The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-29

/ hOtot. W ny VIC idNt dlItdQl SENT
something TO the house. We have
sent that resolution to the house
which has met the deliberate judg-
ment and views of the majority of
this senate. Then, what more
do you want to send TO
the house. Have we not sent a mod.
liication To the house that the senate
approves? Are not these modifica-
tions on the lease? Then, why send
anything more than that, unless TO in
tiuence them to vote against the reso-
lotion which we have sent to them by
a majority vote of this senate.
The fact is that those who are in
minority in this case die hard. They
are still fighting the resolution that
has been passed by the senate, a1dthe
object is TO send something to the
house that will influence that body To
vote against that resolution. am not
in favor of taking any such step, and
hope the motion TO postpone will
privail.
Another thing. We have before us
to-day, just returned from the
printer the general appropria-
tion bill for the next two
years. We have been in session for
over seventy days. and we have not
passed the leading measures which
the people look to us TO pass.
We have not passed upon state
measures, which will form the policy
of the present administration for the
next two years in this state. We
have done nothing comparatively
which is demanded OF us 10y the peo-
pie; but We have devoted three or
four days of this session 10 the dis
cussion of this penitentiary lease, and
now we propose to devote more time
to the consideration of that matter.
after we have once acted upon il and
sent it to the house.
say it is suicidal policy TO post
pone and not take action upon
these measures for the general
public benefit, as such as the
general appropriation bill. and other
acts of like importance. for
The purpose of prolonging the discus
sion, which has been gone over once.
and has been acted upon by the SEN
ate.
do not know, Mr.. President, what
motive senators may have; but IL is
generally known that the present All
lninistration is in favor of the action
hblIll htlo w lnt UlUlOlllN W
the senate upon this question / do
not know what motive senators can
have who come here now with that
resolution, which seems 10 be an at
tempt not only to monopOllZe the
time of the legislature, in order that
these matters of general interest shall
not be acted upon, to the detriment
of the administration, but that il il
done for the purpose of dragging
down the present administration and
carry with it "A thrust upon the past.
1t looks 50, Mr.. President, and /
think we ought not to consider this
matter farther; but postpone it. and
there will be plenty of time; and there
are plenty of men in this senate who
are as patriotic and as true to their
country as the senator Travis. who
will stay here and act upon this peni-
tentiary matter before adjournment
of this session.
There are other men in this 49,
who are as anxious, perhaps, to l.
a record as the senator from TraW
and before TINS senate adjourns thS|
probability is they wI1fvnsge a record
which will stand as FAM nouihaur
people of Texas as that of D.
from Travis, or Of those who~
in the minority.
Mr.. Terrell again urged the passas
of the resolution.
Mr.. Houston-With his usual in
correctness of statement, the senator
from Travis construed me as saying
that the lease was an administration
measure. l did not say that, Mr..
President.
Mr.. Terrell am sorry if | mis-
stated the senator. | understood him
to state that the administration wasin
favor of the action of the senate in
ratifying in the lease.
Mr.. Houston-I stated it seemed TO
me to be an attempt to embarrass the
administration by throwing upon
it the management of the pen
itentiaries after they had been
disposed of by a previous adminis-
tration-an attempt to embarrass tAe
present and thrust at the past,
Mr.. Randolph-Did / understand
you to make the statement that the
present administration endorses the
action of the majority of the senate
upon the penitentiary leaseY
Mr.. Houston-I do say so in most
unqualified terms, and say that any
administration that has the general
good of the people at heart will en-
dorse it, and that the people do en-
dorse all over this state wherever
they understand it, the action of the
majority upon this lease question:
and l say there has been no oppo-
sition found among the people Of this
state covering it, and that
it is only heard from
few dissatisfied newspapers
and from some aspiring politicians
who would harass and fling at the
state administration. AS regards the
statements of the senator from Travis.
| hope they are more correct than
when he denounced the infamy of the
law passed by the seventeenth legis-
lature, when he stated that only he
and a very small minority, who were
true patriots, stood up and voted
against it.
/ have taken the caution TO exam
inc the records, as | could not recOl-
lect any such fight as he described as
having been made. / knew | was
here, and l knew that / had voted for
that bill, but ! could not recollect
any such fight as the senator from
Travis pictured when he and
one or two others stood like the
heroes of Thermopylie and battled
against the passage of the act. So !
examined the record and / found that
every single, solitary member Of the
senate at that time who voted upon
that question, voted in favor of sus-
pending the rules, and also in favor Of
passing the bill, while the senator
from Travis, If he were present at the
time, did not vote upon the question,
but sat dumb in his seat; and one Of
the distinguished senators whom be
classed as standing shoulder to shoul-
der with him in the great contest, was
excused. do not know the accuracy
of the senator's recollection or the ac-
curacy of his statements to-day; but
as to that day he was mistaken, be-
cause he contradicts the record.
Mr.. Terrell said:
Mr.. President, / do trust that we
will act, and act now. The lease con-
tract remains a contract for fifteen
years unless ratified or rejected. Nom
action on the part Of the legislature
perpetuates it, and non-action Is what
the lessees are interested in securing;
The end of the session approachesy
and mark my word for it, unless we
pass this resolution contention and
disagreement between the two houses
will defeat all action on the lease.
Why object to the reSolutionY have
said that if you take it up its friends
will SO amend it as to declare that
unless the legislature shall hlOpt the