The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-10-03
COKE's OPINION OF JOHN IRELAND.

COKE'S OPINION OF JOHN IRELAND.
A Historical Interview Notwithstanding
for Everybody to Digest.
From the Houston Post.
Continued from yesterday
the senate, Mr.. Clark handed me this letter
of Rust's, and at my request, replied to HIM,
stating implicitly that had no pledge to make
upon this or any other question, but reserved
to myself the fullest right to do as pleased in
any contingency that might thereafter occur.
This letter of Clark's has also been published.
About the time Clark's letter could have
reached Seguin and an answer could have
been returned came letter from Ireland to
Clark, in which he stated that Rust must have
been misconstrued or written unadvisedly;
that he (Ireland} did not ask pledge of any
one, and priced independence Of character too
much to ask such thing. This letter has
also been published. This occurred about
ten days before the assembling Of the demo-
cratic state convention at Galveston.
On the day before started to Galveston to
attend the convention, Mr.. w. M. Rust of
Seguin, called at my Office in company with
Colonel John D. Elliott. While was en-
gagged in conversation with Mr.. Rust, Colonel
Elliott sat down at table and began to write.
Mr.. Rust and myself continued our conversa-
ton on general subjects until Colonel Elliott
rose from the table with writing he had pre-
pared, when Rust left the room. Colonel Ell
Ii OFT handed me the paper, and, on inspection
I found that it was request signed by himself
and several others, that / would pledge my
self to serve out my term as governor if nomi-
mated at Galveston. These repeated importu-
mites were becoming annoying, and replied
with some warmth to Colonel Elliott, that I
would do no such thing; that would accept
nomination only upon the pledges contained
in the platform, and if such pledge was de
manded by the platform, should decline the
nomination. Colonel Elliott Immediately tore
up the paper and left the room.
Reporter-Did Mr.. Rust say anything on
this subject while there?
in my PROFESSIONALISM privilege of using-a
honored citizen of the state, who then lived in
Guadalupe county and was delegate to the
Galveston convention, which informs me
that the writer, being DESTROYS Of Mr..
Rust's company to Galveston, drove
up to his (Rust's) Office in Seguin on
the day he was about to start to Gal
weston, and asked some gentlemen standing
there where Rust was, when one OF the gentle
men replied that Rust chad gone by way of
Austin to get pledge from Governor Coke
that he would not be in Judge Ireland's way
for the Senate" 1t would seem from this
that Rusts purpose in coming to my Office
were identical. Certainly, if the purpose ct
Rust's visit to Austin was common street talk
in Ireland's village and Rust was Ireland's
right-hand man, it would require no great
stretch of presumption to conclude that Ire
land knew all about it, especially as he was
there in Seguin at the time.
Reporter-What occurred at the Galveston
Convention? Did you have the conversation
with Judge Ireland, as he reported it in the
Southern Hotel?
Governor Coke-No such conversation ever
occurred. The report of it by Ireland is ia
IRRIGATION of the first water, with just enough
truth in it to build up frst-class fiction as he
has done. Hehas wilfully falsi6ed the fact.
On reaching Galveston, to attend the con-
vention, found it to be common talk among
the delegates that Ireland's friends were at
work trying to secure the adoption Of reso-
luton by the convention that the nominee for
Govsrnor(no other) should pledge himself
not to be candidate for any other Office dur
ing his term as Governor. As two
attempts looking to that end has al
ready been made upon me by Ire
lands friends, in both of which they had been
met by disappointment, began to weary of it,
and took occasion, without any privacy, to de-
nounce such efforts coupled with the announce
ment that if my nomination as Governor was
coupled with any such condition, would de-
cline it. My reason for this course was above
person or personal considerations. felt that
if the convention adopted such course Ia
thing unparalleled in our political annals) it
would demonstrate that the interests and ma
chinery Of our great party were being success
fully prostituted to the trickery of designing
demagogue, and 1 determined that would
not be made party to the transaction-that
would not disgrace the party, the Office as
pired to, nor myself personally by accepting a
nomination tied up with shackles and condi-
tons.
During the sitting of the conventions did
have an interview with Judge Ireland in the
Grand Southern Hotel. it occurred after the
nomination for governor was made and not be-
fore, as has been stated by Ireland. did not
my room to lie down. In passing through
had seen Judge Ireland? He replied that
he had not, and rent up to my room. In
about an halt hour Judge Ireland came
to my room, and said he understood had
been looking for him. told him desired
to say to him that 1 was reliably informed
that his friends were endeavorins to pass
through the convention a resolution requir-
ing the nominee for governor to serve out the
full term if elected-that no convention had
ever before exacted such requirement of
M ninee-fhat II WAS uniusf IN me- upiuSf tn