The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-09-18
sPEEoH oF aovEnNon pAvIs.

I
instant. It is worse-even than we had sup
posed from what we had heard about it,
which was anything but favorable. A
coarser piece of low demagogism we never
read. The Governor begins by admitting
that he IS ''no great speeeh-maker. That
is more than evident from the speech, and
is the only proven assertion in it. He is not
even small speech-maker. The specimen
before US would disgrace school boy at a
debating club. But the matter is worse than
the style. 1t was fitted only for an audience of
ignorant negroes, and we are surprised that
the Governors friends, if he has any of
some cultivation and discretion, did not
prevent its publication But The man who
can make such a speech, has generally the
vanity to desire to see it in print. The
Governor may think it fine thing-the
crowning honor of his oratorical life.
Promising that his hearers need instruction
another self-evidcnt fact-the orator de-
clares he Will give it to them in the way of
argument, without vitipuration, and regrets
that not more Democrats are present to
hear him. We shall soon sec what amount
of argument there is, and whether he re-
trains, as promised, from abusing the De
mocacy. The first argument is, that the
Democratic Convention, just adjourned,
20 contained thirty captains, sixty-two
majors, one hundred and ten colonies, three
hundred generals and the balance judges. :"
That is really a tremendous argument,
worthy the tall head and shallow brain of a
model Radical Governor. 1t must have
stunned and overwhelmed his negro audi
tory. The next point is, that all the liv-
ing members of the Secession Convention
of 1861 were there. What ifthey wereG Had
they not as much rig as others to be PRESENT.
Does the Governor intend to prescribe all
who took part in secession? Would he
confne the privileges of citizenship to the
ignoble brigade he commanded to put down
the rebellion9 If so, his supporters viii be
very few, and even Bob Taylor and Rat
Monroe will have to vote against him.
These associates of his on the Radical ticket
make up part of what he designates as the
"dry bones of the Confederacy," though
they might more properly, perhaps, be desig-
mated as rotten rather than dry" Then,
what did the Democratic Convention do (?
The Governor says: "They dressed up the
old hag, Democracy, put on her false hair
and teeth, painted her skeleton cheeks,
covered with scarlet all her denominations. :"
Another strong argument, without abuse
or vituperationp Pleasant talk that for the
Democracy to listen to- What a pity they
were not all present to hear it. We wish
they had been. The Governor stated, that
the sold hag, Democracy, and her support
ers pledged themselves in 1860 to reopen
the African slave trade. The assertion is
false The Democratic party never, as q
party, advocated any such measure. Some
extreme tire-eaters, like General Parsons,
now leading Radical and the fast friend of
| Governor Davis, who has bestowed Office
upon him, and, perhaps, a few others,
mostly now Radicals, did propose to re-
open the trade, which the Governors
Yankee friends commenced, but tine Demo
cratic party was opposed to it emphatically.
1t was the slandered South which, at first,
insisted on abolishing. the African slave
trade, while the North, now claiming to be
the negro's special defender, opposed it, as
they were reaping a rich harvest from its
continuance. So much for that argument
Again, ''thev drove the noble Sam Houston
in sorrow to his grave" Where is the
proof of thisl Gen. Houston, though op
posed to secession, addressed Confederate
military company and sent his eldest
son and namesalze to the field Of
combat, as he said, in his place
What has Sam Houston to do with the re
election of Governor Davis9 Were the hero
of San Jacinto alive, he would not be seer
taking the hand of any man, who has done
what this Radical Governor has dared to dC
without blush. The next thing is tht
charge that the Democracy of Texas, aftel
the war, tried "to establish system O
slavery under another name" This is false
There is nothing which gives any counte
nance to it. 1t was said, like other things
merely to incite the ignorant negroes, whc
knew no better. The labor act of tn,
Eleventh Legislature is defensible OF
grounds of reason and the public good, a
well as the landlord and tenant bill, at
tempted to be passed by the last Legislature
if there was nothing worse init than is con
tanned in the section, quoted IN the Gov
ernor's speech, and which he SO Violently
assails The demagogism OF the Governor
on this point, is of the lowest and mos
contemplate sort. 1t is intended to ARA,
all poor people, white or black, against thl
property holders, and deserves the Sc
verest condemnation Of all lovers o
peace, concord and order. The charge
that the last Legislature destroyed pub
lie free schools has no more foundation
than the other bold assertions, and so, also
the complaint against the jury law. Tn
necessity of intelligent jurors in the trial o
land suits and civil cases, involving larg
amounts, is apparent to every honest mai
as well as every decent jurist. This i
another specimen Of demagogism, which
in fact, pervades this extraordinary speecl
from beginning to end. It is nothing bu
vituperation, abuse and Misrepresentation
The charge Of revolution, intended unde
the guise Of a new constitution, is scarcel
worthy Of notice, and the Governors aC
ceptance Of ''the guage of battle, throw
down by the Democracy, gives a QuixOti
closing to the whole, which would immol
talize a farce.
TIEE GRANGE mOvEmENTs.
Beforethe late Democratic State convcr
! ton. we noticed IN Different narts 81 N