Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-08-18
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF
Gov. J. w. ThrOCkmOrton,
DELIVERED IN THE REPRESENTATIVE
HALL, AUSTIN, AUGUST 9Th, 1866.

Feiiop- Citizens:
Called by the people of Texas,
with an unanimity of sentiment
rarely equallcd in tho history OF
Republican Governments, to preside
over their dcstmios at period so
critical, when the future Of the coun-
try appears so gloomy, when so
much prudence and sagacity are re-
quired and expected, l can but be
most profoundly impressed with the
responsibilities of the task before
| me-.
About to take upon myself tho
oath of Office as Chief Magistrate of
the State; and entering upon q
term of service that must prove
cventful in the history of the coun-
try, l am frank to confess that L
feel greatly wanting in the ability
necessary to the occasion; and feel
ing thus, l cannot withhold the ox-
preston Of my regret that the choice
of the people had not fallen upon
some one moro worthy and capable.
During periods ofprofound peace,
when the State was undisturbcd in
its domestic concerns, and in its re-
lations to the Federal Government,
the administration of its political
affairs was attended with much diff
ficulty, and required a high order
of administrative ability. Alta time
like the present, whom we have just
emerged from the most terrible con-
flict known to modern times, with
homes made drcaIy and desolate by
tho heavy hand of war; the people
impoverished, and groaning under
public and private debts; the great
Industrial energies of the country
sadly depressed; occupying in some
respects the position Of State of
the Federal Union, and in others,
the condition of a conquered prov
ince, exercising only such privileges
as the conquoror in his wisdom and
mercy may allow; theloyalty of the
people to the General Government
doubted their integrity questioned; ;
their holicst aspirations for peace
and restoration disbelievcd, malign-
ed and traduced, with q constant
misapprehcnsion of their most inno-
cent actions and intentions; with q
frontier many hundred miles in OK
tent, being desolatcd by a murder
Gus and powerful onemy, our de-
voted frontiersmen filling bloody
graves, their property given to the
flames, or carried off as booty, their
little ones murdered, and their
wives and daughters carried into q
captivity more terrible than death,
and reserved for torturcs such as
savage cruelty and lust can alone
inflict; unprotected by the govern
ment We support. with troops
quartcred in the interior, where
there is peace and quiet; unwilling
to send armed citizens to defend the
suffering border, for fear ofarousing
unjust suspicious as to the motive;
with a heavy debt created before
the late war, and an empty treasury;
with an absolute necessity for a
change in the laws to adapt our
selves to the new order Of things,
and embarrassments in every part
of our internal affairs under such
circumstances, with such surround
ings, when SO much depends upon
prudence, and so great an amount
Of prtriotism and intelligence is re
quired, feel sadly oppressed with
the difficulties which lie before me.
Under the most favorable altitude
OF affairs it is impossible always to
meet public expectation. Situated
as we now are, l beg of my fellow
citizens to form no hasty judgment
of my actions, but take time to con
slider of them and witness their ef-
fects upon the country. Doubtless
errors will occur. 1t is impossible
for human foresight to avoid them.
l feel that l shall greatly need the
generous Indulgence of the country,
and confidently anticipate largo
measure of its forbcarance and char
ity.
Notwithstanding the difficulties
which beset us, and the untoward
direction given to measures pro-
posed for the settlement of the grave
questions growing out of the late
unhappy contest between the Gov
ernment and the Southern States,
and notwithstanding the measure
so proposed have received the sane
ton of the National Legislature, yet,
my fellow-citizcns, with proper con-
duct on our part, l do not despair
of receiving liberal and generous
treatment from our Northern coun-
trymen. / am not yet prepared to
believe that the land of Franklin
and Hancock, of the Adams" of
Hamilton and Jay, of Webster, and
so many other worthless Of pure un-
sullicd patriotism, is no longer land
of good and great men, or that the
lessons of unselfish devotion to
country. taught by these illustrious
and yenerated fathers, have been
wholly forgotten. The wild hur-
ricane Of passion, cngendered by
fanaticism and misguided philan-
thopy, augmented in its fury by the
flames of civil war, may sweep over
the country, the warning voice OF
patriotism may be unheeded, and
hushed for a time, but when the
storm subsidies, and its fury IS ex-
pended, reason and justice, temper
ed with magnanimity and a gener-
Gus regard for every section OF the
Union, will resume their sway
The true men Of the country who
have embalmed in their hearts the
a