The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899 Page: 206
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206 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
have been much better to organize by a harmonious consultation of
the respective local civil authorities of the municipalities called
Ayuntamientos, than by a popular commotion, without the inter-
vention of any recognised legal existing authority.
The circumstances of the case, and the purity of my motives are
certainly worthy of consideration-
Texas when I left in 1833 was almost in a state of nature as to its
local government-it was in danger of anarchy on the one hand,
and of being destroyed by the uncivilized and hostile Indians on
the other-these things oppressed me and I may have lost pa-
tience-
"The inestimable value of the liberty of the press would not
be known, if it were not evident, that with it nothing is to be
feared from any arbitrary power."
Political evils of society are like bad habits in individuals easy
to cure in their birth or origin, but very difficult when they have
taken deep root.-The political evils of Texas are in their birth, and
easy to cure by a proper organization of the local government-
"People in office do more wrong by the foolish things they say,
than by the foolish acts they commit."-So said Terray, minister
of Louis 15th, on the accession of Louis 16th
The fable of Prometheus, whose heart was devoured every day
by a vulture, being renewed at night for the horrible feast of the
day following, represents the imaginary sufferings of mankind--
We arise in the morning filled with projects, desires and occupa-
tions which destroy our felicity, like the vulture eating the heart
of Prometheus-
At night we throw ourselves into bed tired out and miserable,
solely that our natures may recover strength to sustain the miseries
of the following day-What madness! what folly it is, to permit our
thoughts to be converted into the vulture of Prometheus! how to
avoid it? Limiting ourselves to what is necessary, to what is sub-
stantial, and enjoying life as it comes, without thinking or troubling
ourselves about that which we do not possess, or which does not
concern us, nor about what may happen hereafter-Very well, ac-
cording to this man would become a being mentally torpid, that
would only exist to breathe, eat and sleep-an animal. Well, what
remedy is there then? The remedy is found in conducting our-
selves justly, prudently and rationally between an extreme of cares,
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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/m1/210/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.