davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
GERRITr SMITH.

The course Of events in Louisiana has SO
absorbed public interest that we have said
nothingof the death of the very remarkable
man whose name heads this paragraph.
Even now we can ouly say of him that his
life and death have taught US the invaluable
lesson that "Northerner or soutberner, We
are fellow-countrymen;n and however We
may have differed in former years, theques-
tions that separated US so widely are now set
tledwe would fain hope, forever. At this
hour We stand above the grave Of Gerritt
Smith, and, listening to the story Of his life,
are compelled TO admit that, whether wisely
or unwisely It is needless now to1nquiFe, he
was one Of the tfuest, bravest, Of bis race,
even as he was the most generous Of men.
The New York Sun tells that not long
after Gen. Robert Z. Lee became president
Of Washington University, at Lexington,
Virginia, an agent was sent North to col
lect money in aid Of the institution, then
almost destitute. A meeting was held Il
the Cooper Institute, and Rev Henry Ward
Beecher delivered stirring speech, in which
he startled his hearers with the remark that
If he had been born in the South and reared
under the influences that surrounded the
men who fought in the Confederate army,
he, too, would have been rebel. BEFORE
the conclusion Of his address q messenger
handed him the following telegram, dated
At Petersboro and signed By GeTritt Smith:
"Draw on me for $1,000 for the use Of
Washington UuiEsrIity. ] regret that ]
cannot now make IL ten times Is much. 2
This contribution from GeFfitt Smith, the.
old anti-slavery man, Was the very fTst
Offering in aid of Gen. Lees college; and
the example gave sach an impetus to the
active sympathy Of the people North and
South, that in a short time the Institution
was placed beyond The reach Of want, and
established upon > self-snpporting basis.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
A aIaaNTTc sTKaL.

James B. Eads is still urging Congress to
give him ten millions of Federal bonds in
consideration of the erection of trv.
parallel walls of wood or stone or iron. beg
tween which-the vast outspread mouths Of
the Mississippi sre to be compressed. The
current, we are told, viii be strengthened,
ana eject detritus swept down from noun
tain slopes and alluvial plains far out in,a.
the sea- True enough. but there is enough
mud brought down from the Rocky Noun
tains to make a small continent in each dec
ade. Eads's jetties must be extended for
ever, and each year the cost Will be forever
renewed, and the work must be forever
done over again. Why not end the
task at once3- Nature has already cut deep
channels, now nsvigable for the largest
steamers, two-tbirds Of the distance from
New Orleans to deep water in Barrataris
Bay, west of the Mississippi. A ship canal
is Indispensable from the Crescent City to
this mighty hafbor. It was fortified, years
ago, even by President Jefferson, because
there were navigable streams or bayous from
this harbor 10 New Orleans. Open these,
convert them into a slack water ship canal,
the cost will be trihing and once dug, the
work endures forever. 1t will not
even need dredging once in FIVE or ten
years. A locomotive on its banks would
draw the Great Eastern at nominal cost to
the wharves in front of New Orleans and
the cost of transferring the grain, bacon,
cotton and sugar crops of the West to Eu-
rope, the Indies and to Mexico and South
America, would be lessened more than one
third. Build Eads's jettiOs, as proposed by
our correspondent, and the tow-boat com
pany viii still prey upon and destroy the
commerce OF the West. 1t now costs a
sailing vessel of two thousand tons four
thousand dollars to get in and out of the
river. Elds's jetties win double the diff
Guilty of ascending the current and the short
canal from Fort st. Philip perpetuates it.
Therefore let Texan Congressman remember
that the commercial distance between Gal
weston and New Orleans will be lessened
o1e-half by this canal from New Orleans to
Barrataria Bay and that Texas, an empire
of itself, is made part and parcel of the
Federal Union as never before. Dethrone
Ames and Kellogg, hang the murderers Of
States and dig US a deep canal from New
Orleans itself to the sea, and then frighten
old women and fools with dismal howlings
of Radical knaves who tyrannize over the
South, plunder the people, destroy States,
refuse to aid our Pacific railway and when
they pretend to serve the South, some sham
like this of Eads is resorted to to pacify
and appease while deluding and plundering
the victims of remorseless despotlsm.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14

Is anything being done in Texas toward
securing decent representation Of The
Stale and her productions at the Centennial
a year and a half hence We have not Of
late heard anything said about it, nor do
VIC know that anythingis being done. Our
ladies seem to have grown disheartened,
and the male population, high and low, rich
and poor, take no interest whatever in this
great anniversary. Not because they feel
no interest in the event the Centennial is
supposed to celebrate, and in the results in
governmental and national freedom and pros
perity experienced, but because, perhaps,
it is SO far of, We fear the spring of 1875,
will find Texas, especially if Sheridan have
his way in Louisiana, just awakening to the
fact that the States are gathering around
the spot where the flag of freemen was
flung to the breeze where the proclama-
ton, fresh from the brain and pen of
Thomas jefferson was promulgated. And
shall we have no part in this matter Many
of our citizens viii be there; fathers,
mothers, children husbands wives,
bachelors, rich or poor. Shall they
be the only specimens of Texas's endow
ments, their children its only productions
Did We leave all our patriotism behind US,
on the other side of the Mississippi
Recent events have not been calculated
to arouse any alarming degree of enthusi-
asm anywhere in America in behalf Of the
coming celebration in Philadelphia, and if
they who shape its fortunes would make it
surely successful, they would irst show the
people of the United States--Thieh is not,
was not, and never viii be, s'nationY--
that there is aught of freedom or deeency
in State or F Sieral governments left of all
that we inherited from our fathers. We
print the advertisement Of the good patriots
of Philadelphia in another place
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
THE GREAT SOUTaERN RAILWAY
AND FORTUNES or TEXAS.

Our Galveston correspondent is not well
pleased that the Southern or Texas Pacific
should be subordinated to the purposes of
the same cities that have monopolized the
uses of Pacific highways now leading
across the continent. Why object so stren-
uouslyY The Federal government, as it
exists to-day, is designed solely to enrich
the East and impoyerish the West and South.
The bondholders and banks reign in Wash
ington, an immense sponge, absorbing the
country's wealth to be sucked out by the
all-grasping imperial cities of the East.
Texas is only remote province of the EN-
pire, used as means for the aggrandize-
ment Of the country's Eastern regal mas
tera. .r -.,..----.-......
1t is the best that can be done for
Texas. We are helpless. We must needs
have road to the Faci6c, and even though
Texas invests it with fabulous wealth,
as no other State has done when such
scheme was TO be consummated, the
blessed, generous and just Federal
government can only do for the
Southwest what has been done for the Cen
trail and Northern States and cities Whenwe
so shape the bill before Congress that re-
sulting benefactions may be diffused every
where. This fact constitutes, as we have
before shown, no sufficient reason for oppo-
sition to the scheme of Tom Scott. In fact if
the road be detected, on the hundredth par
allel of longitude, from its eastern to north
eastern course, in order that it may become
part and parcel of Tom Scott's Pennsylva-
MIA Central, now terminating at St. Louis,
Texas has nothing to fear. 1t is only need
full that the State build branch to Austin
and Galveston and the wealth7of the ORR
ent, seeking the shortest route to water
transportation, would be diverted to the
Gulf. One thousand miles Of railway dis
tance is thus saved, and then Austin, on the
summit Of some lofty height, may rear
monument, like that in Lafayette Park,
St. Louis, and the genius of Texan com
merce and ststesmansllip, carved out of
Parian stone and pointing toward the Set
ting Sun, may exclaim with old Tom Ben
ton, "There is the East-there is Indiap
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
THE IRISH IN mUN1CIP1L GOVERN
M8NTSs

Editors Democratic StatesmdR--I noticed
in the editorial column of your paper Of the
seventh instant, an unjust attack upon the
Irish of Western cities coupled with inuen-
does against the entire race IN America.
Will you please furnish to your readers
through the medium OF your paper, where
the headquarters of this dangerous organi-
zation is located, and where it has branched
out, and where are its auxiliaries operating.
Also please give US the names Of those
wisest, truest and best sons of Ireland, that
have become American citizens and ap-
prove of the suggestions or idea that an
lrishman from the time he swears aIlegi-
ance to America, must forget the very name
and hallowed memories Of Old Ireland.
Also, please inform us as to the whereabouts
of that "Irish Church, " to which You re-
ferred, as well as the name Of that city
which has been ruined by Irish infueace.
Will you also inform Us IL there is in the
United States of America, but one city
whose taxes, in the aggregate, amount to
six and quarter per cent, and II any 9TH
ers can be found in that or wors8 predica-
taent, 50 far as taxation is concerned,
whether it Is, or il not, the result Of Irish
influence in the government Of such city or
cities JAMES NxILi.
The military organization has its head
quarters in St Louis as stated BY the
papers, and Memphis paper, quoting
q ST. Iouis paper, says it numbers
ten thousand and is to embrace an Irish
men Of the valley Of the Mississippi. The
city recently taxed six and a quarter per
cent is Memphis It's mayor Is an Irish
nan. and 90 with nine-tenths Of ils
place-hOlders, and, except for = very
brief peiipd, the city has bsen IN tie
hands Of the same people. ever voting sol
idly for their own eandidates, since 1so0 Or
1861. The papers sag the city is utterly
bankrupied. Il Wasa distinguished cititea
Of that self-sause city, an Irishnan b birsb.
Who has recently returned from . pilgEin-
srs 70 Iourdes, uhu adrised Ms fsllog-cit-
irsna Of the Ilish raca 20 forget Z. aelisas
the name aud halloWed memories q
ouid Ireland Hs advised them uilsly
and II this HAD been dnne therl
would prnbahly neE,r haTe BEN 4
KneU Nolhine cfeanianiiss IL Aae,its1
Ib,fs Nos ~ oalrs 81, u
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
JOHN RANDOLPH AND GRANT.

What we have said of the conduct Of
soldiers is not new. One John Randolph
of Roanol1e once spoke of the acts of Gen.
Wilkinson, using much the same terms and
impelled by the same feelings that gave
origin to the STATEsMAN's denunciations Of
Sheridan. Gen. Wilkinson made an illegal
arrest of one DR.. Bollman, on the plea o.
''publIc necessity" Senator Elliott, OF
Vermont, said of Wilkinson's act:
Hero is a return not of obedience to the
laws and high reverence for.civil instit,l-
tions, but of disobedience and defiance.
The constitution is violated in order to pre-.
serve it inyiolatel Frustrated In the dust
by military power for the purpose of main
tanning and perpetuating its holy attri-
butes.
Sheridan, unlike General Wilkinson, seems
even unconscious, as was the Secretary of
War and Grant, of the crime he commits.
Wilkinson confessed the wrong, but plead
the necessity. Statesmen and patriots of
those days could not forgive, and John Ran
doIph said, in the Federal Congress:
In this way have every free people be-
come slaves. The common recipe is take a
Quqhtpm sg6ieit of plots and of military
ioTce, always kept ready for the purpose,
and the end is accomplished; and say this
must, if you give your sanction to such
acts, be the death of our government. Has
any revolution taken place in the affairs OF
France which was not preceded by plot 2
Are we sure that time and chance, which
happen to all men and all nations, may not
happen to usl %1F rF
If q military man should take-I viii not
say member of this house, but any one of
the miserable citizens who inhabit this
place, aud escort him under guard to New
0rlesns-I say the military man ought to be
precipitated from the top of the Capitol
would teach the military that they are to
be subordinate to the civil power, and that
if they undertake 10 violate the Constitution
of the country they should pay the penalty
of their lives. II you do not guard the coun-
Try frem such exceSses of military power,
the time will come when you will be kicked
out OF doors at the point of the bayOnet
If it be possible that the dead wot of the
deeds and fortunes OF the living, wha.
would Randolph say of an American Legis-
lature, such as there vas not long ago in
Louisiana, organized under the DEGREES of
an United States Marshal, by decree of a
Federal court and with no shadow Of right
or authority; but now there is Legislature
absolutely making laws and owing its exist
ence 10 the army of the United States and
to its comnlAnder-in-ehief. John Randolph
said that such soldier, doing such an act.
should be gibbesed. Then let Grants head
adoru the summit Of the Capitol rather
than havean American State destroyed. He
commands sheridan.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14

stinous; that the Indian and negro are only
alike in WSter iBcapscity to provide
or care for the future: that the one
Loves whisky and terrible excitement, as
the other is devoted to lieuefaction in the
sunshine Of August, to iaIeness and utter
obliviOusness, il To-day be hlest, Of the
wants fgthe morrow. The negro, con-
fding creature, is eajoled into .Radicalism
aud breads re enslavemeui not because he
abhOrs slavery, but because he hates indus
try. The Indian, on the contrary, loves
freedom for its own sake and Phil Sheri-
din OF a Kellogg coold not i've an hour in
an Indian republic. There is much to adj
mire in the Indians love of freedom, and
there is nothing to admire or venerate in
negro character or history. The Indians
nave been remorselessly robbed and de-
graded by contact with civilization, as the
negro has been enriched and elevated, and
civilized and Christianized by slavery. And
yet that very Christian newspaper, that talks
so fippantly about the properextsrminatiOD
Of the red, weeps every day over the woes
of the black race. 1t lifts up its hands IN
horror while reciting dangers to frontiers
men when red savage leaves his prescribed
hunting grounds, never rejecting that four
millions of blacks are quite as terrible,
since no white woman dares go abroad by
day or by night where they are dominant
The Indian is a savage; the raw plantation
negro, abrute. Phil Sheridan, at this hour,
representing the blessed Union, is engaged
IN the devilish business Of subjecting Amer
leans to the domination of negroes, whose
master is Kellogg, whose god is Grant.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14


The Richmond Esqwirrr tells Of Janus
bISons. zone face looking into the past, the
other, into the future. We can see no,h.
inR that Is before Us, save those facts of
which the preachers win tell Austin to-day.
wnils these IS "a in6ni,e visible ocean IN
the pest. There are bright veEdnse.clna
islands ueh d frniss and aOveEs and beau
tiIul and golden as. The gardens Of the Hes
perides. And further away il che dim dia-
tancs, even where the blue heavens bend
to the sea and cus of tie TIM
less course Of vision. there are vague
shadows Of an unknown past which 10
Kane or Hall or Franklin OF Colrmhrs
has ever explored. Into othag gloom and misls
o. this remote antiquity srchpologists peer
most anxiouslY. Even here IN Texas there
are tFaces Of . civilization older than that of
the red men oroF nc Azseos and henib bers Of
the Library Association 81 this city, propos.
ing even now % exert themselves IN behalf
Of the proper endowmeht in 1875 Of "a
university worthy Of Texas, would gladly
collect, from an portions Of the State, re-
mains atsssting the toil or degree of civil
Eation Of tho primeval races. The State
GeOlogist, whose first report is now before
Us, vii not forget, ia future publications, to
advert to archaeological facts which he may
encounter such as are now exciting an un-
precedented degree Of &tteHtlon in this
country and in Europe.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
IRIsHMEN m TEXAS AND IN
oOUTKEHRN CITIES.


The Irish Of Western cities have COM
blned in consolidated body designed to
perfect the whole race in military discipline
aud establish Irish unity in the South and
West. They are TO have Irish insurance
companies, even As they have an Irish
church and Irish newspapers, and therefore,
in elections, they are always 70 vote the
Irish ticket. This may be very well. but is
form Of Know Nothingism to which We
had thought the Irish bitterly opposed. In
verr truth il were infinitely better for this
country and for the Irish themselves, II,
when once in America and swearing ale
glance in order to vose. they became Ameri-
cans rather than Irishnen, snd infinitely
bstter II hey voted IS political thinkers
rather than IS = nationality OF race. More
over, II they governed cities more wisely
than those they have ruled there would be
even less objection 10 the proposed military
or other compact organizations OF Irshmen
in America. Newspapers are generally
sfraid to tel what they SO and know
and think Of these matters. Irishmen
habitually vote a. an unit, and ths
politicians are nervous when the word
lrclaad Is meationsd, ana vo only make
these Suggestions because proper and
JUST, and because approved 81 thS Uise,
traes. ana bssl sons q Ireland ilas have h--
come American citirens. vo,ing and serving
thepablic. not e RnsraldsEs. hat IS AMER.
cana We Vet 81 soaiAelA eilg Nlsch
las bcsn ruled nearly nts ftas seo
uhrl|f s. lr',u s, "a
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14

Mr.. PLUAfn, the agent in Mexico of tho
International Railroad Company, states that
the Company win receive &i5, 600 per mile
as a subsidy from the Mexican government
This assures the completion Of the road 70
Mazatlan il Texas build Il to the Rio
Grande. But Mexico may be wiser and
more enterprising than Texas, and Texas
may therefore fail to have the little distance
spanued from Austin to San Antonio and
the frontier. However, wo shall aeo. The
Legislature meets Tuesday. Il viii hardly
be necessary for the friends ol Texas end
Of Texan progress to cross the Rio Grande
to acquire lessons in practical wisdom o. IN
governmental honesty.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
.sPERFECr sTMIL1aTFT WITH A
SLIGHT vARHATION.s

TIE commssioner Of Indian Affairs has
issued Al appeal or order to the Indians.
They are Instructed to remain upon their
reservations. But the gentle savage viii
not be restrained when his innocent heart
Graves a scalp. He VIII promise eveEy-
thing; but his memory Is treacherOus, and
be has a peculiar facility Of forgetfulness
affecting cOrensnts-If these restrict his
1nhoiy desires. Such IS q just picture Of
red men, drawn by pious philanthropie
Radical BapeEs Published away doan Easl.
SurFuss We had skciched The negro IS
iIolhIolly, sistinR that while "a indian i
oaturally addicted 70 assassinstioh. 4 ne
grot sps,al,4 ih cnIhs is repe, thet the
lpa,a in l1,i1 heroul. 4, re hsgr0 = onp1E.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14

only beeause they were Irishmen. That
same city pays, it is alleged, more taxes
thao any Of equal wealth on the civilized
globe and is as thoroughly bankrupt as un-
wise prohigate government could well make
it. Aud it is not strange. The city's mas
tiers had no interest in its fortunes and
themselves pay no taxes. The rate Of tax
alton imposed upon the luckless properly
holders by the non-prOperty holders, in
Guiding State and county taxation, has been,
we are told, six and quarter per cent. per
annum. Besides this there were all sorts
Of Federal taxes invisible and inscrutab.e
eating out the substance of the people. At
length the hideous foreign government
becomes intolerabls and a properly
holders or Taxpayers association pro-
poses to relieve the unfortunate city
of the mastery Of those, who, having the
least possible interest in society or govern
meDt, do most to shape the fortunes Of both.
1t has come to this at last, that the business
of making local laws has been monopolized
so long by Representatives Of the labble,
black and white, that decent intelligence
shuns the task and even association with
those who discharged it. The true policy
Of Alabamians or IodiaHians making Texas
their home is to become thoroughly Texan
In prejudices, in impulses, and in mo5es of
thinking, and eschew any distinctive hess
based upon old local ties or preiuuces.
Patlanders. to prevent combinations against
themselves and render the reproduction Of
Know Nothingism by Tweeds and Connol-
lys impossible, should forget, in acts Of
American citizenship, the very name and
hallowed memories of ''Ould Ireland"
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14
respondent writes,
TmR TTRANTsS TooL.

A private New Orleans dispatch to
the editors Of the STATEsMAE says
that in substitHtion for the 1--WE Demo,
Gratis elected from the Louisiana Legisla-
ture by ''Claverhousen Sheridan, Eve Radi-
Gals were seated yesterday and three were
Of those rejected by the Wells Returning
Board OF Canvassers. If Sheridan were the
representative of government and not of a
party, Of the Q. s. government instead Of
theU. s. Grant4-gould he not send another
squad of armed men and put these out
as violently as the FIVE Democrats
were expelled The Republicans rejected
by Wells and his board, and now approved
by Usurper Grant, are two dirty fellows
from Desoto, and one from Graut parish
the three extreme Radicals.
The time win. come, il these foul. lawless
deeds of Phil Sheridan be not nndoue,
when the very name of Grant win be
stricken from the map OF the Union, and
memories which its mention exeites will be
loathed and abhOrred by every American
patriot. We want no more of African
slavery, and no more confederacies. Let
the Union be perpetual; but it must be
Uninn based upon law, and not Of Graut's
Willlnor pinned together by sheridan's bay
onets.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-01-14

THK State Adjutant General, VIM Steele,
furnishes the Legislature an admirably clear,
concise and we'll constructed report. lie
recites every feet affecting military opera.
tions conducted by the State and shows
how indispensable State troops alohgAn ex.
pssed frontier 81 two thousand miles nust
be- Gen. Grant was asked to obviate this
necessity and protect tho borders Of Texas,
but the answer came, we have mo troops
that can be spared Sheridan and Ames
needed them in assureing the achievement
Of the third term. Gen. Steele properly
suggests the necessity Cor the erection Of
plain building to cost $1,000 in the Capitol
grounds, in which there may be COMMITTEES
rooms and repositories for arms and mill
tary stores, now lost and wasted Ia rented
houses not constructed for the purposes 10
which they are applied. Gen. Steele would
have the Legislature foster volunteer mill.
tary companies, and finally states that thc
clerical force in his Office should be aug
meEtsd. - a17.eaeh sfe T.