The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-12-10

we are under the impression that several
Democratic papers attach consequence toiti
and though it is true after Gov. Dayis's &C.
tion in the Rodriguez matter and his letter
to the Chattanooga Convention, no one
attaches any political Importance to any.
thing he may say, yet some Of the papers
think you should answer some of the
charges he has made, and it would also be
interesting to the public to have your views
of both Governor Davis and Of his letter. =
Judge H.-'I spoke in San Antonio dur
ing the canvass day or two after the pub
lication Of his letter in the Ezpress My
friends, without exception, strongly ad-
vised me to let him severely alone, and they
urged that he aud his whole party were polit-
ically dead beyond all hope Of resurrection
and that no audience wanted to hear from
him. Once, however, during my remarks
1 incidentally alluded to him and the crowd
Immediately shouted don't notice him, we
don't wart to hear from him. Such, / be-
lieve, is the general sentiment of the Democ-
racy of Texas, and 1 still think that that
letter should not be noticed. If Davis were
to libel Gov. Coke, Gov. Hubbard, Judge
Ireland, Col. Culberson, Judge Devine,
Gov. Stockdale or any other prominent
and well-tried Democrat, nobody would be-
lieve him, and none of them would be in
jured; and do not think he can injure me
in the estimation of thinking men. How
ever, at your suggestion, Twill give you my
idea Of his letter. He was smarting under
the review that gave his letter in my
speech at Galveston, and pretending that
had denounced him as an infamous man
"a thing did not do, though did denounee
the sentiments of that letter, emanating
from Texan, as lnfamous), he attempted
to rush into print and obtain a respectable
audience by using the columns of the Gal
weston Netos. But that paper refused him
an audience, and he then cotrted oblivion
by burying his letter in the San Antonio
Express, a paper without circulation, infu-
ence and readers. His statement that de-
clared my vote on the salary bill the best /
ever gave, and that this bold announcement
caused my immediate nomination by the
BTenham Convention, are unfounded in
fact. In my speech at Brenham / stated
that believed that vote was, under all
the circumstances, the best vote for
the Southern people that could give.
Nor was nominated Immediately after MY
speech, for there were at least dozen bal
lots after that. But Governor Davis does
not seem capable Of stating anything ex-
actly as it happened, and occasionally his
flights of fancy display more imagination
than supposed to be in him, for I always
thought him dull but exceedingly obsti-
nate man. eo -.<-
] have no idea Judge Webb ever dispar-
aged me to him. Judge Webb was no
double dealer. He was my friend, and
turned over a large amount of his business
to me when he retired from the bar. en-
joyed his confidence through his life, and
something good deal stronger than Gov
ernor Davls's word would be necessary to
make me believe that Judge Webb spoke
well of me to my face and i'll of me behind
my back. He was not that kind of man.
In hls letter Governor Davis says 81
never was much of Unionist." never
was Unionist Of his stripe, but stood
manfully in my seat in the Legislature and
depicted the dangers of secession, while he
was running as a delegate to the secession
convention on what he called his Southern
cooperation resistance platform. But Col.
John s. Ford beat him, and Governor Davis
thus became strong Union man. How
ever, he still continued to draw back pay as
district Judge up to 1885, at the same time
he drew pay as Federal colonel.
His statement about my commanding q
Union company here It Austin is known
to everybody here to be a-wsll-a no such
thing. Nor did I hold abrigadier's com
mission, nor sport uniform, nor exhibit
photographs, nor issue commissions to raise
eolored troops. AS TO his Allnsion to some
captain in Austin who held . commission
fromme to raise colorod troops, he informed
Judge Gray Of this city that he was the in
dividual alluded to. asked Judge Gray
about this, and he wrote me the following
letter:
AUSTIN, November ~, 1874.
Hon John Hancock. Austin Tezas
Dear Sir-To-day. for the hrst time, ]
saw !, communication from Ex-Governor j.
j. Davis, addressed 70 the editor Of the
Nsrs, and published in the San Antonio
Express Of October 81, 1874, IA which find
the following passage: ea
'sHe (meaning yoursel0 issued provis-
sional commissions 70 such persons as might
be willing to take them and pay their own
expenses of recruiting. One Of the cap
tains Is now living af Austin, and unless
am very much misinformed, he win tell you,
Mr. Editor, on inquiry, that the Brigadier's
Instructions touching the class Of persons
he was 70 enlist were unlimited g 20 color. y
Being informed BY Governor Davis that
am the captain alluded 20, must say, in
justice 70 you. e. veil 6 myself. that there
Is not = portion Of the shove extract correct
in fact except that i've in Austin.
never received q conmission from you
as captain, nor did B ot11 receive any
instructions from you IN regard % r.
eruiting. did, hoEaFer, receive
nom Gen. Conby . conIInission1 a
provisional second ncutcnsni in the United
States Army, with inetrucfion from Gen.
Canby % tecruit coulI foE aclive zeE-
VICE, color Wa not menlicn1d, bur under.
slnod tbatl wa3 only % rocrniE Wbites. i
such had 1oo been ny understanding 8
! wouli not hagc doc ped the ccmul1zIo On.
Gov. DAVIS nor any enc clae htl a1r arlhoE.
ilg from me 60 make ang znel e1a1catnl.
and certainly Il ahouIl ms hare been made
'EilAoel 1l1l consulting me. when it WAS so
fllIo lro1tle 60 do S.
Flg relpeclfcl'y s tIE 81 cr'llent snlranl
EEcoo1 H c6k1.
Aatohis l.al.'n,ri tll 1a,n llienl