The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-12-03

In another place we print an intel
ligent letter from Rockwell, and the
author asks what is meant by the
catch-cry of "wsh-hoss." The ques-
ton is asked in good faith, and in
good faith will we attempt to answ er
it. THIS single-hearted old soldier
has heard the word used oppro.
briously in connection with the CAN
didacy of General Ross for governor,
and he doesn't know what manner of
southerner 1t is who would thus
throw disgrace at honest, faithful
men, who went honorably to war for
their opinions, and were defeated,
but who accepted the sword ar
bitrafnent in good faith, and have
since made honest, law-sbiding and
patriotic citizens, as Ross, and so
many other illustrious men have
done. What is meant, is this: To do
away with aud destroy formidable
obstacle in their own or their friends
way to political advancement. they
seek in this way to place stigma
upon men whose names twenty years
since filed the land with glory aud
whose deeds will live in song and
story while the cycles roll, and long
after their weak, would-be detractor
are dead and forgotten. The men
who raised the cry against Ross know
well his power with the people. They
know the knightly daring of the war
rior, the sublime moral courage of the
mau. They know how the people
love and honor him. They fear him,
and to beat his power with the masses
they seek to make the fact that man
served honorably in the confederate
army, bar to his political advance
ment. As well seek to make the peo-
pie of the north hate Hancock
because he too served in the army.
We confess that when this cry OF
Ffwah-hoss" was first raised we
blushed for southern men and south
ern soldiers who would guilty thus
throw up tho loftiest patriotism and
the truest courage which ever sent a
man to battles front, to man as q
misdeed, as an approbrium, as a rea-
son why he should not be elected
governor. No wonder our friendly
correspondent fails to understand the
term so used. 1t almost passes hui
man understanding that men will thus
befoul their own characters, bring
discredit and dishonor upon their
own people and section-willingly
aud gladly-only that worthy gen.
tleman's worthy ambition TO be gov
erDor may be defeated. All! he may
well call for light. The time was once
when American gentlemen disdained
such warfare, loathed such tactics. II
will come again.
In all the four years of that won
drous struggle, and taking leading
and prominent part in it, the boy
general of Texas won honor for him
self and came out of 1t with
out the smell of fire on his garments,
without blot or blur against his
fair name. 1t was time to try mems
souls; not that only, but 1t tried their
manhood, their courage aud their in
tegrity. Ross was tried, and to the
utmost limit of human tension. He
met the teft nobly, met 1t fearlessly,
and met it triumphantly. For one SO
young, he won imperishable glory,
and carries not single cicatrix upon
his moral character. The wounds he
carries only upon his person, and in his
heart at the memory of such In
gratitude as attempts to make his
brilliant career, his patriotism, his
integrity and his honestly won glory,
sins sufficiently black TO beat him in
a race before his own people for an
honorable nomination TO an honora-
BILE office. For shame
Bright as was his career in that
glorious struggle, the history he has
made in peace is equally honorable.
He has no single nickel which was
not honorably and honestly made by
the efforts of his own hands. lie is
comparatively poor man. simple
unostentatious industrious far
mer and successful one
With such man, man who
hath made history such as this,
aud in the memory OF such
men as our Rockwell friend who fol-
lowed him or grew proud of the
meteor-like career of the young cav
airy general of Texas, IL is too early
in the day by good many, 10 make
his "wah horse" history stand against
him as a disqualification for the gov
ernorship of Texas. If bravery,
generosity, honesty. integrity, purity
of life, industry, maniulness, patriot
ism, dignity, craftsmanship aud
war record are sufficient, without
even the memory Off shadow of dis
honor, TO disqualify man for the
goyernorship, then Ross Is disquali.
fled; but ifthey are valuable and ap.
preciated, he viii be the next COVER
nor of Texas just as sure as to-mor-
rows sun shall rise over our broad
and beautifnI nrafrias