The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-05-03

than to force the governors hand. il
his "little game he sends the letter
right into the midst of your board
and along with it full copy under
seal to each of the commissioners
That, you say, was the first intima.
ton | had that the old board had ia.
ken any action whatever in the mat
ter" Very true; and but for that
letter you probably. would never have
had so good an opportunity of observ-
ing the governors peculiar tactics.
If the alleged action of the old
| board Is to be assumed as conclusive,
it must have been the purpose of the
governor, under whatever show of
Difference, to treat on commissioners
as clay in the hands of the potter. If
not conclusive, his statement to me
was without foundation.
Let us see what measures were
adopted to effectuate what had been
agreed upon" between himself and
Superintendent Goree. On the morn
ing of the goth the board assemblies in
the governors office, and, in due time,
the business of appointing financial
agent is taken up. My letter of ap-
plication, addressed through the gov
ernor to the board, and which re-
specially claimed the attention of
the entire board, is suppressed, but
my name is laid before the board
with the names of others. Superin-
tendent Goree, who has been sum-
moned in connection with his report
and preparations for resump-
ton, is incidentally present
all the while the board is
celebrating, and canvassing the mer-
its of the several applicants. His in
innate relations with Brahan are
known to the board. Nothing more
natural than that you should have
Intercepted him, as you did, without
any particular thought as to the pro-
priety of his being there.
Under the circumstances, it was in
evitable that an opportunity would
occur to him to speak a good word for
Brahan. He awaited himself of it to
pronounce Il somewhat earnest eulo-
GUM upon that gentleman, well cal
culated, with his presence, to chill the
ardor of the commissioners in behalf
of any other applicant, and to check
any symptoms of a disposition to sup
port any other. Here was majority
Of the old board participating in the
"
the superintendent, chanting the
praises of his friend; the other-the
governor, Ginning in, or quietly as
Senting.
The governor was properly there,
but not properly as the coadjutor and
confederate of an intruder.
If he had invited the attorneys of
outside applicants to this delicate con-
sultation, possibly the effect of Super
lntendent Goree's panegyric might
have been less decisive.
There was no just occasion for this
over-strained unwillingnesS to let the
commissioners know the honest views
of members Of the old board. There
was proper way in which those
views might have been openly and
freely presented to have such weight
as your board would choose to allow.
With perfect propriety also the gov
ernOr might have expressed to appli-
cants his own honest preference, or
withheld an expression, and have
sustained his preference in the
board by speech and vote:
The views and preferences of
members of the old board should
have commanded the careful
consideration of the commissioners,
and if favorable to Mr.. Brahan, and
free from the suggestion of any bias
due to the peculiarly close official re-
lations which would necessarily OBJ
tain between one of said members
and the appointee, might have given
him powerful advantage in the
competitions; an advantage of which |
others could not justly complain.
God forbid that 1 should do the
governor injustice! Let the full rec
ord of all proceedings and commune |
cations-in relation to the appointment |
of financial agent of penitentiaries be |
produced. If it does not warrant my |
charge of disingenuousness and un-
fairness on the part of John Ireland,
governor of Texas, 1 shall stand ready |
to make to him privately and publicly |
the most ample apology and repara-
ton for the wrong which it will then
appear 1 have done him.
Respectfully,
W. M. BROWN.