From: Gary Hunt at the Outpost of Freedom in Waco, Texas
Date: MARCH 27, 1993Let's just ask a simple
little question. Is there any purpose at all for state
constitutions?
Perhaps constitutions are a thing of the past.
Obsolete in this modern age. After all, those that were
willing to give their lives for them are gone. They are
not going to complain that what they struggled for is
being put aside. Most of us probably don't even realize
that the Texas Constitution was re-written to satisfy the
Yankee congress after the Civil War. In fact, all of the
southern states had to re-write their respective
constitutions before re-entry into the union. So, it
would appear that there was still a purpose for them at
that time, but obviously not today.
Why do I say this? Well, I have in front of me a copy
of the constitution of the state of Texas, 1876, and I am
looking at the Bill of Rights. I think that I'll just
cite a couple of the sections, and leave the rest to you.
§1. Texas is a free and independent State,
subject only to the Constitution of the United States,
and the maintenance of our free institutions and the
perpetuity of the Union depend upon the preservation of
the right of local self-government, unimpaired to all the
States.
§2. All political power is inherent in the
people, and all free governments are founded on their
authority, and instituted for their benefit. The faith of
the people of Texas stands pledged to the preservation of
a republican form of government, and, subject to this
limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable
right to alter, reform or abolish their government in
such manner as they may think expedient.
§6. All men have a natural and indefeasible
right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates
of their own consciences.
…No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to
control or interfere with the rights of the conscience in
matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be
given by law to any religious society or mode of worship.
But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such
laws as may be necessary to protect equally every
religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its
own mode of public worship.
§23. Every citizen shall have the right to keep
and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the
State, but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to
regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent
crime.
§29. To guard against transgressions of the
high powers herein delegated, we declare that everything
in this "Bill of Rights" is excepted out of the
general powers of government, and shall forever remain
inviolate, and all laws contrary thereto, or to the
following provisions, shall be void.
So, we have five of twenty nine sections that have
been violated by the federal government, and the State
will not protect it's own citizens from this foreign
power.
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