Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1861-11-27
vIUm,l md Oldhani,

Al
ghc psople's Legislature 50 fari nv ~
, ,,s,i In an eminent degree The "'.'',s o.
an, us,p,s of Texss, In tie ele'''on o. 'h'''
,v, ,li.,lnsal,hsd geuilemen "a tie eNa"e'
,.,sl,l,u o, Confederate States s'n''1's-
rb,.g ,,sa have bsea tong considered The
,...,., Iru,nt OF states Rights doe'ride in
-. and no Two have fought more gall
lsnily or ,hoir success, nor brought more
en,lrhteucd s,a,esmanship 70 bear upon the
,ses,inn. {Thc election OF Wisiall, two
wars aqo, which VIC then advocated with
earnss. seal, resulted in tie most signal
benoi, to ihe cause OF independence In The
sou,h. Long aitcr majority Of the South
ern membcrs had lott the Yankee Hump
c,,y.,., Wlsrall remained as the solitary
sentinel over Southern Rights, watching
every trick OF the enemy, an1 by ne bold
moss aud honesty, often defeating their lest
,a;l s,hcnes for our rain. lie stool alone,
and always M much frarel BY the Yankees,
AS Ccljcrls al tho gates Of lIaIlos by dis
cmLodlcd spi,l,s, No ealolcrics, no threats,
nor muunccs, could deter him FROM speaking
the truth aud dcnounoing their maehna-
tons; and TO his watchiulncss andunswerv-,
ing perlipoeity, the Southisdcep'y indebted.
Judge W. S. Oldham has long stood at
the head Of the bar in The State OF Texas,
aud has ever been in the front ranks OF That
glorious body of statesmen .hGt has she'd
such lua,cr upon our State, ns enc which
carly espoused the cause of liberty. Judge
oldham has stood immovablc, when the
tide Of public opinion seemed for time 10
be against him and against tho rights OF
the States; and although there was n large
minority opposed to him, unlike the polite
al wrcckers lhat swan with the tide and
dcspoilcd the noble ship, he like faithful
mariner clung to the wreck of his party
gathered together the fragments ct uiS)o'h-
ted spa,s aud rigging, pilotcd the weary,
surf. f.bcaten craft into still and placid wa
ters; helped to rebuild and man her with
stou,crhearts and braver men. Ihccowardiy
dcse-ters were left to the miro of their own
choosing; and III 1850, one bright day,
when an almost tropical sun shone down
| upon The silver sands Of Galveston. and the
| pertutncd breezes Of the Gulf, kissed her
lowers and her fair daughters, 4 body OF
faithful States Rights men gathered togetii-
er. and counselcd one with the other. The
old ship was brought up, all right, newly
! manned and the same old banner OF States
Rights floating aloft and casting its shad-
ows on none but devoted friends who would
rather have died there than have reigned
elsewhere. The faithless ones who had teu
the year before, al the frstsound Of danger,
| did not come back at roll l-call, and when the
p,oif,,rm was started out from the Calves
ton convention, the strongest states rights
| document ever issucd,-wo find Oldham, at
| his post, ever ready, ever wiling, ever
able, ever eloquent, t,-and right mantuiiy.
did he fight the battle. The majority OF last
year was glorious one, and we know that
he worked like Veteran. When the state
| was imperiled by>the election Of Lincoln, nc
was amongs. the first TO stand to his princi-
pies anu assert their justice. lie was an
original, unqualified seccssionisI, du.ing the
stirring times of last winter, and his noble
efforts in the State convention will be long
remembered
He was appointed toa seat in the Proyis-
ional Congress, which he filled with disiin-
gushcd ability; and now, as the reward OF
long years OF service and devotion to ms
country, the legislature Of his own State
has raised h,ln to one Of the highest posi-
tions in the government We have nc
hesitation in saying that the "peop!es Leg
islature," has reflected the wishes of the
people and has performcd an act that VIII
be one Of its best recommendations to gen
eral favor, and o the posterity Of Texan
patriots.