The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-07-15
mExIACANOs IN CONVENTION.


J. w. Fishburn, over at Mexia, is sharp,
The Ledger is a capital, fresh, original news
paper, and it's editor is this man Fishburn,
and Flshburn has been a sort of tail to the
hand-organ's kite down at Houston, and
Fishburn was the brains and organizer and
secretary and power behind the throne of
the district conventional" convention rep
resenting three counties that sat together in
blissful unity at Mexla. After the business
of the convention was closed and day of
devotional patriotism had been well spent in
selecting wise candidates for the constitu-
tional convention, Fishburn came to the
front. He was tired fighting us through
his newspaper. He and the ''organs" had
made bad job of it, and, gaining nothing,
had lost everything, and then it was that
Fishburn saw his opportunity to get even.
He conferred with jolly good fellow who
loves to smile and is commonly known in
those parts as Simpering Simpkins. These
two, we haven't any doubt about it, pre-
pared two resolutions, sent specially and ''re-
quested to be published in the STATESMAN"
and designed especially by Fishburn and
Simpkins to strike the STATESMAN. The
first of these two approves, as does the
STATESMAN, the Integrity, ability and
purity of Governor Coke and his admins
tration," though we don't exactly see what
Governor Ccke, though this resolution as
serts the contrary, has to do with securing
for Texas the blessings of constitutional
liberty" But this last clause was merely
put on by way of adding thickness to
splendor of laudation. We accept even
that and assent to it. There is no harm in
saving that while his Excellency is ''at the
tional liberty" 1t is rather steep, but we
can 90 it. Then our good friend of the
Ledger and the similar Simpkins showed
in another eye-opener at the STATES
MAN. The Dallas Herald and the San
Antonio Herald, and the Neacs and the
Jimplee,ete and the Marshall Herald and
Leader and other innocent little newspapers
of Texas are all smitten terribly by the wit
involved in the word ''so-called." This is
the way the simpering fellows did 1t:
ssResOlced, That we regard the recent at
tacks of certain so-called Democrats and
so-called Democratic newspapers upon the
chairman of the Democratic Executive
Committee of the State, the Hon. John
Ireland, as uncalled for, unjust, and not
prompted by a true spirit of Democracy.
Freedom of thought and expression IS OF
the very essence of Democracy. Is Ire
land 100 good or great to be criticisedt on
what meat hath this our Caesar fed that be
has grown so create And is he or Governor
Coke the impersonation and embodiment oi
Democracy9 Does each citizen who disap-
proves any act of Ireland or of Coke be-
come ''so-calledG" Is this to be the des'
lignation of each of those who dlhereo
from his ExcelleHcy about the international
Railway subsidyl We don't object, ou'
the descriptive epithet of one OF the
"organs" that happened TO be on both side'
of this railroad question will become
study for those who delight in trAnsiorma
tions of nomenclature.
But the Mexia Ledger man is to be con
graduated He used the innocent repre-
sentatives OF the three counties very hand
somely, and his and Simpkins's resolves wer'
, very properly drawn, in good English ane
full of good sense. That affecting State
finances Is very proper, perhaps, but onl.
asserts recognition" OF some futut'
! fact, which nobody else sees so clearly
: Bat this signifies nothing. Few men cal
} see 50 far and as acutcly into remote futurit.