The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-10-12
BLUE BLUFF.
A BARBECUE AND sPEECH-
MAKING.
Judge Terrell ana Col. Trigg Meet
on the stump,
And the Latter IL Downed on the
First Round.
n. J. Davis I'm n New Character
That OF a ssGreat ana Good
Man,,

the fashion of such things, proved quit,
an enjoyable occasion. There was plenty
of barbecued meat to feed the largI
crowd, with much to spare. A larg'
delegation from Austin, including mos
of the candidates who reside in the city
went out and were finely entertained by
the courteous managers of the frolic
In addition to those seeking pc
ltical preferment, there were present sew
.eral gentlemen from the city who wen
for the purpose either of a day in thu
woods or TO champion the cause of then
favorites in the campaign pool. The
speaking began by an address from
JUDGE z. T. FULMoRE,
candidate for reelection to the Office OF
county Judge. Judge Fillmore did not
touch upon politics at all, but made
plain, matter of fact state
ment as to the condition of the
county, financially and otherwise
at the present time; and, by way of rem.
dering an account of his stewardship in
this most important position, contrasted
that condition with that of two years ago
He stated succinctly what he had done to
reduce the bonded Indebtedness, to cur
tail the interest on the outstanding bonds,
and also his official acts with regard to
the public schools and public roads. His
speech was attentively listened to and
evidently created a favorable impression
upon his hearers, four-fifths of whom
were colored men.
JUDGE A. W. TERRELL,
candidate for reelection to the state SEN
ate. was the next speaker. 1t mad been
agreed upon that Judge Terrell should
nil, hal III Tr,uo, 70
ply in half hour, Terrell to have a ten
minutes rejoinder and Trigg to close in
five minutes.
Judge Terrell said in the beginning
that he did not intend to discuss politics
to any great extent, but as he was speak
ing to an audience composed almost
wholly of colored people he would devote
his limited time to an examination of
questions which directly affected these
people and, being candidate for the
senate, he considered that they had a
right to know his views, and to be ap-
prised of his record upon all such ques-
tions. He then, after prefatorily remark
ing that he WAS Democrat and did not
propose stealing their votes by means of
false professions, went somewhat elabo-
rately into the free school question, and
showed that the Texas law, which was
framed by himself, gave to all the chill
dren of the state impartially and alike ;
that the colored children received identi-
cally the same privileges and benefits as
the whites. He also gave something of the
secret history of the enactment of the
present school law, and stated plainly
the position he then took against a prop.
osition that the taxes of the colored
race only should be set apart for the ed
ucation of the colored children, believ-
ing then, as he does now, that it is not
only the duty of the white people to ed
ucate the colored race, but that it is their
self interest to do so. He gave as
reasons for this belief, first, that
It is duty, because the colored peo-
pie, while the white men were at
Shiloh, Chichamauga and Gettysburg,
made bread for their wives and children {.
and second, il il self.interest because two
distinct raceo can never live upon the
same soil with one educated and the
other ignorant. The Judge adverted
briefly TO several other subjects, among
them the jury and road laws. His
speech was, considering the crowd and
the peculiar circumstances, one of the
most appropriate that could possibly
have been made and was delivered in
such plain and unpretentious manner
that even the most obtuse could readily
comprehend.
COL. h. TRIGa.
At the conclusion of Judge Terrell's
speech, Col. Trigg took the stand in re-
ply. He began with the assertion that
he did not believe Judge Terrelps
professions of good feeling and kindly in
10, a rrlArod Ha rod
TO reject anything like a controversial
idea, and did not attempt a reply TO q
single statement made by his competitor.
Instead, he made an impassioned appeal
60 the prejudices Of the negroes. First he
passed an eulogy upon 4. j. Davis and
said the prondest remembrance of his
life was the fact that he (Trigg) mot
only cast his vote for but went Oh the
stump and advocated the election of that
great and good man for the governorship."
He denouncedthe present school system as
infamous, and framed and conducted,
purposely, in the interest of the rich man
as against the poor; he said that parties
living in one community and moving to
another lose all the benefits of the school;
that he (Trigg) would not dishonor him
self by sending his children to the
free schools of Austin; that of
the 100000 given by taxation
to the children 100000 were
paid to the county judges for simply
disbursing the same; that this was robbery
and fraud. He told the negroes that
the Democrats hated them because they
were free, and that If the bourbons had
il in their power they would upturn all
of the free institutions of the country
He said that he was ''as cleverly born as
Judge Terrell, his equal in natural en-
dowment, and in acquired knowledge his
superior :" that if any of the Judges
friends doubted this he was ready for a
competitive examination. The speech
throughout was incendiary in tone and
spirit and such as we did not
expect TO hear in this day
and time from any man with
the least regard for honesty and decency.
JUDGE TERRELL's REPLY.
Judge Terrell made a ten minutes re-
ply aud rebuked, In the most whitening
manner, Col Tiigg for the temper Of
his speech, and especially for his ILL.,
timed attempt TO arouse the passions and
prejudices OF the colored people at time
when all good men desired that perfect
good feeling should exist. He then
showed that Judge Fillmore received for
disbursing the $l2, 900 school money of
Travis county just $40, instead of
$1,000 as emphatically asserted
by Col. Trigg. Judge Fillmore
was on the ground and verified
Judge Terrell's statement in this regard.
He also proved that q person removing
from one community could have his
school credit transferred to his new resi-
dence, thus effectually combating
Trigg's refrain about Partially against
the poor mans child. He also asserted,
in reply to Col. Trigg's statement that
nota city in the state controlled by Dem
ocrafs had adopted the free school sys-
tenn, that Denison. Sherman and others
had done so-in fact, that all of them
had done so by Democratic votes,
as none but tax payers could
vote. The judge then said :
ssCol. Trigg volunteers here his testimony
about his own capacity. He told you
that he was my equal in birth, my equal
in intellect ana my superior in acquired
knowledge. Well, shall not quarrel
about this. am glad TO hear 1t. am
glad TO know that II defeated viii be
beaten by so distinguished a gentleman,
and II he should be elected and will lust
make that speech Ia the senate and satisfy
them Of his great Attachments. no doubt
he would be appointed to my old place
as chairman OF the judiciary committee
/ would IKE to hear him announce In
omen senate how smart he Il, and To viii.
ness thel. undisguised Joy at The An.
pearance OF this political SHILOH" judge
Terrell then proceeded In vein Of
bumor on this subject, and said that Col
rr-;.-sr vas mi AZ certainly man of varie(i