The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-02-11
CURIOUS ADVENTURE OF A SCHOOL
BOY, AND WHAT THE LRGISLA-
TURE HAS To DO WITH 1T.

The Henderson Times, and other news
papers, deal very harshly with those Sena-
tors who are alleged to be reckless of the
fair fame of Texas. The newspapers are
too severe in their judgment. 1t was not
intended by worthy Senators TO have the
world believe that Texas would steal or
cheat or lie or repudiate Davis's govern
ment and the Twelfth Legislature may have
been very depraved, but never dreamed of
reducing Texas to this last most pitiable
condition of loathsome degradation. No
no; Texan Senators never entertained such
a purpose. We wot of a citizen of Texas,
once a citizen Of Mississippi, who, when
fourteen years of age, was sent to collegein
resentative of Mississippi. In his class of
more than forty young gentlemen there was
a vain, naughty and empty-pated Caro-
linian, whose father was Federal Senator.
The Carolinian, three years the senior of
the juvenile Mississippian, was called to the
blackboard one morning, while the presi-
dent of the university sat beside the pro-
fessor of mathematics, and was found inca
f .l1F7, of demonstrating a proposition in
EuCuu' Ttfe- --r~-eszHzs=r1srr.,.,J,,l 90 Aba
Carolinian. ''You have failed, Alr. T., yHE1
your seat; - inert The Mississippian,
going to the blackboard, passed the Caro-
linian leaving it, and the latter, mortified
by his failure, and conscious that the Mis-
sissippian would never 'fail, " said, loudly
enough for the class to hear, ooh yes, this
little Repudiator can do what gentleman
can't" The Mississippian was stung to
the quick. Reputation was then fresh in
its fullness of infamy. He stopped and,
looking up angrily in the face Of his
naughty schoolfellow, ansRered: Eyes,
can demonstrate that proposition, and an
other-that my State is disgrace to me
and you are disgrace to your State"
While the act of Mississippi was not the
less detested, the Mississippian himself was
ever afterwards honored. The retort was
so terrible and the effect so striking, that
the class was dismissed, that the president
and professor might enjoy the joke. But
it was no joke. No Mississippian has ever
gone abroad and found it amusing. How
ever he strutted, whatever his personal
worth, whatever social or official posi-
ton he may have won, the infamy of
population, save among Mississippians,
was everywhere confessed. Travellers from
the State, in distant lands, have forgotten
on hotel registers to note the fact that Miss
issippi was their home and'we may buster
and rant as we will aud the worlds opinion
is not only terrible and omnipotent but it
Is right. The opinion obtains that there
can be no honor among men where there is
none in their government. A legislature
that would degrade and disgrace the peo-
pie it represents and even make the children
Of Texas abroad assert that the 'Lone Star"
shone with lustre dimmed by the bare sus-
picion Of repudiatlon, will sink infinitely
lower in the estimation Of mankind than
that body which made The contract, how
ever couuptly, with the International Com
pany. Men may be pardOned for that sim
pie stupidity which prevents their seeing
that the international Road win be worth
fifty fold the sum it will cost Texas; but
when they cannot see how public and
private good faith and honor are outraged,
there can be no apology, no pardon, no
mitigation Of the crime.