The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-06-05
TWO-THIRDs RULE
JOHN HANCOCK.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., May 3d.
EDITOR STATESMAN, Dear Sir:-I
haveh had the satisfaction, recently, of
reading, in your. issue of the 18th in
slant, an article under the caption,
Hancock Brackenridge." Being an
old citizen of Texas, constrained for
the present to be far away from all
that man holds most dear in life, may
1 not beg the privilege of of your col
umns to add some words of kindred
import to the article referred toP
To begin, most cordially endorse
all that is so ably and justly set forth
in relation to our present honorable
and respected representative, and sim
cerely pray that no untimely effort
will be made by our people at the ap-
preaching convention, to antagoniZe
their own best interests, by the pre-
sentation of new candidates in the
field.
1t appears to my mind that some
thing more may be appropriately said
at the present juncture. 1 allude to
a past which should never be forgot
ten by those who were either active
participants or silent spectators in
the scenes which shook our state to
it's center in the early days of secession,
days in which reason was suspended
and mems minds became craZed as if
under the influence of some subtitle
poison, engendering hatred between
men who had been lifelong friends
and neighbors.
Those who had not at that time at
tanned the age of manhood or who
have since emigrated to our state are
doubtless more or less familiar with
the doingS of those unhappy times,
but few of such are capable of enter
| ing fully into the spirit of the actual
who, differing from the controlling
to stand up to their con-
servile compliance with its demands.
Many, it is well known, silently ac-
quiesced in opposition to their feelings
through lack of moral courage or fear
of the personal consequences which
might have followed over opposition.
| Among the few who were not intimi-
dated or to be dictated to, who re-
manned superior to the passions OF the
hour, and possessed the prescience OF
seeing to the end, who knew full well
| that the grievances of the people
whether imagionary or real, were not
such as to justify the desperate move
against the law and constitution OF
the country. Among the very few
and standing almost alone amidst an
archy and confusion was John Han
cock, of Austin.
Resisting coercion he was deposed
from his seat in the legis
lature. Yet, while others were
awed into silence, he never qaileG
or ceased to raise his voice IN manly
protest to menaces and demands.
He anxiously yet resolutely awaited
the end which came indeed after foul
years of desperate and convulsiv'
strife, followed quickly by the terrible
and mistaken modes and methods o.
reconstruction. The mists have nov
passed away and the horizon is cleal
once more, and those who were il
, deadly conflict take each other by thu
hand in friendly grasp as of yore, un
. itedly striving to forget the past ant
, by peaceful efforts to build up ;
united state and make the best of
golden future now opening to thei
view.
But no true Texan should ever for
get the conduct of John Hancocl
, throughout those troublous times
sstimes which tried mems souls
probably more severely than those O
which those words were spoken
constant as ever to the principles O
3 his political creed, he threw the Who'll
of his character and influence into tn
breach, manfully protesting and ez
/ erting every nerve to stay the torren
of fanaticIsm and abuse of powe
) which the horde of government
5 agents, backed by willing bayoneti
!. were actually infiicting upon his pee
4 pie.
e The conquerors of those days weI
5 more bitter against Texas from tn
j, fact that she prospered more than sh
b suffered, in many respects, during th
q war. Her soil was scarcely trodde
q by the invaders foot, and the few el
4 gagements that occurred were col
fined to the seaboard, or to our e,