The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-22
THE CITIZENS BANQUET TO THE
EIGHTEENTH LEGISLATURE.
Feasting, Eloquenee and Good Cheer

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with their comets. At $50
the guests were escorted to
the dining room, where was
sumptuous banquets for which the
proprietors, Messrs. J. F. Thompson
Il Co., are so famous. The tables were
things and every delicacy obtainable,
but the walls and chandeliers were
very tastefully decorated and festoon-
ed by the artistic hands of Miss Mary
Rainey, sister of Mrs. Thompson,
who certainly impaired to the
dining hall some of that cheerfulneSs
and beauty Of her own mind and ma
ture. At the back of the dining room
was woven in letters of native ever
greens the word, "Welcome," while
the stars and stripes depended from
every pillar and over each door. After
all the guests were seated Gen. n. G..
Shelley made the opening speech and
address of welcome. He said, in tones
earnest and eloquent, Gentlemen,
prepare your plates" Applause and
compliance.
Gen. Shelley acted as chairman.
The toasts and responses were as fol-
lows:
EAST Texas-May she be as pros
porous in the future as she was glori-
Gus in her early history" Responded
to by Representative Armistead. He
recalled the glorious names who
rose from East Texas and be-
came rich in grand deeds, long
before history was made in Texas.
He named Houston, Judge James A.
Rogers, Judge George f. Moore lap
plausel,. who had stamped his OWE
great worth on everything he had
written. Senator Wigfall was of
East Texas; the silYer-tongued ora
tor, r. b. Hubbard Lapplausel, was of
East Texas. The speaker paid a glow
ing tribute to the eminent names
and memories that belong to East
Texas, and was vociferously APP
plauded.
"The COMMUNICATIONS of Texas"
Response by Senator Kleberg. He
showed that as early as 1924 we
witness COMMUNICATIONS coming
here to engage in the early strug-
giles for liberty. He said that he was
proud to call himself one of these
most energetic factors in our civil
ization, as one of these early settlers
was his father. [Great applause.l He
showed that they always loved
Texas, and, if called on to vote
on the question, would go solid
in favor of an undivided Texas.
Great and uproarous applause.1
'North TeXas-On her virgin soil
may riches abound, and may her
sturdy sons remain as now, forever
devoted to the unity of Texas"
Representative Barrett replied in a
speech that seemed to meet the en-
phatic approval of the assembly, as it
was frequently interrupted by APP
plause. The speaker called to mind,
after recounting the prosperity and
patriotism of North Texas, showed
that her every act spoke elo-
quently of her recognition of the
fact that 1t took all of Texas to COM
bine with her section to make this
glorious state what she now is, and
should forever be, one and undivid-
edly, the Lone Star state. [Tremen-
dous applause.l
"The House of Representatives"
Response by Speaker Charlie r. Glib
son. Mr.. Gibson said that the men,
berS of the house came from the
north, lsouth, east, west, and vast CEN
trail fields of this great state; hence,
they represented TEXAS. He asked,
in speaking of the near approach of
the day of adjournment, if the house
was going to prove itself worthy of
the trust imposed by doing the work
yet to be done. A voice: Yesi yesl
Great applause(] The speaker closed
by repeating that grand old poem, be-
ginning:
Breathes there man with a soul so dead,
Who never to himself thus said:
This is my own, my native land.
"The Press" Response by Col. |
Joel w. Booth, chief clerk of the |
house of representatives. Col. Booth |
was in his happiest mood, and began
by advising the assembly to go slow,
as it was evident that they were be- |
coming more glorious as the cham
payne went round. Laughter He
then left the press with Gov. (O Bill |
Sterritt, who would have responded |
had he been present, and went off into |
North Texas and her glories. He
said that East Texas had Jefferson
at the head of Soda lake, and
had San Jacinto river and those other
two great monuments of civilization,
the penitentiarieS at Huntsville and
Rusk. lGreat laughter.l That South
ern Texas had Daniel McGary,
llaughterl Tom Ochiltree, renewed
and she wants deep water
very badly, [Great laughter.]
"The executive department" Re-
Spouse by Gov. Ireland. He said he
hoped that he would not be misun-
derstood; there were many people in
this world given to misun-
II nrcf onAinn A H. /
house of representatives. He wanted
everybody to listen, so that when he
said he favored thing, or answered
yes to any question, he did not want
to be quoted as either not favoring it
or answering no. He referred to the
great good to follow the good old
practice of everybody attending strict
ly to their own business, and applied
the lesson to his office, and to that of
every officer and representative of the
people. [Applause.l He referred to
the fact that at present about one
fourth of the executives
time was taken up in
four-bit accounts for the
about third of the time in
presiding over various boards, etc.
Great laughter and applause.1
The governor said that he did not
count the bills he is called on to APP
prove every day. For, as he became
alarmed at first lest the eighteenth
legislature would not pass any bills,
hence, he had so far approved all they
had sent down. [Great laughter He
hoped to so act that he may have the
approval of the entire people,
aud he hoped he would be found
not so stubborn as he has some
lines represented. [Applause.l He .
the people to know that the
greatest dream and desire of his life
was to so act that people would know
hat he had no enemies to punish and {
no friends to reward in serving his
state. Tremendous applause He c
lid not coincide with the idea of I
casting Texas in sections. We need
unity. [Applause1 All he asked and {
was the support of the S
legislature. He expected those
title barkers to bark and I
map at his heels, no matter what he /
lid. He said that he hoped he was d
lot afraid to do his duty, and stand e
irm in what he did; because he had a
he consent and approval of his con- +
science. In regard to his remarks at t
he banquet the other night, with B
eference to his not tearing down the Il
work OF his distinguished predecessor, r
he said that he had forthwith been t
accredited with having said that he t
approved everything done. 1t was c
lot his province to approve eyerv- :
hing done before his term. He left | y