The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-17
complete furnishing that will all be IN
- ais UgakE


place within the next six weeks.
Promptly at ~ o'clock the senate was
announced, and that body appeared headed
by Senator Mcdonald, its president pro
TEN. Two and two the senators hled up
the center aisle of the house and we're
escorted to seats, while President pro tenn
Mcdonald took his seat on the right hand
of Speaker Alexander of the house.
The rolls of the senate and house were
called and the chaplain of the senate,
Doctor Smoot, offered up an earnest
prayer.
In few moments Governor-elect Ross
and Lieutenant-g Overnor-eleot wheeler,
with the joint inaugural committee OF
the senate and house, were announced
They proceeded up the center aisle IN TINS
order arm in arm: Governor Ross ana
Senator Simkins, Acknowledgements
Wheeler and eprssentative'Hayes,J Judge
Kittrell, who was to administer the oath
of office to the governor and heuten-
nt-governor-elect, and Representative
Gresham, Senator Crawford and Repre-
sentative Handy. They divided at the
reporters table, Governor Ross and his
escort going to the left and Lieutenant
governor Wheeler and his escort to the
right. They were respectively given
seats on the right and left of the speaker
of the house.
Judge Norman G. Kittrell, Judge of the
Twelfth judicial district, then admins
tered the oath of Office to Governor elect
Ross, who was at once introduced to the
legislature in joint assemblage by Speaker
Alexander and delivered the following
| INAUGURAL MESSAGE:
| Gentlemen-To the people of Texas
who have for the second time invested me
with the authority of chief mag
istrate, 1 am unable to express
how deeply sensible I am of the
high honor which this mark of their re-
newed confidence implies. And standing
UPON the threshold of a new administra-
ton, with the retrospect in our possession
by which we may in measure estimate
the accom- plishments of the past, and the
possibilities of the future, l should be
faithless to duty did I not recognize an
individual obligation to administer the
affairs of your government with the sim
gle-hearted determination to do all in my
power to make the whole people more
prosperous and contented, and strengthen
the bonds which should unite them in a
common, grand destiny.
We have Just emerged from a political
contest involving the excitement of
presidential and state campaign, that
| justly agitated the entire state and stirred
its people to the profoundest depths, and
l congratulate you as their representatives
upon the valid claims that there has been
neither violence, evidence of fraud or dim
unition of the right of franchise; but, on
the contrary, every citizen, without refer
ence to former or existing conditions, who
was entitled to vote has been accorded a
free and unabridged exercise of this great
privilege.
The spirit of supordination of our peo-
pie to the laws and their
prompt obedience to the demands
of orderly government, could not have
been more forcibly exemplifed. They fully
appreciated the fact that the great funds-
mental principle of popular government
is the residence of power in legal and
properly asoertained majority and the
behests of party ceased and the claims of
country intervened in complete majesty,
enabling them as patriots to lift them
selves above the obligations of partisans
in compliance with the truest principles
of craftsmanship which consists in a
ready and proper adjustment of affairs
to the existing conditions.
Acknowledging no master but the law
and the constitution, and without fear of
being despoiled of their political liberties
by an unjust and unlawful interference of
federal power to hold them in servle
thrall, they simply claim the right as a
sovereign people to regulate their internal
| nd of in tbai
being inhexibly opposed to such inter
ference because they have seen and felt
its injustice, and know that it must end in
the creation and perpetuation of sectional
jealousies prejudicial to that harmony
and cordially which is so greatly to be
cherished and so important to their prog
ress as a people.
No citizen of Texas will permit himself
to forget that he is a part of the govern
ment, and that the highest considera-
tions of personal honor and patriotism
require him to maintain, by all the power
and influence he may possess, the integ
rity of the laws of nation and state. And
yet, it some times happens that the enact
ment of laws cannot be wisely undertaken
when partisan interests and bitterness in
tervene to deny them that impartial con-
sideration which alone can confer lasting
benefit. But 1 feel assured, that, in the
exercise of your official responsibility
fraught with consequences so momentous,
you will temper your judgment with the
keenest sense of discretion, controlled by
a spirit of fairness, that will command the
acquiescence of the whole people, and
strengthen their confidence in the ability
of their lawmakers to preserve substantial
justice between contending interests so
far as it may be done in framing a code
of laws.
1t is needless to remind you that as leg
islators you have an important and pecu-
liar province committed to your care, and
the constant charges and variations in
the conditions of society makes frequent
legislation necessary TO conserve and pro-
tect public interests, and yet, it is maxim
as true as it has besome trite, shat the
least governed is the best governed state
and few laws faithfully administered are
far better than volumes of statutes amend
ed beyond the comprehension of the people
who are required to obey them, creating
an immense public burden in having
them expounded' and applied. AS
the government is responsible to the
citizen and not for him, he should not be
placed under a sleepless espionage that
takes cognizance of everything he does,
while undermining a true spirit of man.
hood, and inspiring an element of unrest
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