The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-08-24


tn each other by close association, and by
intimate connection in lsbors looking to
the prosperity of our people and the adj
vanceTnent OF our State, are about to sepa-
rate and each go back to our home and
constituents We will carry with us pleas
ant recollections of each other, and espe-
cially will We remember our Speaker with
respect and friendship. Permit US, sir, to
entertain the hope that you will take hcme
with you like feelings for each of US. This
cane which l now send you as q present
from the members and officers of this
House evidences our belief in the truthful
ness of our remarks.
Speaker Bonner replied ,,, :. -c...
Geatleaaen Of The Hoase IF Representatives.:
accept with grateful emotions this mark
of your favor, presented through the Hon
orsble Mr.. Baker, of Pamela. When / re-
call the fact that by your psrtialiry / vas
called to preside over the deliberations of
this House, at 8 time when I was company
lively unknown to many of you; that our
session has been one of the most arduous
ever assembled in the State that questions
of the most vital moment have been warmly
advocated on the one hand and hotly con-
tested on the other; questions have been
discussed and ruled upon which were cal
culated to arouse sectional .jealousies. aud
which stirred the, most violent passions of
members; that scenes have transpired in
this House never before witnessed IN
Texas Legislature; that in periods OF the
highest excitement, " hen coutendIng par.
ties were listening with eager ear
TO the rulings of the Speaker, and when an
adverse ruling could hardly receive that
calm construction to which it was entitled
her i -
highly gratifying to me to receive, this ex-
presslon of your confidence and respect.
trust, gentlemen, that in the years to
come, no act of mine shall ever cause you
to regret that you have thus honored me-
here proclaim, in the presence of this
House, and all these witnesses, that to the
best of my poor ability, l have honestly,
faithfully and impartially discharged the
onerous, delicate and responsible duties de-
v"lving upon me as the Speaker of this
House. :........... ,..r+
You were assembled under Constitu-
ton new and novel IN many of its most es-
sential features. 1t was incumbent on you
to change the existing statu es and make
them conform to the new organic law; and
to create such new laws as were necessary
to put the machinery of the new govern
ment into successful operation The
changes in the new organic law made these
duties more onerous and difficult than any
which have devoIved upon any other Legis-
lature since the admission of the State into
the American Union. rF fe'7'7.f'' '' q
1t is meet and. proper that 1, as your pre-
siding officer, should bear testimony of
your fidelity to the trust reposed in you, as
the immediate representatives of the peo-
pie. know that some of the press of the
State have sharply criticised your actions,
but | take this occasion to publicly state
| that your labors will bear favorable COM
parison with those of any Texas L-gis-
lature which has preceded you.
You have addressed yourself with q
| comprehensive n patriotism and 81 ear
ntst devotion to the best interests of your
people. to the difficult task assigned you
| You have labored with untiring energy in
| the performance of your duty. The laws
you have created have been maturely con-
sidered, though many of them have been
necessarily more lengthy than the con-
stitution under which they were
framed. 1 feel assured that when the
| people shall become familiar with the
results of your labors, and the vast
amount of important work you have per-
| formed, the unfriendly criticisms of the
| RlOSo Will JO lObtdCbOu, dHu yOu Will OC o.
plauded as workmen who have we'll per
formed yonr part. The older and more
experienced members of the Huuse are en-
titled to great credit for their counsel and
conservatism in your deliberations. while
the younger members have been marked fOl
their zeal and earnestness in the prosecution
of your labors. The only cause of regre
is the unfortunate occurrences of the thirty
first of July. Lftus bury the Discussions o.
that occasion, aud check the results likely Il
flow from it. Shall the dissensions of tina
day lead to disruption of this great State
Shall the slumbering idea of division b.
awakened by the dissensioR of that occasion
know that new impetus has been givef
to that subject, and it has Ocourree
to me that division of this Stasi
was inevitable-was but question of time
trust, however, that when you return t.
your homes you will give no encourage
ment to this subject. Texas is to-day tn,
| grandest State in the Union in territory, IL
climate and in natural resources, and, if i
remains undivided, it will be the empir
| State of this Republic in population before
this century shall close. Will you aid in
division of Texas? | trust that our Stat.
shall never be divided. ! look upon tn
full length portrait of Sam II uston, tn,
founder of our Republic, and ask you, wht
will claim his memory, if we divide9 IT
whom will belong the glorjes Of the Alamo
/ If we divideg The, old Alamo bull Ting i
in Western Texas, but as an Eastern
member of this House, am unwilling
to surrender TO the West the heritage of tn
deeds of daring and renown of that nobl'
band OF heroes, whose names are inscribed
upon the monument which stands in tn
vestibule of this Capitol. If Texas be di
vided, which)o the States shall CLAIM tn
memories of San JacintO,s the field apo,
which our liberties were finally achieved2
has been said by a member of this House
whose seat is now vacant, that Texas
only held together by a sentiment. rWha
glorious sentiment IS this that binds to
gether the people of this great State. Their
is a sentiment connected with this question
as dear to the heart of true Texan Patio
as the memory of his mother, and trus
5 this sentiment shall always fhd a lodgmeD
10 the bosom of this people. Look upol
that painting, Suspended Upon the wall o
this House--behold the fRcedOfthe nimmoi
tai Lee, who was the central figure. -aropn.
whom clustered the hopes Of, the South 70
four long years. S e Hoods. old Texa
, brigade,.tIes noblest and bravest BODY O
men who ever left Texas and sacri
! feed their lives upon the altar of on
!, common counry-rememberI that gallan
, charge upon the battle plains of the WI
, derness, by which the fortunes Of the great
! est army of the South were saved; rernent
Der the glorious deeds of 1.-The troops O
Texas in that great civil ,TAF and thsn say t
l whom shall these .hallowed memories be
I long These memories belong not TO tn
E East, or ~ the West, neither TO the Siuth
nor the North but they afe the ficiI legac
: 81 all tine people of the whole 8 ATE.
! Texas can only be held together 10y a sent
: ment, then let US cherish that sentiment
2 avert division, and build up 10 our gran
/ territory State which shall rxnrcise
7 cSIntiolling- influence upon the des,ihies G
[ the American Republic, / am led 10 ,thes
: remarks by an earnest love aud devotion !
! the best interests OF our State. My who
: life from early boyhooi has been spsnv
D Texas, and every pulsatenluf mygbea
e beats in unison 10 her interesL7-notr 4
r Texas discovered, bu. TO great undlYide
STATE ~ - @'t-'- p