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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