Texas, Report of Sub-Committee, “The police and State guard are armed, and lord it over the land, while the citizen dare not, under heavy pains and penalties, bear arms to defend himself"

Texas, Report of Sub-Committee, “The police and State guard are armed, and lord it over the land, while the citizen dare not, under heavy pains and penalties, bear arms to defend himself . . . . While in form we have a Republican government, in substance and in fact we have a despotism which constantly becomes more and more absolute, and will certainly end in the unqualified enslavement of the people unless some check is interposed.”, Sept. 25, 1871