The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-02-26
con.lIInIIonal tonventI0n.


had the seal OF public appreciation and con-
sent stamped Sully upon them. What he
would have said concerning. and how he
would have defined. conventions and COM
missions Of the class which we are discus
sing, | know not; but ! class and define
them as the forcrunRers OF anarchy the first
step taken toward Capitalization
We came here gentlemen 70 fight centrali-
zatiou, not To aid H. We have lately come
out OF q contest in which we fought this
monster, and now when we have whipped
the fight, shall we 90 over 70 the enemyp
The Capitalization against which we battled
was on the part Of the general government.
the assumption oi power and the absorption
of rights and powers which, OF right, be-
long to the State and to the people. The
Capitalization which peeps out in both
OF these measures is an assumption of
power on the part of this Legislature
which neither the people nor the Constitu-
ton have given. What if the State did
approve the Democratic platform by 90, 600
majority, and a plank in that platform ad-
yocated calling of the conventioni This
convention has not been called in accor-
dance with the old custom and manner Of
calling conventions. The old method pro-
vided FOR taking the sense Of the people on
that particular subject--gettfng their di-
rect and expressed wish. This plan allows
them no chance to vote in the negative. It
conipels them e set,. Ger delegates whether
/ they want convention or not Gentlemen
may say that they discussed this question
on the hustings. Well, suppose they did.
Does that prove the psople consented TO itl
Certainly not. How could they have ex-
/ pressed their dissent but in one way, and
that by voting for the Radical party Now
is there man here, who viii pretend TO
4 say that Democrat and Texan would
have suffered his opposition TO a eonven-
ton, or in fact any consideration 10 COM
! pei hun TO vote for the Radicals ge3tainy
not Thus you see they had u sas OPP
posing, If they had desired IL al con-
tend that they should have >sni5 ,.Guce OF
expressing their direct wish Ca, "a 50 impor.
tant subject,
l tell you what the nstr qveiion De fore
the minds of the peop'e Was ,ts shall
we vote for monopoHp-. -. bayo-
nets, centraliZatioi, roS Si,te E. = Davis,
the Republican para ~ -aii ,ec vote for
the old Democtaic ptr'f IS hich has efsT
contended against ih;se higher llw doc
trines ti'ls assumption or power and ah-
sorptinn ~ fgli, winch belong ana should
belong Ia the States and the people That
was tie question which was before them
when they voted, aud every body knows IT,
ihe making power is eNclu
sivcly the peoples They were the musl in
! terestld they are directly interested The
/ Constitution is the safeguard Of the citi-
zen. II Is his sheet anchor around which
cling all his ideas Of law and order aud sccu-
rty Of life and property. II is aud should
be the grand head light in our car Of pro-
gress to illumiue the dim shadows which
may fall across our future political path
ways 1t should be the central star in our
political iirmanent to which we could look
with fondness in our days of prosperity and
on which, alas, we would gaze with prayer
ful lips. in our days of adversely. So
sacred indeed, is it, that it should
not be altered or changed without first get
ting the expressed wish OF the people,
This Legislature claims the right to change
it, either 10y compelling the people to vote
for delegates or by appointing others to
frame it. As regards this commission busi-
ness, it viii be those acting under dele
gated authority from those who, to say the
least, have only delegated authority.
Now. admitting that you have the right
to call the convention, it is well to consider
that saying of one OF South Carolina'i
favorite sons, that . the possession of q
right was one thing, and the exercise of il
another thing. Rights, Of themselves,
should only be exercised with prudence and
propriety, otherwise they cease 30 be rights
and become wrongs. The more important
the right, and the more delicate its charac
ter the higher the obligation to observe
strictly the rules of prudence and propriety.
Now, the question is, would it be pru
dent at this time, knowing the real condi
ton Of affairs, TO call a convention az all
1 say it would not be prudent or proper.
What is the condition Of the country? In
the language of Gov. Coke, il has not
yet recovered from the shock OF that un
! paralleled financial storm which swept over
it, and out of which il comes strewn with the
wrecks Of ruined credit. The best securi
ties in the commercial centres will not bring
money except at discounts which no pru
dent business man is willing 10 make
Yes the effects Of the panic are still felt
Out of the $40, 600, 600, which the South los
from the depression or decline of cotton
Texas lost her full share. Out Of the nlillIoni
of dollars lost to the people Of the UniteC
States from the decline of the meat markets
Texas also lost her fun share. So with al
other exports.
Why, look at the condition OF the State
She can scarcely yet stand erect She is {
: little shaky still from the effects Of the lat,
bloodless revolution. Her debts are cling
ing aboueher like the moss on the trees
impeding her free movements, aye, cling
ing to the body polite like barnacles to the
good whale ship returning from cruise ir
5 Arctic waters. Nearly 81, 600. 600 in debt,
2 besides the railroad bonds amounting 4
: many millions, which are hanging over hel
like an incubus.
, Not adollar in the treasury to meet the ex
penses Of the government, which by Septem
D Der will amount TO 2 half million dollars
and the revenues OF the State only amount
ing to $3.50. .000 Will it be prudent to asl
, the people of the State to create debt Of
4 quarter Of million dollars more2
/ Why, Mr.. Speaker, so late as yesterday,
r bin was discussed by the Committe on AZ
riculture, which would, If passed, hav
q been of much benefit to the State, but fh
o committee, although acknowledging th
proposed benefits, recognized the lamenta
BILE fact that the State vas too poor to afIor
S it. Look, sir, at the frontier, which nol
+ pensiYely m6urns for that protection fron
= the general government. which Is be
right, but for which she waits IN vain. til
lying there defenseless from Red River Z
the Rio Grande Every white moon tb
Indian whoop is heard, and the scalpin
Z knife is doing its bloody work-band ate
? band Of hostile sayages sweep through ID
e country, stealing property, butchering tn
s men. carrying OF the women % capiiyit
worse than death Yes. carrying oH litfl
curly-beaded girls, as they did last summe
s In Coleman county, killing them and hang
!. ing their scalped bodies in the live oal
trees. where the wolves might dance abOu
them and the winds whistle through thei
2 bones sigiing rcqaicms Ger their early an,
G untimely deaths.
All these things are taking place. The
/, are facts, and Jet, 90 late a. Yesterday, whc
Z the frontier biil was under discussion, an
I gentlemen heard the Figures read. summing u
r the cost u protecting the frontier. The
{ turned pale, and faltercd IN the passage 9
3 the bill. saying, . How can We raise th