The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-02-22
AUSTIN LETTER

I.
10 NY mind some comparisons and contrasts
In thu lie OF that almost counterpart Of
radical rulership In Louisiana under War
mouth, which seem, In u measure, TO run
on all fours,n with the career In Texas, In
birth, development, decay and demise.
knew them both-lldmund j, Davis and
Henry Clay Yarmouth. While. the politi-
cal currents In which they swan for long
whle were singularly alike in so many re-
spects, ia their successes and in their fail
ures, yet themselves were personally so
vastly different as to appear as almost the
opposites of each other. Even physically
they were cast in wholly distinct moulds,
save that both were of the same height,
about feet 3 inches. Davis was of the
stouter build and with muscular develop
ment, while Yarmouth was tall, 1.-the,
shapely and graceful. The former was a
blonde, the latter brunette. The Texan
impressed one that he was cut out for
lnsLy warrior and the rigid emphasis OF the
camp, while the Louisianian seemed htted
to SHINE as handsome and conrtly parlor
knight. The one with his placid blue eye,
with never a smile about bis lineaments,
seemed cold to all around him; the other,
with ne iustrous black, ever sparkling with
vivacity, disclosed quick discerning gem
JUS behind and geniaIity of soul capable
OF enjoying, and ever ready for all the good
things of this life. The lighter hair Of the
one never knew the constant combing and
the nicer tonsorial adjustments that were
o!tener than daily bestowed upon the raven
locks of the Sugar Burnt State Executive.
The former was as Indifferent OF his dress
as nature had been careless Of ths rounding
Of the form it was TO fit; while Yarmouth
was as eXactinQ OF MS tailor as ne was III MS
requirements ofhls cook.
In manner, the former was UTusque, even
to abruptness and, TO stranger, seemed
cold TO even bis closest friends Whlle the
latter could not shake hands with you, on
entering his room, without making you
feel Is though you, OF all persons, was JUST
the individual he desired to see then aud
there. After the fashion OF the sololer,
Davis always was eager to dispatch business
by the shortest methods, in the plalnest OF
terms, while Yarmouth could be as dis
cnursiye and social in the most important
affairs as though be were discussing some
literary or similar subject-matter, rather
than mething which was then running Jhe
general temper In an impctuous nervous
ness that came of an honest direciness 10
yet at the kernel or pith of the presents
ton, Davis would proceed with
sledge- hammer blows, regardless OF
covering or ringing; Yarmouth,
on the contrary, would COS ond niDbie at 1t
like a sly fish at bait, apparently lndileT-
eut, but in The interim sucslnE an the re-
ouiIed information from his visitor; Inc
one being ALWAYS arrayed in the plain
buckram Of everyday life and speech and
action. the other preferring to fioat III oily,
Diplomatic waters. Davis was com batiVe
hy nature, inclined to the thrust direct, aud
in battle would have charged ike Ney or
a jackson Yarmouth was naturaI-oorn
parrylst, and in military life, as com
mander-in.chief, would have been the
Fabius OF shrewd delays. The one would
be easily angered at an ailront, and quick
TO resent an insult; the other. more "ary,
aud always bland and conciliatory, with
the smile of courtesy ever on his lids,
would have passed the little matter by"
and would, before one lett him, nave
converted the foe into friend and al,
herent, by compelling the conviction that
he had been misunderstood and wronged.
The one seemed the embodimenGoi reserve,
.eiishnes, indifference and seli-reliance;
tue other enticed you to believe, Whie
under the spell of his personal magnetism,
that his nature was the essence OF fraHK'
ness, with never secret 10 withhold IN a
his yolubility, producing the impression
that he then relied almost wholly upon
your advice cooperation and influence, to
inauEurate or TO carry TO consumma ION
some Great project. Hence, while the
winterism Of Davis repealed, Yarmouth
thaWed out opposition by the summer sun
Shine Of Ills Confidence. In the uniformity
of his seriousnesS and taciturnity, you
would think that, Davis was born when ne
was 50 years old, with accumulated cis-
appointments, wniie Yarmouth seemed de-
signed by Providence never TO be Older than
Two and twenty, and 10 be always
among the flowers and pate-de-fois-gras
Yet, II anyone assume from this descrip-
ton that that slight-built young man was
efieminate, he draws wrongful conciu-
sion; for both men were constitutionally
brave and of equal energies, though their
respective modes OF illustrating it were dit-
Ierept Never can | forget how, III 1.-The
dark, dark days that curtained all hope
from southern hearts, leaving only the
center figure OF despair on the theatre OF
effort when the deep drama OF bloody war
hal los, closed upon us, and when mems
blood was at the boiling point in thermome-
ter OF sectional feeling, and when IL was
not wholly safe for northern men in the
racked Crescent City to have much 10
saw on politics with the luckless
ex-Confederate OF baDkrupted hearth
and home and store, the other in mourning
for the loved and lost; the victim OF Fed
eral sword or bayonet, or powder; the
other closed by the sheriff not of his cleo
iion-,hat Yarmouth showed his courage. |
In the red.ho temperature OF those times, |
when the yulture, swarmed on Louisiana's !
soil 20 rayage what was left Of her. and TO
iatten on political pap under the whole |
sale COnllsCallons pf0Sessi then that youns /
governor walked tue streets, or rode In his |
carriage despite the white-leaguers and |
other similar resoluie societies. in open de.
fiance OF the threats and the prospects, and |
amid the iniquitous legislation that hourly /
irritated ana outraged our poverty stricken
and helpless people. Let the ruth be
told that his brave manner never deserted
hun, his eye never qualiedd'
His fight against the power Of his former
republican ally, an ambitious aud daring
but interruptions man, George w. Carter,
With his disaiIected forces, who were con-
testing power and the elections against him,
was evidence throughout OF grit, backbone
and pluck Of at once moral and ply sical
sort. Those forces, like Girardists and
Lsrobins. fought IN the very streets Of the
torn city, and Yarmouth was whore the
fcht was ihickesf. His energy and alert
ness. combined with this fearlessness Of r.
sulis. was also illustrated on anotbe- ever
occasion. ] refer here % the
recession when himself and P. 3. ;. Pinch.
back. The then lieutenant foTernor, were
both 10 New York. and Louisiana was thus
IN reality without executive head for the ,
Iimf -5ciag. IL was a trick cOncoced IN
he interest Of come vast financial plot. .
Yarmouth. dis.antly away. Pinchback was
.legra lbed 70 return imfn ediaiely to New
Orleans with Jut the formers knowledge or ,
.uspici0n, sigh a certain villainOus legisiat-
70 enactment which even the. white arch
pecaiasor had refused 70 put tht executive T.
sslfo. Yarmouth learned ~ night Of
be abrupt departure IN the afternoon, AID
othwith this genius and enterprise rose
.qnal TO the emergency. lie chartered. a.
.rea. ccst. special train Of locomotive aud
rufrr and cabOcse, and bounded oTer
be rails at double speed 10 Over,ake bis
wing Lieutenant. Finding i impossiole
. 0rerlake him ere he reached LOUISIANA,
= tslegrsphed 10 some friends be knew On
10 Nis-is5iroi rtste side 70 stop the train,