Governor Colquitt of Texas gave the Mexican question a decisively new turn. And the firmness of the Texan is not only of importance from the standpoint of our foreign policy. The action of the Texas Governor brings the autonomy of the single states into a very serious conflict with the prerogative of the Federal Government. A Texan was murdered in Mexico and because the Government in this case, as in every other case, pursued the policy of irresolution, the Texans took matters in their own hand, went to Mexico, exhumed the corpse, brought it over to Texan soil and established the fact that their countryman had been murdered. In Washington weeping and gnashing of teeth broke out, but still there was no action. And now something has happened, which not onlyhas taken Washington, but the world also, by surprise.

Colquitt, the Governor of a State of this Union, has declared, that he does not care a straw for the Union and the Washington representatives, and that he would solve the Mexican entanglement on his own responsibility. "I challenge any power, even that in Washington, to prevent me from protecting Texas citizens", declared the energetic Governor at a meeting, where the participants 2were beside themselves with enthusiasm. "The Democratic Party", he added, "is drunk with power, and the Congressmen and Senators have become cowards, through office hunting, who are afraid to represent the case of the State of Texas".

Whether Governor Colquitt is right or wrong with his accusations should be left undecided, it being of secondary importance to the main question. The main question is of a more serious nature than would appear at first sight. It involves the belief that the autonomous States do not want to see the autonomy restricted to their inner affairs. And this, when steadily applied, must lead to complications the consequences of which cannot be foretold.

The Texan Statesman's attitude cannot be unconditionally condemned. Somebody must, in the long run, take the part of those Americans whose life and property are endangered in Mexico. And if our Government possesses a dismal courage that looks indifferently at the slaughter of Americans in the neighbor republic she should have to bear the responsibility seen in history 3where single states, in an act of self defense, placed themselves in opposition, and through such an act sowed seeds of discord and secession.