The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1871-09-21
Law No. Mileage and per diem... SIS, 600
l7-Mileage aud per diem... 10000
Contingent expenses. 10000
Laws aud Journals...... $4,000
.S27O.OeO

l7-Mileage aud per diem... 10000
Contingent expenses. 10000
Laws aud Journalist. $4,000
TOtal................ SzfOlOsO
Making a total for the expenses
of the, Legislature of S562, 900.
Keep these figures in your mind,
while l show you another. Mark
the contrast between them; keep
them before you, disseminate them
to your friends who are not here to-
day. Now don't think that the
funds for "printing and contingent
EXPENSE all went into the hands of
the chicken pie men up the Avenue,
for though they got a good share,
and I have no doubt at prices which
would put the famous rule and figure
work of John Marshall in the shade;
yet much of this money was squanS
dered to give office to their followers.
Every committee, owing to the in
competency of the members had to
have clerk, and there were numerous
pages, porters, door keepers, clerks
and secretaries, until the fact that
the Legislature composed of ninety
members of the House and thirty
Senators, and at no time full, had
Just GONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY
TWO employees"
Why gentlemen, when l had the
honor of being Secretary to the Sen
ate, we had not a dozen assistants all
told, and yet our journals were always
ready to be read at the time of adj
iournment, but then we had the late
Nat. Raymond for assistant Secre-
tary, and his like for Legislative
clerk is seldom met.
But now I ask you to remember
these figures that 1 have just adduced
before you. See how a Democratic
Legislature-a Legislature of the
people, and from the people ap'
propriated the peoples money.
The whole amount appropriated
for the carrying on the State Gov.
eminent for the year 1867 and 1868
was 5576, 900, which included $50,
900 for the public debt, $4,000
more than is appropriated by the
present Legislature out of the So,
761, 1876 appropriated by them; ado
to this $516, 100, $4,000 for pay
and per diem of the members anC
$4,000 for contingent expenses ant
printing, will make the whole amour
for the carrying on of the State
Government for two years, and th'
expenses of the Legislature but 500,
900 more than this imbecile and cor
rupt body have appropriated untc
themselves for their aggrandisemen
and pleasure.
This is what the Journal call
"wisely expanding" the peoples mo
ney!!! Do you agree with them
1 opine, not much.
Fellow citizens-Do you see thi
little book, it is the rules and regu
lations for the Government of publ
free schools in the State of Texas
I hesitate not to say, it contain
more rascality and infamy than cal
be found in any other book of tel
times the size. To use the languag
of California's great poet, slight
altered for the occasion, l might sa
"For the ways that are dark,
And for tricks that are vain,
This little book is peculiar"
Gentlemen this Legislature is grea
, for transferring their power and de
putting their duties. Not satisfied
T defiance of the Constitution of trans
: ferring the power of suspending th
| writ of habeas corpus-the writ {
$ liberty peculiarly the property of OF
g race-to the Governor, not Statistic
; with raising a standing army, an
+, placing it in his hands, but they ha,
also passed a law which gives you
e Governor the power to create
board and gives that board, consi
ting of the Governor and his appoil
9 tees-the power to tax you, not ov,
Z in their gracious kindness, one p,
l cent And who are these appointe
) of our most gracious Governor.
: MIR. Alexander, the Attorney &c,
eral, in private life very amiab
gentleman, but perfectly rabid {
= politics, and a Capt. DeGress late
! of the army. The whole three ha,
. very little solid interest or propert
in Texas.
= This Legislature then have place
- the sword and the purse in the ham
! of one man, a bitter partisan at tina
what is to hinder him from pla.
. ing the role of Cromwell, and di
persing this I stature if he thin
!" proper, or to make himself dictator
n he wishes? 1 don't say Govern
IL Davis will do so, but he can and ma
" do so; and to whom are we to a
J peal-not to the General Cover
a ment, because we see that Il
II military satraps in command of Il
u army are disposing of United Stat
a troops to control their own par
d conventions.
Is 1 believe that this law is unconst
le tutional, that the Legislature cam
:; authorize any board to levy a tax
8. the people; as such l advise that b
n fore we pay it, we appeal to the cou1
N of the country. Not the courts
the State whose judges are appoints
H. by Davis, but to the Circuit Court
h the United States, presided over
tie a man whom our lawyers say is eve
ms inch judge; man whose know
Is edge of the law is great, ana ;
be though he is a Republican, will gi