I Am Aware That In Presenting Myself

Let Me Tell You What Is Coming.... Your Fathers And Husbands, Your Sons And Brothers, Will Be Herded At The Point Of The Bayonet... You May, After The Sacrifice Of Countless Millions Of Treasure And Of Thousands Of Lives, As A Bare Possibility, Win Southern Independence...but I Doubt It.

In The Name Of The Constitution Of Texas, Which Has Been Trampled Upon, I Refuse To Take This Oath. I Love Texas Too Well To Bring Civil Strife And Bloodshed Upon Her.

When A Government Has Ceased To Protect The Lives, Liberty, And Property Of The People ... And ... Becomes An Instrument In The Hands Of Evil Rulers For Their Oppression ... It Is A ... Sacred Obligation To Their Posterity To Abolish Such Government, And Create Another In Its Stead.

I Have Ever Been Opposed To Banks, - Opposed To Internal Improvements By The General Government, - Opposed To Distribution Of Public Lands Among The States, - Opposed To Taking The Power From The Hands Of The People, - Opposed To Special Monopolies, - Opposed To A Protective Tariff, - Opposed To A Latitudinal Construction Of The Constitution, - Opposed To Slavery Agitation And Disunion. This Is My Democracy. Point To A Single Act Of My Public Career Not In Keeping With These Principles.

It Is A Matter Of Great Satisfaction To Me To Hope That My Children Will Be In Circumstances To Receive A Good Education. Mine Was Defective And I Feel The Inconvenience, If Not The Misfortune Of Not Receiving A Classical Education. Knowledge Is The Food Of Genius, And My Son, Let No Opportunity Escape You To Treasure Up Knowledge.