“When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression.

When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army and the priesthood, both the eternal enemies of civil liberty, the everready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants.

When, long after the spirit of the constitution has departed, moderation is at length so far lost by those in power, that even the semblance of freedom is removed, and the forms themselves of the constitution discontinued, and so far from their petitions and remonstrances being regarded, the agents who bear them are thrown into dungeons, and mercenary armies sent forth to force a new government upon them at the point of the bayonet.

When, in consequence of such acts of malfeasance and abdication on the part of the government, anarchy prevails, and civil society is dissolved into its original elements. In such a crisis, the first law of nature, the right of self-preservation, the inherent and inalienable rights of the people to appeal to first principles, and take their political affairs into their own hands in extreme cases, enjoins it as a right towards themselves, and a sacred obligation to their posterity, to abolish such government, and create another in its stead, calculated to rescue them from impending dangers, and to secure their future welfare and happiness.

...

These, and other grievances, were patiently borne by the people of Texas, untill they reached that point at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue. We then took up arms in defence of the national constitution. We appealed to our Mexican brethren for assistance. Our appeal has been made in vain. Though months have elapsed, no sympathetic response has yet been heard from the Interior. We are, therefore, forced to the melancholy conclusion, that the Mexican people have acquiesced in the destruction of their liberty, and the substitution therfor of a military government; that they are unfit to be free, and incapable of self government.

The necessity of self-preservation, therefore, now decrees our eternal political separation.”

It would be my will that a new representative republic be formed long before the standard set by the above scenario. The occupying statist theocracy that infests this land is progressing rapidly toward said standard. Mr. Obomunist Goodwrench the assassin's police and otherwise interior military (becoming equal in force to the traditional military) are a military despotism while continually growing in effect to soon be recognized as mercenaries.

It would be great if we all could secede from the Chicago-NY-California-D.C.Beltway. Cut those fools adrift.

Texans simply wanted to be "free" to continue to enslave others. In 1860 they again set out to be free from the US in order to continue slavery. This Declaration is just a buch of hypocrisy.

The scenario described above is taking shape very quickly. The cure will follow. And Waffler is still a lunatic.

Waffler, stop drinking the public school kool aid. The civil war was NOT fought over slavery, it was fought over states rights. Slavery was, and is, wrong but the federal government does not have the constitutional authority to control legislation in the the states. Texas, and the other southern states left the union exactly because of the principles set out in this document.

Waffler doesn't get that the Feds themselves are slave masters to this day. He thinks communism is a wondeful idea and that we should all be chattel to the state...and yet he rails against slavery. What a complete and total hypocrite.

Waffler knows as much about Texas as I know about atomic fusion, which is nothing. Surrounded in Connecticut has it right.

As this document plainly shows the Texicans knew what they were about and what needed to be done, then went out and did it. They didn't just talk about it. These were brave men, and women, from all over, not just the territory to be called "Texas", but all who saw injustice and recognized it for what it was. Waffler, if you would study your history as much as you study your glass you would know this to be true.

Wow! Change a few words and this declaration could be used today to address the tyrannical government in Washington, DC, that has usurped its constitutional limits and now attempts to make us all slaves. What is a slave, Waffler? If one slave works in the fields and sleeps in a barn but another works in the house and sleeps inside, are they not still both slaves? Slavery is a system of control, whereby the slave's rights are merely whatever their master permits -- and yes some slaves get treated better than others -- same in today's slave system. Socialism is merely equal slavery for all -- no special treatment -- except for the politburo, i.e. federal government employees (e.g. Waffler).

"What do YOU think?" Hmmmm, I think we should exercise our rights as agreed on when we decided to VOLUNTARILY join the Union - let's VOLUNTARILY unjoin from the Union and take back the land of the original Texas in 1845. That would be part of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Utah. That would sure make a dent in someone's back yard Bar-B-Que plans. Plus, look at the companies that we would take with us - Dell Computers (not much right now), Lockheed-Martin, NASA (another down-at-luck), Texas Instruments, Compaq Computers, just to name a few of the more techie type that everyone likes. What would happen if their headquarters were in "another country"?? That would make for an interesting situation.

Either waffer is a troll, or he is serious, we need to school him

God Bless Texas, I will come and stand watch if needed. Send the not wanting of a free State away and let the ones who want a Republic live within. Can you believe that we as a nation have come to this state of condition, Thanks to our uneducated. Sad as it may be, I pray and stand ready to defend our original rights.

I apologize for my earlier rant. I got off the track and on another subject. Actually, Waffler, the Texicans were trying to get away from Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna who was seeking to enslave all of Mexico and the "subjects" thereof, including the Norte Americanos who were trying to settle in what was later known as Texas. If you would take the time, and have the inclination, to look into Texas history you will find those men who fought at places like Goliad, Matamoros, and, of course, the Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo), were men who valued freedom from oppression and tyranny. They gave their lives then as soldiers do today for their ideals, their beliefs, and how they would like the world to be for their children. Could you be that brave yourself, Waffler, to face the odds those men faced at the Alamo, knowing their ultimate fate?? Even after Santa Anna gave them the chance, the decision to leave alive, they stood their ground and fought overwhelming odds for what they believed in. Even though they died that day in March of 1836 they won, because it ignited a passion in others that built into a flame of victory at San Jacinto less than 6 weeks later. On April 21, 1836, Gen Sam Houston and his army fought an 18 minute "battle" with the Mexicans that left the great Gen Santa Anna hiding in the uniform of a lowly Mexican private. I agree with T.C. - God Bless Texas!!!

Waffler - Why don't you just take a sedative and go lay down? Reasonable, intuitive and responsible ideals are just beyond your scope. The true enslavers are socialists such as you who want to control, manipulate and obtain the fruits of others labor through government legalized plunder. A True Texan - EXCELLENT litany of history - sorry to say it's all beyond Waffler's comprehension.