Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/250

 electing Oran M. Roberts, President, and R. T, Browrigg, Secretary. The Legislature promptly recognized the Convention, although not specially summoned by the Executive of the State, and the Governor announced that he would not be a barrier to the wishes of the people of the State. The Ordinance of Secession was passed, revoking the ordinance adopted in Convention on the 4th July, 1845, and declaring that Texas "is a separate, sovereign State, and that her citizens and people are absolved from all allegiance to the United States or the Government thereof." The Legislature and Convention both adjourned after the adoption of the ordinance. In accordance with the ordinance of the Convention, Governor Houston issued his proclamation for an election to be held on the 23d February, at which the people were requested to vote for or against secession. The election was held, and resulted in 39,415 votes for, and 13,841 votes against secession.

On the 4th of March the Convention re-assembled, and sent a committee to confer with the Governor, and announce to him that "Texas was now a free, sovereign, and independent State," free from and independent of that Union, into which fifteen years before it had gone with such enthusiasm. Governor Houston contended that the functions of the Convention had ceased with the passage of the ordinance of secession, and its submission to the vote of the people, and protested against any further action by the Convention. Notwithstanding the Governor's protest, on the same day the Convention passed an ordinance uniting Texas with the new Confederation, which had been formed at Montgomery, Alabama. On the 14th of March the Convention passed an additional ordinance, requiring all State officers to take the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the "Confederate States," adopted and published by the Convention then sitting at Montgomery, Alabama. Governor Houston and the Secretary of State, Hon. E. W. Cave, refused to take said oath. Their offices were declared vacant. The other public officers took the required oath, and were continued in office. Hon. Edward Clark, the Lieutenant-Governor, having taken the prescribed oath to support the Constitution of the "Confederate States," was sworn in and duly installed as Governor on the 1 6th of March. The office building of the Governor continued to be occupied by General Houston until the 18th of March, when Governor Clark entered the room before General Houston reached it in the morning, and thereafter held undisputed possession. The Legislature having re-assembled on March 18th, according to adjournment. General Houston sent a message to that body, setting forth the injustice of his removal, and protesting against the usurpation of the office of Governor by Governor