The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-10-21
a CRITICISM OK JUDGE HANCOCK.

~ ~ - Willie ~ thS -'NUo
from Austin, crlticizes Hon. John
Hancock after this fashion: +
Judge John Hancock made po-
litical speech here Wednesdsy niglIt
and your humble servant was one o.
his large auditory. II was the fret
speech ever heard Judge Hancock
make. From his aDtecedents, and
my knowledge of the man person
ally, | expected much, and was not
disappointed. In those particular
points in which expected m0sttrom
him he exceeded my expectations
He is bold, candid and frank TO 3
remarkable degree, in 60 much that
| could hardly realize that ,vas lis
tening TO Texas Democratic speak
or. He does not hesitate 10 speak
boldly his convictions, without re-
gard as 10 whether these convictions
are VIII received or not by his audi
tory. His manner is about this: Il
tell you this is the truth and the wis
dom, and if YOU can not see that it
is so, then be the consequences You're.
not NINE" And the convictions
thus announced, however distaste-
full they may be 10 many, are 80 firm
" based in the law ami gospel OF il
that they can hardly be questioned.
While listening 10 him was con-
stantly reminded of the old patriots
whom used to hear on the stump
in NorthCarolina and Virginia in my
boyhood. There were giants in those
DAYS, patriots and statesmen, WHOSE
brains were as large ~ their hearts
were patriotic The intellect and
the soul Of tho country had not then
been dwarfed by eectionalism-that
foul curse which latterly, il seems,
has poisoned nearly the whole
American blood. He particularly
reminded me- of Thomas L. Cling
man, SO long congressman and af
forwards Senator from North Caro-
lima. That mans attitude before his
constituents was bold even 10 def
ance. They used TO curse him by
thousands while listening to his
speeches; yet, perceiying that the
things which he uttered were truths,
however bitter, they would go to the
polls and elect him every time by II
tremendous majority. And so with
Henry \. Wise. And 30 il would be
with John Hancock If he were not
on the wrong side of the miserable
sectionalism which IL the curse Of
the country, and bids. fair to be III
curse for long time. Suppose John
Hancock, with his profound wisdom
and craftsmanship, and his bold and
defiant way of stating the truth,
should be met on the stump BY one
Of these fellows who would bounce
in the air, turn s0Inersault. crack
his ankles together. and Ewear that
he lit, bled and died for the Confed-
eracy, where would be John Han,
cock
The answer 10 that question i
fqrn shed by the answer TO thin =
where il John Hancock now7 Well,
where il he with all hia bold ability
aud nanlineas Where Ia he? Ban
ished and ostracised from the SER
vice Of his state and the country, az
a man that has an evil mark upon
him; pursued, even IN biz retire
ment, BY the yelping and barking
Of the little sectional eus5es who
swear that they fit, bled and died,
but who, to my personal knowledge
in many Instances; never Iii, bled or
died worth cent
Il this not a magnificent spectacle
l. it not more beautiful than 8 plate
of strawberries and cresmi Il IL
not Highly exhilerstingi Is It
strange that, in view of such spec
tacles as this, the Democratic party
il crushed 10 the wall every time in
national conflicts? These little sec
tiDna! cusscs claim TO be the Demo
cratic party Itself, and stGutly deny
that any other sort are Democrats.
Is il a WoEder that Northern Demo
Gratis go by the board when forced
into such utilization as thisi We
might az we'll determine on this
point at once: There never will be,
as there never ought TO bo,
another Democratic President ,untll
the aectiOnalism ana th5 gsctional
cures demagogues- the South
are crushed. We have got to con-
vince the whole cOuntry-and the
whole country is hot the cotton
states OF the South by good deal
that we have ceased TO be sectional
and that we love the country. When
a bulldoZcr pops his head up, we
must pop his head oil; and when q
Confederate bloOdv-shirt shaker
gets up to crack his ankles together,
and tells Us how he fit, bled and
died, and waves HE rag against men
who gFre unionists, we have got TO
catch him by tho thrlat and hold
him by the throat until he sduelll.
II we can not be content 10 do this,
then we have got 10 lie content with
q northern sectional government of
this country, or have another war.
These are the only results 10 which
our sectional politics can load We
must choose Democratic success
through wisdom. or those other re-
suits through folly and stupidity.
We have the privilege 10 take. our
choice
Another point In which Hancock's
ipssoh proved exceedingly refresh-
ing Ia me was, that it WAS tho only
thoroughly Democratic speech ever
heard in Texas. | have of course
heard a great many speecheT which
they called Democratic apeeches,
but which in fact were no more
Democratic than a green cheese il
the moon. Ii was pervaded through
out with the spirit OF a patriotsit
was an American speech There " a.
not even, the slighteat suspicion of =
sectionaliel about il, In spirit il was
"a comprehensive as this nwhele
boundless Utica of surs." He SEEM
ed to speak from standpoint from
which the whole grand republic hay
before him. and that hIs affections
grasped all paris alike. This was
indeed refreshing 10 me. had not
heard the like for years. Hitherto.
in listening to Democratic speakers
in Texas, they seemed Ia me TO
speak TO their audience a. If
they knew they were men who
did not lose their country; that they
were not only CAUTIOUS not 10 say
ANYTHING that would offend this
want of love of country, hut s6ugh,
its applause BY stimulating il. Hence
their eternal reference to the war
and how we all tit, bled and died.
How many times did YOU ever hear
Democratic orators refer proudly to
the Star-Spangled Banner a. the
flag oflhe country, or indulge a sin
gle little hurst calculated tn inspire
the patriotic feeliRgf Pause and
answer the question. when heard
John Hancock -pcsking in this way
which j. the good old Democratic
way-thc sound Was 80 unusual that
| WAS for a moment startled and