Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 11.djvu/30

16 with headquarters at San Antonio, under the command of General Twiggs, deemed it advisable to raise funds to defray the necessary expenses. The president was authorized to negotiate a loan of $100,000, which was done in New Orleans by Gen. E. B. Nichols, appointed agent for that purpose. The convention had appointed the usual committees and in addition a committee of public safety, which was designed to act as a military committee in securing the public property and in the removal of the Federal troops.

On the 2d of February, 1861, it was resolved in convention, &quot; That should the standing committee of public safety deem it essential to the public safety to appoint commissioners, officers or persons in reference to taking possession of the Federal property within the limits of this State, they shall have power to appoint such and as sign them their duties and give them the instructions under which they shall act; but this power shall only extend to such cases in which the committee may deem prompt action and secrecy absolutely necessary.&quot; On the 4th a resolution was passed authorizing that committee to act during the recess of the convention at such times and places as in their judgment the public interest requires.

During every day of the meeting of the convention a tender of military companies was made to it, with the names of officers and privates from different parts of the State, which on each morning were announced by the president. They were referred to the committee of public safety, which was thus furnished with the information necessary to collect a force if it became desirable.

The president, to whom had been entrusted the disbursement of the money that had been borrowed, appointed Gen. E. B. Nichols as agent to perform that duty, under the direction of the committee of public safety, which was sanctioned by the convention. The committee held its meetings privately, apart from the body of the convention, acting independently within the scope