The Texas Republican

The Election

So far as our country is concerned, the vote is in favor of the Pearce bill, by a very large majority. Many of our citizens, averse to the measure, did not vote at all. There appears to be a general feeling prevailing that it will be accepted; therefore they did not turn out. The vote, as compared with the recent election, will show this to be the fact. Our Chief Justice, with a promptness worthy of him, immediately on receipt of the Governor's Proclamation, issued his order, and had it known in every nook and corner of the county in much less time than the law requires, so that there was no reason for absence, unless the one we give above. And it must not be supposed our citizens approve of the bill because they voted for it, any more than our Representative, V E Howard. No! They voted for it for the sake of peace. How much they are deceived, time will tell. "The will of the people should rule." We endeavored to do our duty according to our conscience. Our citizens have endeavored to do theirs the same way. But time, the great rectifier of all errors, will show who erred now.

There was also another reason why this proposition has been acceded to here, which we may as well allude to. The horrible incubus of "debt" weighed heavy on the minds of our people; and though considering the manner in which the offer was made, with threats of "grim-visaged war" thrown out, and our rights unacknowledged, together with the detention of half the money offered for our "claim," as though Texas was not to be trusted with the payment of her debts,—as repugnant to their sense of right, and a tyrannical exercise of power, yet we say, the chances of commencing the world again, clear of this dark cloud, and the great inducements held forth to emigrants, when they know our country has money in its coffers, and no debts to pay, caused the people to yield their convictions to circumstances, and as they believed, the future welfare of the State. "For ourselves, we take a wider view of the matter, and never, though the bayonet were at our throat, could we have been induced to make such a sacrifice at the altar of northern lust of power. The returns, as furnished us by J McGary, Esq, will be found elsewhere."