The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-06-18


Since Governor Coke's last visit to Waco.
tho Esa1fner has been publishing series
Of base attacks and ISLANDERS against the
people Of Austin. Il has commenced to
harp upon the late Radical scare-crow Of
an Austin ring. We have already given
our readers the benefit of seeing one Of
these hattering notices, and beg to be ex-
cused for again reproducing the following
IOw-fung article from its issue of the thir-
teenth instant.
''THE AUSTIN 'RISo PUBLIC AND GOV. COKE
'sWhen Coke was an aspirant for the chief
magistracy Of the State, the body known
as the Austin Ring Public worked like bea-
gers to defeat him, or bar his success dur
ing the sitting of the convention. 1t was
not so much Throckmorton, DeMOrse, or
Hubbard, as It was anything TO beat Coke.
This was all right, and Is they had a per-
feet right TO do. But when Coke was inau-
gurated, behold the change. The faWning
and honeying was absolutely nauseating.
It was oppressive in the vigOr and persis
tency of its manifestations, and was backed
by the Galveston Nelcs, which was an earn
est that something Interior was at the bot
tom of this Coke .fttrOre, and was so coarse
and clumsily managed as to excite remark
by every one who saw It. This state Of
things continued until the financial policy
of the Governor was announced. Then it
became perfectly apparent that the effort
to conciliate and honey was made in vain.
Visions of an easily approached treasury
were dissipated; hopes of sudden fortunes
in State warrants died almost IS soon as
born. Then it was discovered by these
warrant jObbers that great mistake
had been made. That Coke was not
the man. The Governors policy of safe
retirement, and an early and sure payment
of the warrants, and the entire indebted
ness of the State, without division with
the Austin intermediates, would ruin
who2 Not the State, not the taxpayers,
but the jobbers in State paper, who, vam-
had fastened their filthy beaks
deep in the Treasury vaults. Then the
noise, then the racket; then the STATESMAN
and the Melcs few with winged feet to the
help of-the people2 Mol but TO the help
of the rings which had, in the preceding
ground the face of the peo-
pie, had dishonored the credit of the State,
and made away with all the revenue that
had found its way to the goodly City of the
Hills, which innOcently nestled under the
shade of the trees on the banks of the blue
Colorado.
'sCitizens of Texas, Democrats, these are
they, and they only, who are fighting your
Governor These are the men who are
cursing him for adhering to the pledge he
made youin regard to an economical, frugal,
honest handling of the resources of the
State. These are the men who could
neither brighten nor cajole him, and would
now, by reason. of that failure, stamp his
with the seal of condemna-
ton; of whom9 Themselves alone"
The publication of such articles would
give us, or the good people of Austin but
little concern, were it not that there is evil
IDENTIFY power behind, inducing them, from
which the cue has been most lily received.
Governor Coke in his late speech at Waco,
in which he expressed the most bitter ami
mosities against powers to which he in a
very great degree owes his present position,
was reported as follows in the Examiner:
''Reverting to.the inauspicious hour when
he started from Waco to Austin as the Gov
ernor elect, the difficulties and dangers that
environed him there before his Inauguration,
and the cliques, rings and corruptionIsts
with which he has since had to contend, he
pointed to the substantial achievements of
his administration, so far as a sufficient re-
futation of the vile calumnies that have
been hurled against him."
Yes, we remember well the trying days
and following the inauguration
of Governor Coke, when the citizens of
Austin took the fortunes of the day in their
hands, and through their moral and physi-
cal influence placed Richard Coke where he
now is. We remember well that from five
hundred to thousand of the best citizens of
our fair city stood ready to shed their blood at
a moments notice in the cause of expelling
an usurper and establishing government
desired by the people of Texas. In face of
this, with the cue extended, his organ says
that the ''fawning and honeying" of our
people ''was absolutely nauseating." Again
the imputatlon that the ''body, known as
the Austin Ring Public, worked like beav-
ers to defeat him" in the canvass, is false
hood, one dictated by vindictiveness and
low animosity, or narrow prejudice, and a
base ingratitude to friends. Richard Coke
had political enemies in Austin, as he had
ali over the State, but still he was
the choice of our delegation, and it went
with the tide which gave him SO large
a majority in the nominating convention.
He not only had many very warm friends in
the delegation who worked for his nomina-
ton, but when the tug came on the day of
election our city and county rolled up a
most handsome majority for Richard Coke.
Outside of the Radical clique belonging TO
the Davis government, we think it safe to
say, that not twenty-five white voters in
Travis county voted against him. The
writer Of this article, one of the proprietOrs
of this paper, was an advocate of Coke for
the nomination, warmly supported him as
a member of the nominating convention
and felt proud of his participation in the
achievements which put him where he now
is. True to the Democratic party, the
STATESMAN dared to advocate, with all the
warmth it possessed, a constitutional con-
vention, while Governor Coke was quietly
pulling the strings against this popular
measure. Again, when State finances were
under discussion in the Legislature, and
the Governors manufacturing scheme was
being warmly urged by him, the STATESMAN
dared take issue and oppose plan, the evil
effects of which have already been expe-
rienced. It dared to work against the Gov
ernor's plan of semi-repudiation, for the
honor and credit of Texas, and against an
arbitrary law fraught with deep injury to
the State. For these reasons, coupled with
the fact that one Of its proprietors had
always been q warm political friend Of
Governor ThrOckmortcn, he became the
open enemy Of this paper; and still
the STATESMAN had never spoken Of
Governor ThrOckmorton in other term.
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