The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-23

| the memories of other days crowd out
all other thoughts of subjects upon which
we may differ. | remember with such
grateful appreciation the kindly feeling
which has aboundcd, regardless of
church and party lines. that | shall not
say one word to divide upon my subject
those who are assembled here today.
This is the home Of my birth. of my
boyhood and my early manhood. Three
blocks south l first saw the light of day
y mile to the northwest | lived until
was %, and l shall never cease to be
grateful to the parents who took me to
the farm and there allowed me to de-
velop the physical strength that is need
ed in the campaign which we have to
pass though. 1t was in this court house
| first gained the ambition to be a law
yer. 1t was in this court house that |
made the first political speech that |
ever tried to make. 1t was in the fair
grounds near here that | spoke for the
first time on the Fourth of July. 1t was
to the city and to the parental roof that
| brought her who had promised to
share lifes joys and SORROWS with me,
and all of these happy associations arise
today before me and leave me no desire
to think of other things. | can not for
get Salem. | can not forget those whose
kindly faces smiled upon me before for
tune smiled. | can not forget this point
nearby. the silence of the dead, where
rests the ashes of the father. whose up
right life has been an inspiration and
whose counsels linger in my ears when
he was gone; this spot where rests the
ashes of a mother as tender and true. as
patient, rs gentle, as loving as God II
His infinite love ever gave to man. | can
not forget this home nor these people.
And | can say no more today than to
express in words, which, if not elaborate,
will be sincere, the deep and heartfelt
thanks for these tokens and these mani
festations of good Will.
"There is an ideal plane in politics
believe we stand upon here today. We
differ in opinion. We differ as to party
politics. But we meet today, recognize
ing those differences and yet each feeling
charity toward each other. We are all
imbued with the same spirit. We all
possess the same ambition. we are living
to carry out the same great purpose. We
want a government of the people. by
the people and for the people, and though
we differ as to the means of carrying it
out we can differ as honest citizens. diff
fering in Judgment and agreeing in pur-
pose. | thank the Republicans who have
assembled here. | thank the Prohibi-
tionists. l thank the Populists as much
as | do the Democrats, because ut last.
my friends. when these questions which
arise from time to time upon the sur
face and disturb the thought and agitate
the people have passed away. we all
agree in these great fundamental prin-
ciples which underlie our form of gov
eminent. We believe that all men were
created equal. not that they are equal
IN talents or in virtues or in merits but
we agree in this. that wherever govern
ment comes in contact with the citizens
or wherever the citizens touch govern
ment all must stand equal before the
law. We agree that government can he
no respector of persons, and that its
strength. its matchless strength. must
be the promoter of the fortunes of the
great. the possessions of the poor and
that it shall stand an impartial arbitrator
between all of its citizens. We must
gree on these. We agree that there are
inalienable rights. the rights which gov
eminent did not give rights which it can
| not take away. We all agree that gov
ernments are instituted among men to
secure and to preserve these rights. and
| we agree that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the gov
erned. We know no divine right of
kings. The people gathered here and in
assemblages like this all over this broad
land. are the sovereign source of all
power. These citizens are the Substan-
tial foundation upon which rests our
form of government, and our citizens APP
preciate the responsibility of citizenship
| and strive each in his own way and ac-
| cording to his best judgment to bring
| civilization to higher ground and to
: make the government each year more
| fit expression of the virtue of the people.
| AS long as this is desired by all we can
a do al ,;,,ln
though we may differ in those minor
points which separate us.
1T was here that | received NV first
| instructions in democracy. | do not use
| it as a party name. l mean it in the
| broader sense-that democracy that
| recognizes the brotherhood of men. 1t
was here that l learned the truth in the
| poets language: