The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-01-15


serving the best interests of their con-
stituents by their insane opposition to
Bayard, and that, on the contrary, they
are forging nails and cpikes for the
Democratic coffin for the coming cleo
tion. We were assured the other day
by Texas Congressman that the Tex
as Democracy wanted the grsenbacks,
and for that reason were opposed to
Bsyard that Baysrd could not carry
Texas; and that the San Antonio Ez
press. from which we recently copied
an article censuriDg Senator Coke quite
severely, was not representative or
gan of the Texas Democracy.
We respectfully ask, therefore, the
San Antonio Express, the Austin STATES
MAN, also Ex-Governor StOckdsle, Judge
Pryor Lea and other leading Texas
Democrats, including Mr.. Hancock,
ex-member of Congress, whether ir is
true that Bayard cannot carry Texas on
the old Democratic principles; wheth-
er it is fact that the Texas Democracy
has become go Republicanize I'd that it
can only carry the State on the uncon-
stitutional and undemocratic legal ter
der issue; and whether on that account
le Texas Democrats are willing to de-
feat the party and elect Grant Presl-
dent for life. - Washington Sentinel.
Ia spite of the opinion of the Texas
Congressman, the STATESMAN feels
it is entirely correct in saying
that Texas Democrats are tue carr
est advocates of honest money, and by
honest money Is meant gold and silver
com. In assuming this, the State
platform of 1878 is rejected, because
1t was adopted at time when the
pIbhc mind was diseased upon finan-
cial questions, and the expressions of
the party in Texas at that time were
nothing more than repetitIons of doc
trines set forth in the platforms of
other States, where subsequent political
history has shown them unworthy of
acceptance. That the Democracy of Tex
as has been sound upon the question of
honest money is proven by reference to
the contest which occurred in the sixth
congressional district between Mr..
Schleicher and Mr.. Ireland, where the
race was made by Mr.. Sehleichey
purely upon the question of hard as
against soft money, not fat paper, re-
sultIng in the overwhelming triumph
of the hard money Candidate. In
other districts the race was run, if
at all upon the money question,
as between redeemable and ire
deemable paper money, resulting in
the election of Democrats in all the dis
tricss except the fifth, where Mr.. Jones
was elected, ON personal popularity and
upon the determination of Ex-Governor
Davis to defeat the regular Democratic
nominee. Had the race been between
Democrats, on this money issue, with
out Davis controlling ten or twelve
thousand voters, Judge Hancock would
have been elected by three to one. But
from such positive results as were at
tanned in the sixth district, at time
when this acute monetary disease was
most prevalent in Texas, it is safe to
conclude that the Democracy of Texas,
slandered by this Texas Congressman,
is solid and sound enough to defeat
him or any other candidate inclined to
waste vocabulary upon the virtues of
soft money. The monetary portl on of
the state platform of 1878 was foolishly
made to appease soreheads and chronic
ofhce-seekers, having 9 respectable
following, who, it was feared, were
ready to combine with Republican in
fiuences to obtain Office. This effort, un-
worthy in the extreme, failed of its de
sired effect, and Hamman, seeding
member of the convention, jumped the
Greenbsck political wave and rode it
until lost amid the marshes of Radical
ism. Greenbackism has had its day
in Texas. Il never had any special force,
and, depending upon the late Rsdi
cal element for responsibility in num-
bers, 1t necessarily became the oppo-
nent of Democracy, and was character
ICED by the same disgusting features
that made Mr.. Davis and his party so
odious in Texas. II is matter of
public notoriety, that until lines were
drawn and the canvass begun in the
last election certain democratic
politicians in Texas, among them even
Mr.. Coke, hardly knew wh ere to
stand. They were laundering between
fiat and redeemable paper, and
such was their terror of hard money
that Senator Coke and others never
dared make political speech in the
sixth district, where Mr.. Schleicher
boldly and successfully struggled In
the interest of the honest and constitu-
tionsl money of Mr.. Bayard. The diff
ference between Senator Coke, who
can be considered only in limited
field, while Mr.. BAyard's name is fa-
nilisr in every household in the Unior,
:, that the one is attempting to steer
In channel where friendly soft mon
ey soil may add strength to his politi-
cal cruise before Texas Legislature
two years hence. and the other is at
tempting again to direct the legislation
of the country towards the higher and
pareA plain laid out and occupied by
Mr.. 1tfferson and his followers. Mr..
BAya demonstrates that he has had
no sympathy with wild and extrava-
CANT financial heresies that have dis
tracted the country, that he is no apOs-
tate from Democratic principle, that
he is loyal not only to the time-hon-
ored and successful doctrines OF
his party, and that, above all
things he is true to the Con-
stitutlon. not rs interpreted by q
corrupt and hireling court that he
knows was created alone that q wrong
might be perpetrated against the rights
Of . people. One of the cardinal prin-
ciples Sf Democracy is, that only gold
and silver shall be legal tender, and
the doctrine was universally held
among Democrats and all lovers OF
constitulona; government that the sct