The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-10-31
ROBERTS, HAMMAN AID THE
RESI-.

|
ROBERTS, HAMMAN AHD THE
| REST.
| AS the election day approaches, the
prestige of party and devotion to right
and apprehension of possible wrong in
contemplated deviation from paths
found safe and honorable, assert their
force, and thoughtful men find them
selves drifting backward into channels
of thought from which they have been
tempted by the sheen of gold dimly
visible through clouds of paper. The
Democratic voter, called upon to de-
eide between Roberts and HammaD,
can hardly betray an old and honored
citizen, whose age, virtues and habits
of thinking render him eminently we'll
fitted for the chief msgistrscy Of Texas.
He has been lifelong, consistent Dem
ocrat, above reproach as man, as
politician, as patriot, soldier and
judge. He was never an office
seeker, but has ever held pub
lie duty paramount to his private
interests. When holding the most
honorable and responsible position in
the commonwealth, from which there
was no probability. and hardly posi-
bility, of his removal, at the request of
the great representative body of hi.
fellow-cltizsns, he abandoned 1t that
be might be, instead of its chief ju
tice, the commonwealth chief m.gis-
trate. Opposing the patriot and jursr
and statesman is a new and untried
and unknown person, whose genius for
shooting of his mouth" is as remark
able as his proposition to shoot out pa
per money. He is wordy and windy
as the currency with which be wou!n
deluge the land. He is traitor to the
Democratic party, in whose councils
be recently sat, even in Austin,
or to Radicslism, which supports
him with all the passionate earn
estness OF Governor DAVIS. n"
one has heard Human asserting
the vices Of Radicalism. He portray
none Of its crimes, inveighs agains,
none of its wrongs. Whenever he rt =
cites the extravaganza of the govern
ment be only copies from some Dem
cratic newspaper, while Greenbackism
In Its philosophy and purpose and in
its necessary, moral and practical IT
suits. If invested with power, would
consist in nothing but extravaganza
In political economy paper money and
extravagance and vice and corruption
are convertible terms, and Hammau
adverts to none of these themes that
sb'orb the thoughts and have
shaped the habits of the "Old A.
calde." A Greenbacker and fiat
money philosopher. in the very
nature of things, cannot be a reformer.
On the contrary, are not Hsmman
and his adherents simply catering to
the general discomfort and honest de-
mands of the people for governmental
simplicity, purity and reform. Green
backism, in its very nature and purpo-
ses and philosophy, is incapable and
only destructive in the very law of
its being of everything like reform.
Therefore the reYulsion of popular SEN
timent illustrated everywhere, as in the
recent election in Cincinnati, where the
Greenback Reform (O party received
only four hundred and fifty votes,
when last year the same party in the
same city boasted of its thirteen
thousand voters. Here In Texas,
Democrats are asked by ex-Democrats
to leave the party and desert leaders
like Roberts, Hancock and Terrell at
the very hour when We have just gained
supreme mastery of both branches of
Congress, and when the Presidency
itself is ripened fruit to fall into the
outstretched hands Of American cor
servatism. Can Texas consent to the
psrty's local defeat on the eve of such
national victoryQ Have honest South
ern people, have Hamman and Bent
ley and the rest, followed the party
through all these years of defeat and
outrage and oppression and calumny
only to betray and destroy2 Have not
Jones, Hsmman and Bentley left the
party simply because they supposed
they had discovered an opportunity to
make money and win offices outside
of the Democratic organization. We
cannot understand how Democrats OF
Republicans can vote for such people.
And then suppose we make II amman
Governor or Beutley Senator, elected,
as they must be, by Radical votes,
what good can they effect, what in
flaence can they exertH Who, of the
omnipotent Democratic State Senate or
Democratic House, would listen to
tCOOlAlACu0oblOA Va AdAndu W epCSCu
Of Bentley2 Their present partisan
conduct, at juncture like this, when
conservatism consolidated can surely
destroy Radiealism everywhere, de-
-troys the capacity for usefulness OF
these Greenbackers. But there is little
necessity for the presentation of these
plain fscts. In Texas, as in the North
vest. Greenbaekism is a thin shadow
Of lie former self, and as the day of
election approaches and Democrats
and conservatives of all political
crseds are forced to reflect by the re-
probabilities Of good cItizenship the
empty Greenbaek paper balloon loses
attractiveness and Democracy will be
universally triumphant.
= .