The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-22

him. and prepared him for useful
ness. In the walls of that university,
his mind was trained and his ambi-
ton quickened, while from the lips OF
| Jackson he was inspired with patriot
ism and democracy. The widowed
mother and that university of Ala
bama gave him to Texas. At the
bar. on the bench, and in the eXecu-
tive office he has devoted the
energies and patriotism of spot
less life to the service of Texas. For
this state he has wrought good
work, bringing order out of chaos,
and establishing economy. And
now say that when those who would
pluck laurels from his aged brow
sleep in forgotten graves, or will he
thought of only with pity, Oran NJ.
Roberts will live in the grateful
hearts of our posterity, and will be re-
membered rs a governor who labored
with unselfish zeal for the good OF
this state.
Who is the other "broken down
politician" who has found an asylum
in this university "for the rich?'
More than forty years ago another
noble woman found herself in the
| wilds of Alabama widow and IN
poverty. | knew her, sir, and never
| have / gazed on more intellectual or
benignant face. With mothers love
she toiled for her orphan boy, until he
also was received by the university Of
Alabama, where he graduated. In
Texas he has shown himself worthy
of his lineage, and now, in his retire
ment, can say for him, that the posi-
ton OF chief justice of this state was
never filled by nObler or purer
man than Robert 5. Gould, for he was
that other orphan boy, now character
lied ms a broken down politician.
These are the broken down politi-
clans" to whom the senator refers, for
these are the only men of Texas who
have been rendered chairs in that uni
versity, and TO no one else could
ne refer. And now, let me ask, If
those who for long years were
deemed worthy to sit as chief justices
of Texas, who have moulded our
| jurisprudence, construed our laws,
and in all things been approved as
wise and pure men, are not fit to
teach Texas law to Texas boys in our
university, where under the circle of
the sun can proper teachers be found!
| All. sir-lWhat "a rebuke to the cynic
.sneer that university is a 'school
for the rich" is exhibited in the career
of these two men who, from the
J shadow of poverty and orphanage,
were by "a university lifted into use
| fulness and made benefactors of their
race.
Why,the very senator who INDUCED
in that sneer voted for the endow-
ment of the one million of acres for
i ,,n,xrarSifxr nnH
amendment to this Confederate GER
tificate bill. when he knows, too, Il
only object of the amendment is to
secure beyond doubt the university
land. Without this amendment those
certificates in the hands of -specula-
tors would cover every valuable sur
yey, and push the university lands
over on the sand hills ON the Staked
Plains. Why did he vote for this en-
dowment if he thought it was to help
school for the rich alone? Why did
he vote for it at all if he intended the
donation to be pretense and not IA
reality? Why then pretend that you'
desired to aid the university if you
harbored then the secret purpose to
attack with this bill the very dona-
ton you helped us to make? Texas,
by her vote, located that university
here, and it is alike her duty and her
interest to endow and sustain it.
The smoke had hardly cleared from
the field of San Jacinto before those
who gave Texas to civilization and
progress declared in solemn law that
the republic should establish and sus-
tain n university, to educate her sons
in all that pertained to mature
manhood, on her own soil.
Through poor in all but patriotism
and wisdom, they bequeathed to us
the duty of encouraging higher edu-
cation in a grand university for both
rich and poOr-where knowledge may
be attained by all, free rs the vital
air, without money and without
price. And vet. forty years after the
republic had demanded its establish
ment, a senator of Texas brands that
grand enterprise as rich mans
school and an asylum for broken
down politicians.
| Senator Davis-I would like to ask
Senator Terrell can not indulge
you now in your favorite exercise of
interrupting me by asking questions.
No man knows better than the Sena-
tor that nine out of ten of these Con-
federate certificates are in speculative
hands, and were bought at less than
five cents an acre. And now | say
that, if to forward such speculation
the university donation is to be sac
rihced, l will oppose the whole GER
tilicate business. These INDICATED
lands. instead of benefit, have grown
, to be Il curse in the corruption they
breed, and if grasping hands are kept
away from the cause OF general edu-
cation, and enough can be saved TO
sustain the university forever, with
!, out taxing the people. | care but
, little what becomes of the
! rest, after the common school
! lands are secured. Veteran and
} Confederate sentiment is too thin a
! disguise for the spoliatiOn which
I would result if the substitute and
amendment to save the university
!, lands is voted down, sir.
Sir, l crave pardon for OBTAINING
the senate so long; my excuse must
be found in the wanton and unpro
yoked attack upon two men WHOSE
: age and well-earned fame should have
I suggested praise instead of detrac
u ton. and in the effort we have hearC
5 made, in this covert manner, to de
: spoil the university lands already be
n slowed. The senate has just beer
h surfeited with an attack upon an in
= stitution demanded in Texas for forty
S wears. and not yet built, and now ap
$ peal to the senate to give such a re
y buke, by its vote, as the author U
that attack deserves.
. Mr.. Gibbs said
J. don't know that the fate OF thi
l. amendment win affect my vote on the bill
4, TOR whether the university donation Il
= given the preference or not, i Will neye
u vote Tor the bill unless with provis
u that its benefits shall extend only to IN
5, original grantees of these veteran certin
o, Gates.
+ We have already donated, by almost
l. unanimous vote, one million ARES o
n this land TO our stale university, and
'a have no apology TO make for my vote Of
~ the question, for upon this and all othe
III important questions Of legislation
~ gave my views to my constitu
&c ents while soliciting their votes, and
Ell returning to their hands the trust, WI
as have but few explanations to make.
~ 10 seems to me that there is 10 confiie
= of interest between the common school
=, and the university, TOR no single eudov
~ ment of the university is proposed TO b
ne made out OF any land that belongs or ca
b be appropriated TO public schools.
rs The constitution gives the commo
- schools one-half the public domain, n
=. more and no less. and this they have RI
nc ceived. Neither Is there any clash G
&c interests between the university and th
of .-s.. fair " eOnHna "a n looa III ~