The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-02-18
NO. 81


Neehes, but he knew the value to the peo-
pie Of the State to have this river cleaned
and prepared for through navigation. It
would reduce the price Of lumber in eli
parts OF the State, and was really as bene-
hcial TO Others as 10 the residents of that
section. lie hoped the eight sections Of
land per mile world be granted II was
worth that TO do the work.
Mr. Denman's motion was l,vsi ~
Dir. Munson wanted TO amend the hill BY
having eight sections of land per mile
granted for cleaning out the San Bernard
and Oyster creek. he pictured the enter
prise as a great one, but the House could
not see It in the same light, and his amend
ment was defeated by a very decided vote.
Atthe request Of Mr.. Simpson, the bill
was passed under suspension of the rules.
Special order-eompromise with the In
ternational Railroad Company Senate bill.
Mr.. Henderson, OF Kendall, rose to say
that the settlement of the international
Railroad question was one of magnitude To
his people. II was n question Of life and
death to them. Il was a question Of deep
interest to thewhole State, and ono, which,
II defeated, would shatter the stability OF
Texas and the strength Of the Dcmocfaflc
party. He did not propose 10 discuss the
eonstitutionality of the question, lie had
to refer TO an argument OF q Senator. who
had said that while the constituhonality OF
the bill granting the subsidy to the Inter
national Railroad Company might not
be disputed, it was in contradiction TO
q higher law, the unwritten law, as rep
resented by the genius of our people.
It was surprising to hear such sentiments
expressed in this Legislature. Theyare the
same that were Onse enunciated by VIM.
H. Seward, and which dasllY drenched q
country in blood. he regarde = 2 = ~ y
national Railroad as the grandest enter
prise of the day. He looked upon IL as the
real Southern route 70 the Pacifc-One, too,
that would rebound to the prosperity, not
only of Texas, but Of the whole South.
Railroads are great engines Of civilization,
and he believed the completion Of the In
ternational Railroad would do more to
reclaim the border and Mexico from inhu-
manities than any other enterprise. Give
the West railroads, and instead of its peo-
pie being pensioners upon the government
they would fll its Golfers with hundreds Of
thousands. With railroads the West would
TEEN with a vast population, and then when
the country needs the strong arm Of defend
ers thousands of brawny arms will be ex-
tended from IL. He reviewed the progress
Of the Mississippi valley under the influence
Of internal improvements. BE referred to
the rapid reclamation of the prairies of
Kansas under the influence of railroads, and
drew the inference that even Western
Texas could be similarly redeemed
He thought the completion of the Interna-
tional Railway would be as the flood OF the
Mississippi to its valley, as the Nile to Egypt
and as the Pacific Railway had been to the
far West, and he was surprised to find
members of this Legislature measuring
such great enterprise against dollars and
cents. He hoped the House would rise
above all feeling IN the matter, and doing
justice TO the road maintain the character
and integrity of the State and build up its
great resources. a1r5 tuz Is
Mr.. Simpson then spoke as follows:
+ 1fr. Spcdker-ln the inception of my re-
marks respecting the bin now pending be-
fore the House, it is perhaps necessary that
/ should advert to the position occupied by
myself,at the last session of this body.
i The House viii remember that during the
debate upon the bill then pending. author
izing the International Railway Company
to submit theircause TO the courts, thegen-
tleman from Dallas introduced bill very
similar to the one now pending, by the
terms OF which bill the international was to
compromise its matters with the State and
receive So, soc, 900. s08 10 l3 =. g.514Il37o
This question was a most perplexing one
to me at that time, Mr. Speaker, and it oc-
Cured to me that this bill, introduced by
the gentleman from Dallas, was the best
solution of that question, and was then
in favor of passing his bill, and immedi.
ately after its INTRODUCTION, Iconferred with
the gentleman from Marion upon the ndvis-
ability of thus settling the matter. Ny
present recollection is that the gentle
man was quite fa7orably impressed with the
bill, and entertained similar views to my
self respecting it, but he suggested that the
further consideration of the bill be
deferred until the morrow This was
accordingly done, bnt on the next day the
agents and advisers of the company from
reasons best known to themselves rejected
Mr. Cochran's bill, and determined to pass
the bill submitting the matter to the courts.
believed, and at that time so ex-
pressed myself to the gentleman from Mar
ion who was enc among the most distin-
guished advocates of this bill before the
House, that the ultimate result. would be a
dismissal of the case from the courts, and
believing the bin to be nosettlement Of any
of the issues involved, most strcnuously
opposed its passage. The result Is known
to the House; the cause was dismissed by
the Supreme Court and the international
Railway Company again present themselves
before us asking that the very bill, which
I was in favor Of last session, should be
favorably considered by the House.
/ know, Mr.. Speaker, the tremendous
power Of public opinion relative to the In.
ternatlonal Railway Company. feel pos
sibly as intensely as any man the pressure
of that public opinion; a power, sir. SO
great that it has subverted and annihilated
governments, dethroned and behcaded
kings, swept armies across hostile borders,
rocked 60 their foundations the best estab-
lished empires Of the world. ] am aware
that TO resist that public opinion requires a
nerve that never falteTs. The loftiest adj
herence to principle and TO right can only
support the individual under the pressure
Of that power denominated 4pubiic opin-
ion, and the man that can resist it under
convictions Of right; that cen, through a
storm Of passion and prejudice, adhere 10
principle, with a. viii that hardens and
grows stronger under this pressure, com
nends himself iFresistibly 20 my highest
admiration, commanding q tribute Of re.
spect that I shall. I trust, never hesitate 70
accord him.
There are, sir, scmc preliminary matters
that / desire 10 rid this question Of ere
diseuss the constitutionality Of the charter
Of this company. Il is declared upon the
hustiRgs, spoken IN private, md often
times limited at IL this hall, that the
| Twelfth Legislature was an illegal body
! that It did not represent the people Of Texas
! that Il was an assemblsgc OF adventures
and Tagabonds, supported By Federal
bayonets; thst they infamously betrayed
their trust. Mr. Speaker, they did betray
| Il. They may have been bribed and dis
! honored, they may not have been the rep
resentaiises Of the intelligence and man
hood Of Texas, but, c0nceding all this, II
my judgment, Mr, Speaker, they were
legal body, competent 70 enact laws. VI
all recognize Il, the legislative department
OF the goverpment recognizes il, The judl
cfnry and executive departments rccogniz,
Il, tie Federal gorernmout recognizes Il
In the language Of the eloquent Senate
from Marion, the Tery criminal who totter
! 70 the lar 10 receive the doom Of death hai