Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1873-03-15
Special Correspondence
AUSTIN, March 10, 1878.

folly and expensive delay, md tho
Galveston and Houston frolic over
and repcnted OF, the august LeSis.
lature of Texas have now settled
down to steady work, and, on the
whole, are now doing very well, or,
as they say after a certain interest
ing event in married life has hap
pened, "as we'll as could be expect.
ed" No very important changes in
existing laws, bearing heavy on
the people, have yet received the
sanction of both Houses and tho
Governor, but several good bills
are under Roadway, and there is n
prospect, in tho fullness of time.
that the proscnt condition ofthings
will DO much improved. You arc
aware that tho bill repeating the
odious militia law, which was
rather too hastily and thoughtlcss-
ly passed by the impatient mem
bers, was vetoed by the Governor.
To-day new bill, very much i'm
proving and modifying the old law,
passed the House, and tho chair
man of the Military Committee,
Anderson, Of McLclland, stated
that it would receive the Executive
sanction. The Lord be praised, if
not Davis. His Excelloncy, it is
said, got 50 happy and loving on
his Galveston trip, that he promis.
ed all sorts of friendly things, and
insisted that, after all, if the peo-
pie had only known him, they
would have found out that he was
very much of their way of think
ing, and that he did not approve of
o great deal that the last Lcgisla-
ture had done. Well, we shall soon
see. The now election law will
soon be before him, which the radi-
cal papers are calling on hin to
veto, and we shall find out whether
the Governor will live up to his
champagne speeches. Let us hope
for the best.
Strange to say the Amend
ment to tho Constitution
which received over $4,000 MAORI.
ty votes from tho pcoplc of Texas
has not yet become part of ,h(
supreme law. 1t was very prompt
ly passed by the Senate, two mem
bcrs only voting against it, but il
the House it has met with uncx
pected opposition from some gen
tlemen of high standing, and itye
remains for final action. The pre-
liminary votes taken, however, in
dictate q certainty of it's adoption
by more than tho constitutional ma
jority, when it can be reached il
its regular order. 1t is assumed by
the opposers OF this amendment
which authorizes land grants il
aid ofrailroads, that the people di'
not know what they were doing
when they voted as they did. Ties
gentlemen are mistaken. Wherev
or the matter was discussed ant
fully explained, the vote for tn
Amendment was the largest. Th
people desired to get rid OF tn
present railroad obligations by sub
stituting lands for bonds, and the,
acted wisely.
Mach surprise has been manifest
ed at the strange report made b.
Ireland and others of the spccia
committee, appointed in referenc
to the indebtedness of the State t.
tho International and Texas Pacii
ic railroads. The general opinion
seems to be that the report is no
only bad law, weakly laid down
but by the course recommended b.
the committee, would bring dishon
or and serious injury to tho State
Railroad charters, whore compiled
with, are contracts within the Con
stitution of the United States, which
cannot be violated at pleasure. Blu
think for a moment of the consc
quences ofrepealing the laws, grant
ing aid to these railroads. TIL
parties have gone on with thei
work at great expense, confidins
in the good faith of the State, ant
a large immigration has followed
and much capital has been invested
along the line of the roads and in lot
in the towns through which the.
pass, and general activity ant
posterity has attended in consc
qucnce, SO far, and now Judge Ire
land and his learned friends ste]
up and say, "stop this, it is al
wrong" But unless greatly err
the people will say, Ego on, it i
working very WE'LL" If we can &c
these great lines of railroad By
giving alternate sections of land
thus fill up the State with people
and bring capital among us will
which factories may be built AM
Texas made the proud empire
the South, let it be done. And b,
all means let not tho stain of repu