Civics, Texas and federal

Front matter

AND

FEDERAL triplett&haOslein

REIN & SONS COMPANY

Preface

FROM the state viewpoint education is fostered to de¬ velop good citizens and thus to insure to all the people of the Nation security in their personal and property rights.

A knowledge of our government and of the conditions that produced our constitutions and laws helps to make good citizens and is the best safeguard to our State.

As the States are sovereign in our government, a citi¬ zen feels the influence of the laws of his State in his every-day life, while that of the National laws is more remote. For this reason the young citizen should first familiarize himself with the government of his own State in his study of civics, and then the study of Na¬ tional government will be natural and easy.

In studying the civic affairs of Texas the student realizes that no other commonwealth has such a varied and interesting history. Through every stage of it Texas has been blessed with patriots who cared more for right principles and righteous government than for material prosperity.

Texas took active part in throwing off Spanish rule and oppression in Mexico, and in the establishment of the Mexican Republic. In this republic, Texas loyally supported Mexico till republicanism in the nation was only a name. But when men’s rights were disregarded by Mexico’s tyrannical dictator, Texans took up arms for citizen rights, won Texan independence from Mexico, and established the Republic of Texas by as marked valor as was shown at Thermopylae.

Realizing her intimate relation to the United States, Texas voluntarily changed from a Republic to a State of the American Union, and later, joining the cause of vi

PREFACE the Southern Confederacy, she fought valorously as long as there was a vestige of hope for the success of that cause. It is a notable fact that the last battle of the Civil War was fought on Texas soil—on the Palmetto Rancho—the Confederates winning the victory on May 13, 1865, not yet having heard of the surrender of Lee at Appomattox.

In this book on Texas civics the evolution of the State government will be presented in the light of Texas his¬ tory and Texas constitutional development. Such essen¬ tials of each Texas constitution will be presented as gave a basis for subsequent constitutional changes. The civil government of the State will be considered in an analysis of the present constitution and the legal require¬ ments that arose therefrom.

The county is recognized as the unit in our State government and it is treated fully in its local import¬ ance and in its essential relation to the State govern¬ ment. The function of the State officials and of the public institutions is discussed. The relation of the State to the Federal government is explained, and all sections of the Federal constitution that have specific bearing on our State government are plainly presented.

Suffrage and elections, trial proceedings, cities and towns, revenue and taxation, public education and polit¬ ical party management, are carefully treated. To this is added an analytical presentation of the Federal con¬ stitution showing the function of the Federal govern¬ ment. THE AUTHORS.