The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-05-02
Downs is left with mArlinspike in

his left eye.
Such is the Christian sweetness and
tenderness and simple trustfulness of
Bill Longley's character and taste and
gentle affections illustrated in his
unique letters, that it would be great
pity to hang him. We don't see how
Governor Hubbard, with sll the over
flowing buttermilk and clsb0er of
human kindness that forever bubbles
up 10 his swelling bosom, can refrain
from psrdoning this splendid Christ
Ian gentleman Bill Longley.
There is and never was the slightest
suspicion uttered or entertained by
Houston, or anyone else, affecting the
purity of his wife, whom he abandoned
the night they were welded. Persons
who were citizens of Gallatin, Tonnes
see, where the wife spent her life and
knew her before and after the mar
rage, never told or heard this story,
now printed, to the effect that Hous-
ton suspected her purity. He may
have learned that she loved another,
and that was all.
Tommy Sergeant aud Paul Fitzsim-
mons, two good little boys of Houston,
were playing with empty pistols, and
both were shot. It's empty pistols
that are always blowing silly peoples
heads off, and though we are always
publishing the fact, nobody heeds it any
more than when we advise them to kim
die fires by pouring on ceal oil or gum
powder from keg. It's so nice to
be blown up and astouished with these
harmless things.
That extraordinary mailman, states
man, misanthrope, philanthropist,
psychologist, orator and ranter, philos-
| opher and dreamer, lunstic, logician
and wit, George Francis Train, writes
that he will enter Texas within a
month. Whether for good or evil he
will surely make people think. He is
the chiefest of living iconoclasts and
destroyer of hobbies. He hates vices
of government and loves the multitude
and is the great idea-giver to Green
hackers and Nationals"
The other day as train on the Great
Northern was crossing a bridge lady
was seen struggling for life in the
waters below. Capt. Briggs, the con-
ductor, leaped from the train at the
peril of his life into the water, and
soon saved the lady from watery
grave. She was out with a fishing
party and becoming temporarily sepa-
rated from her friends had attempted
to cross the stream upon log which
broke with her weight. But nobler
acts than this of Capt. Briggs are re-
corded.
A letter-writer says of the crops at
Belmont, not far from Gonzales, that
since the rain few days ago all doubts
of wheat crop are removed, and it is
thought that the yield will be heavy.
Corn is looking fine and cotton plant
ing is completed, with good stands in
some fields. The same writer says Mr..
II. Clay Grinage, who was for some
years an active business man of Bel
mont, died some days ago, and that
siHce the clinching of local option that
little town is as ''still as a Yankee
clock"
The Longview and Sabine Valley
Railroad Company Is about the first,
and the Austin and Lampasas Is
the second company organized
under the general railroad law
of the State. The Longview and
Sabine Valley Company has been or
ganized about a year, and at work
about four months. The first ten miles
of the road has just been completed,
for which the company receives six
teen sections of land to the mile. The
same area of land will be assigned to
the Austin and northwestern narrow
gauge.
Hon. George W. Jones, the uncle OF
Wash Jones, of this district, the
Greenbackers' candidate for Congress,
is distinguished citizen of Tennessee.
Last week he was with his brother,
Judge Jones, of Shelby county, in that
State. He was for twenty years one of
the most prominent and useful South
ern members of Congress before the
war. His last appearance in public
life was as member of the constitu
tional convention of 1869. He was 6
lifelong personal and political friend
of Andrew johnson.
The Rockdale Messenger complains Of
the wrongs inflicted by railroads. The
International charges So. so per bale or
cotton from Cause to Galveston, while
from Hearne, distant only ten miles
from Cause, the rate is only 81 bale.
The Rockdale merchants are charged
} higher rates on freight, both on ship
ments and receipts, than are the mer
chants of Bell and other counties of
the railroad. The reason of this il
competition. Bell county can gel
freights by way of Waco. on the Cen
trail, thus making the International a
Rockdale competing line. The Ban
| ner thinks the Legislature should tax,
the railroads in hand and establish al
equitable tariff.
The Rockdale Messenger says no won
der the people of many towns and cit
} les like Austin seek to divest them
| selves of these filthy, disgusting corpo
rate garments, which do injustice alik'
to the country and the town. Enor
! nous local burdens of taxation are i'm
posed mayors must make money t.
/ get even, since they buy the votes tina
give them Office; jobs are involved il
, every public work done, and the PEG
pie become at last very FESTIVE unde
unsufferable exactions and terrible
|, hourly wrongs. Therefore the paper
! and small towns ask whole local gov
ernments to resign. But it will avail
! nothing. Such men went IN for tn
money that was in sight. 1t was
business transaction and there Is NJ
3 help for the victimized taxpayer.
The Mutual Life Insurance Compan.
of New York City bought at one ii M
!, $500, 900 of Texas seven per cent. bond
and wants 500. 900 more. 1t happen
: that the managers of this institution
have recently traversed Texas, anc
therefore wants more of the States pa
i, per. Railway train robberies at Dial
las and deviltIies along the Rio Grand
aud occasional acts of violence every
: where are only significant of the ire
, pressible forces of progress which hav
characterized the fortunes of ciViliza
: ton and of all rapidly growing West
s ern communities. Sush Is the asSec
J of the States character and possibili
j ties contemplated by the thoughtful
! aud intelligent purchasers of thes
D Texas bonds, and they are mistaken
r in nothing.
j The Rockdale Messenger says tina
/. the overcoats of corporate government
in Texas and elsewhere. since suffrag
: is universal, have become exceedingly