The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-04-29
ABsURDTTIKs OF LOCAL PREJU-
nICER.

/
DICES.
Even the Seguin Times copies, and t.
this extent approves, a paragraph from an
other paper in which a gentleman is con
temned socially as ''bIue-beIlied IndiaRiaI
Yankee" An Indianian, in no sense o
the epithet, is Yankee. Most Indianian
are from Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylva
MA, the New England Yankee) States
supplying only small proportion of th'
population. The Times, before copying
and to this extent approving, such expires
sions Of ignorant prejudices, should COZ
over the census tables of 1870, and see how
baseless is the assertion. And did the Time
never reflect that newspaper that minister
to these prejudices of ignorance is false tC
its mission9 Suppose the subject of it,
criticism had been New Englander In
what is the man the worse for that9 /:
knavery defined by geographical hnes2 Lis
ten to what is said by people on the streets
of Texan villages of one another. Lend an
ear, if possible, when half a dozen women
in any town or neighborhood enjoy qaiet
afternoon Of neighborhood goose -gabble, and
our excellent contemporary viii find that
rascals and liars and slanderers and thieves
abound, even to an alarming extent, even
in Texas, and even among the genuine
Texans. We have the word, as above
given, of Texans for the assertion. OF all
duties Of the press, none is so imperative as
that involving the dissipation of local and
sectional prejudices. Intelligent people,
who have read books aud traversed the
Union In all directions, have learned long
ago that knavery, selfshness, murder, truth
fulness and liberality of action and opinion
are not defined by geographical laws or by
lines of latitude or longitude. New Eng
landers bore the brunt of battle in the old
revolution, and at one time one in each five
of the inhabitants of Massachusetts, were in
WashingtOn's service. In the last war,
New England, most sensibly, stood aloof
and made money and hired substitutes. Oc-
cupying the position it did, we are not
amazed that its patriotism was purely prac-
tical. For this view of it, from Northern
standpoint, we cannot we'll see bow
Southerner could condemn the practical,
sensible, shrewd Yankee. Then if it be
alleged that New England produced that
moral monstrosity, Ben Butler, we should
not forget that Buffers vices only render
illustrious the virtues of Webster, Choate,
Everett, Winthrop and the youngest and
perhaps ablest representative of the i'm
mortal family of Adams. The country
never produced truer heroes, profounder
thinkers or more liberal and just states
men than these majestic representatives
of New England, whose names and deeds
will be the more illustrious when Buffers
infamy constitutes the background of his
tory in which posterity must ever contem-
plate them. True enough New England
spewed up multitude of villains and ad-
venturers, who have preyed upon the South,
as agents of reconstruction, in all its alb
horrent shapes. But it is only the adven-
turers that stuffed off in moral rottenness
from New England society, and canfe South
plundering, robbing, negro-loving and de-
stroying. The permanent population of New
England, however falsely educated in refer
ence to ourselves, as we have been as to their
peculiar virtues and vices, is as good as that
of any portion of the habitable globe.
There are more churches and school houses,
and intelligence is more universally diff
fused, and there are fewer crimes, and
these more certainly punished than else
where in the United States. We have been
misled by the adventures and clock ped
dlers, expelled by want or peculiar vices
from New England, as to the universally
of idiosyncracies affecting these Eastern
people. To condemn the Lawrences and
Otis and Hancocks because harsh climate
exiles few hard characters is quite as ra
tional as to denounce all Texas because
there are countless thieves and murderers
preying upon society in extreme western
counties.
Admitting Yankee tact and shrewdness,
we must also confess Yankee genius
for tasks Of government. They have
ever shaped the country's legislation
as shown in protective tariffs and fishing
bounty acts. They have striated their
rock-ribbed States with railways. They
grow rich, and every stony hill side and
narrow valley blossoms as the rose, where
we improvident Southerners would starve.
These Yankees" or their descendants,
have given its robustness, its richness and
intelligence, to Northern Texas. These
Yankees gave US Quitman and Prentiss
in Mississippi, and a Prentice in Ken
lucky, and Yankee genius is written
upon every page of Southern history.
Our foremost merchants, manufacturers and
railway builders are Yankees, sud while
the South is unsurpassed in men Of histori-
cal fame and worth and craftsmanship, it
is quite absurd to derogate from the Yankee
claims to every honor due the worthiest citi-
zens Of America. Their harsh climate gen.
crates peculiarities which add to their value
as citizens of the South, giving US examples
of earnest, active, tireless industry, iRvalua-
BILE to large class of our own people.
In truth, Texas confesses in every news
paper, through each politician, whether in
debted to genius or whisky for his wit and
wisdom, that cOsmopohtanism is the true
social policy Of Texas. Even at this hour
we have representative body of men trav-
ersing the Northwest, sent thither for the
purpose Of inveigling yankees into
Texas. We sent Republicans and Demo
Gratis and Northern and Southern men to
represent US. We invite these people hither
and propose to welcome them as social and
personal equals. It is only asked that they
obey the laws and till the fields. In this
a.. -. .,,st. ,r,r .,s,nalS. fhor 40 - hon