held
January 21, polls being opened by secessionists
wherever judges loyal to the
Union refused to obey the call. By many
the proceeding was regarded as irregular,
and out of the whole number of voters in
the State not more than 10,000 appeared
at the polls, Barely half of tLe counties
were represented by the people.
But the Confederate party had the upper
hand, and was determined to ptshmatters to a crisis. The legislature by a
joi nt resolution, recognized the elected
delegates, and declared the convention a,
legally constituted assembly. [Eouston's
veto was overruled, and on the appointed
day the convention met at Austin. On
February 1st the ordinance of secession
was passed by a vote of 167 to seven, subject
to ratification or rejection by a vote
of the people on the 23d. Without waiting
till the result was known the convention
proceeded to appoint a , coinmittee of
public safety," to which secret instructions
were given. It, moreover, appointed delegates
to the Confederate convention in
Montgomery, Alabama, and adjourned to
March 2.
The committee of safety assumed the
powers of the executive, and appointed
three commissioners, Thomas J. Devine,
P. N. Luckett and S. A. Maverick, to treat
with General Twiggs, in command of the
United States forces in Texas, for the surrender
of his army and the national posts
and property. Twiggs was already in
communication with the Confederates, and
when in January Governor Houston had
inquired of him confidentially as to what
disposition would be made of the public
property in Texas, he evasively replied, on
the 22d, that he had received no instructions
from Washington in regard to the
disposition of the public property or of the
troops, in the event of the State's seceding.
",After secession,' he Wrote, " if the executive
of the State makes a demand on the
commander of the department he will receive
an answer." In his. communications
with the comnirissioners, Twigg
required of them to support their50
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Lewis Publishing Company. A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas, book, 1893; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth46827/m1/52/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Palestine Public Library.