WILL TEXAS SECEDE (AGAIN)?

In 1861, Texas a slave state along with 6 other states declared the union with the United States to be dissolved

DISSOLVING THE UNION

Whereas,

the Federal Government has failed to accomplish the purposes of the compact of union between these States, in giving protection either to the persons of our people upon an exposed frontier, or to the property of our citizens; and, whereas, the action of the Northern States of the Union is violative of the compact between the States and the guarantees of the Constitution; and whereas the recent developments in Federal affairs, make it evident that the power of the Federal Government is sought to be made a weapon with which to strike down the interests and prosperity of the people of Texas and her Sister slaveholding States, instead of permitting it to be, as was intended, our shield against outrage and aggression:

Therefore,

Section 1
We, the People of the State of Texas, by Delegates in Convention assembled, do declare and ordain, that the Ordinance adopted by our Convention of Delegates, on the Fourth day of July, A.D. 1845, and afterwards ratified by us, under which the Republic of Texas was admitted into Union with other States and became a party to the compact styled "The Constitution of the United States of America" be, and is hereby repealed and annulled; That all the powers, which by said compact were delegated by Texas to the Federal Government, are revoked and resumed; That Texas is of right absolved from all restraints and obligations incurred by said compact, and is a separate Sovereign State, and that her citizens and people are absolved from all allegiance to the United States, or the Government thereof.

Could a state secede from the Union? A constitutional question, unfortunately settled by a bloody war, not rational discourse. The question is being asked again, this time the issue is not tariffs, slavery or punitive action by the Northern states, but by a non-responsive spendthrift, dictatorial government in Washington, DC.

Those who claim that Texas reserved the right to secede , when they joined the Union are not quite correct, as no such provision in the state Constitution exists. However, Article 1, Section 1 states:""Texas is a free and independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United States..." (note that it does not state "...subject to the President of the United States..." or "...subject to the Congress of the United States..." or "...subject to the collective will of one or more of the other States...")

Neither the Texas Constitution, nor the Constitution of the united States, explicitly or implicitly disallows the secession of Texas (or any other "free and independent State") from the United States. Joining the "Union" was ever and always voluntary, rendering voluntary withdrawal an equally lawful and viable option Both the original (1836) and the current (1876) Texas Constitutions also state that "All political power is inherent in the people ... they have at all times the inalienable right to alter their government in such manner as they might think proper."

Likewise, each of the United States is "united" with the others explicitly on the principle[In the Declaration of Independence--not the Constitution] that "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed" and "whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends [i.e., protecting life, liberty, and property], it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government" and "when a long train of abuses and usurpations...evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security."

In these days of blatant disregard for the powers and restrictions of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, when we can no longer turn to the courts for judicial interpretation of the Constitution, it is no wonder that some are advocating secession.

A question to be asked now is not whether Texas can get along without the United States, but whether the United States can get along without Texas.

Texas is the largest geographical state in the contiguous 48.

Texas has more farm land than any other state.

More wool comes from the state of Texas than any other state in the United States.

Texas is referred to as the Silicon Valley of the South, with Dell, Compaq computer headquartered among many other high tech and software generating companies.

Texas possesses three of the top ten most populous cities in the United States; These towns are Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Texas has a cattle population of over 16 million.

ElPaso, Texas is closer to Needles, California than to Dallas, Texas 516 miles.

Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex has more residents than 31U.S. states.

The modern oil industry was born at Spindletop, Texas.

Texas is a prolific producer of oil and natural gas and has multiple refineries, petrochemical plants and salt water ports. The largest inland port in the U.S. is Laredo, TX.

Texas military bases include:Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB, Brooks City Base, Martindale army Airfield, Dyess AFB, Goodfellow AFB,Laughlin AFB, Ft. Hood,

Fort Bliss,Ft. Sam Houston,Corpus Christi NAS, Camp Mabry, Camp Bulis and Camp Swift.

Washington DC are you listening?

With Love and Kindness,

THE HATMAN