The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-01-27
THE sENATORsHIP.

| preference Tor 1nlS distinguished
citizen, and, since the agitation OF
the claims of aspirants to the sena-
torial succession, it has again
often pressed those of this
widely known and well loved
Texan for the distinguished honor
That Throckmorton deserves honor
more than he has received from the
people of his beloved state, for
whom he has labored so faithfully
and so well for a lifetime, none can
deny; and, when we now presume
to advise intelligent men as to the
choice of a sovereign represen-
tative in the Senate of the
United States there is a long
record of brilliant achievements
to which we may refer with pride,
attaching to the name of our favor
ite. When the faithful historian of
the future writes the political histo-
ry Of Texas, when he tells of an in-
fant state struggling up through
childhood and youth into a vigorous
manhood, when he tells of obstacles
surmounted and of development and
grandeur and wealth, upon all these
pages the name of j. w. Throck-
morton will shine with unsurpassed
brilliance. and it will appear rs the
synonym of a states greatest mate
rial prosperity. 1t is such man as
he, whom we would see chosen
to represent Texas in the
Senate of the United States,
where sovereignties exercise pow
er, and where Texas will soon
stand in the first ranks, with influ-
ence like New York and Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio, one great Texas,
grand in its unity, and grand in its
influence, physically a giant,
and through its representa-
tives intellectually a conqueror.
Throckmorton has ever been faith
full to trusts imposed upon him. For
over a quarter of a century he has
been servant of the people of
Texas, and, yet in the full vigor of
perfect manhood, and with a mind
prepared to do even more than in
the past, he seems eminently
fitted for that service which
his friends would now demand
of him. But let us trace this man
through his long line of public SER
vice, and let us see whether, indeed,
he deserves that consideration
which Texas should pay alone to
the most worthy. Having endeared
himself to the people of his section
by rough and dangerous service
upon our frontier, and having,
through wise counsel, gained their
confidence, he was chosen many years
ago a representative to the Texas
legislature. Here for ten years he
led in the cause of popular educa-
tion, and through him, as much as
any other man, Texans are now
enabled to make the proud boast
that 50,000,000 acres of public
domain are permanently set aside to
the cause of education. Always the
friend of advancement, he took the
initiatory step in encouraging works
of internal Improvement, and the
impress of his ideas and his work is
stamped upon every developed and
developing section of Texas. He
advocated the pre-emption right of
settlers, under which so many citi-
zens have acquired homes with
out price, and while the hardy
immigrant has ventured into the
wilds, his policy has been to en-
courage railways to follow him, and
to once more afford him the comforts
and pleasures of life. The protec-
ton of the frontier, the beating back
of the border, the expulsion of
murderous indians, claimed his earn
est attention, and his efforts in this
behalf were marked by vigilance,
perseverance and toll. Ever the
friend of the settler he has devoted
time and energy to giving them
perfect titles to lands, and the de-
scendents Of the Peters, the Mercer
and the German colonists have him
to thank for salvation from danger
Gus and exhausting litigation. Many
who labored with Throckmorton in
such beneficial legislation have
passed away but enough now
remain to personally attest his
eminent legislative services in be-
half OF his cOuntrymen. When sec
tional strife was being engendered
Throckmorton raised his voice as a
prophet against it, yet, when it was
begun he shouldered his musket
and went to the field, and from the
commencement to the ending, in one
useful position or another, as SOL
dier, he advocated the enlistment of
all our energies and resources, and
this by example, in the common de-
fense. When the war ended, like
most other Confederates, he had
grown poor, but in this case it
was mainly because he had
opened his purse and his sup
plies to the wives and children
of soldiers. 1t was then that his
people called upon him again to
represent them in the counsels of the
State. He became president of the
constitutional convention of 1875,