George I. Durham[i] to Howell Cobb.
Austin, Texas, Jan’y 17/61.
Sir: I am directed by the Executive Committee to apprise you of the true condition of public sentiment in this State respecting our relations with the Federal Government.
Our Executive is hostile to the present movement of the Gulf States and will use every means in his power to prevent like action here, but our legislature meets on the 21st inst. and will sustain the convention which meets on the 28th following; that body will pass a secession ordinance to go into effect so soon as it can be ratified by the people; of our co-operation with the Gulf states there can be no doubt.
Should your State authorities desire to communicate with our convention any documents directed to Clement R. Johns (our State Comptroller), George M. Flournoy (our Attorney General), or myself, all of this city, will be immediately placed before them.
The sanctity of public correspondence trusted to the mail being often violated is the reason for suggesting the above course in preference to a direct communication with that body.
[i] Secretary of the Executive Committee of Texas.
From Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911.