The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-10-15

roHed IL were sons OF Alabama.
The senior United States senator from
Texas. at this time scion OF a knightly line
OF Alabama jurists. orators and statesmen.
while his accomplished, scholarly and elo-
quent colleague was bora upon her soil,
and we as native .Alabamians and adopted
Texans rejoice 10 know that both are
worthy OF their name and lineage, and than
this there can be no higher praise.
The hardship OF camp and field and the
shock Of battle is often the crucial test
whereby to sry mems courage and endug-
ance and to determine whether or no; IN
their veins flows heroic blood.
Ii was asserted by some In 1861 that the
men reared Under and amid the Influences
of slavery would prove unable OF unfit 10
meet the demands of the coming conflict.
There were those who derided them as
"dan6ies' and cavaliers" and as ef-
Terminate devoiees OF fashion and frlvolity
eneryated and unnamed by idleness and
selfish Indulgence. These carping critics
they derded were descendants Of heroes;
char the blood OF Cavaliers flowed In their
veins. ana that their ancestors In council
hall and on battlefield had made luminous
the pages OF history with the record OF
I their achievements.
I Did the sons of Alabama who spranE
from the loins OF a slave holding an
OF fiery trial and stubborn conflict?
Ask those who met them amid the leaden
storm where the battles surging tide high
est and boodiesi flowed.
Let history unroll her proud annals
and say
Let Manassas, Chicksmauga, Antietam
and Gett: sburg make reply.
Those and other historic fields were hall
lowed By the devotion and conseoratei by
Of hast nd he
sons of Alabama. Nobler spirits never
sank to rest in country's cause, and on
the altar Of liberty and constitutional gov
eminent necr was richer Offering paid
than their heroic lives.
They died for very love of the State on
whose bosom they were born, and their
comrades who survived animated by the
same spirit of unselnsh and patriotic devo-
ton endured with heroic tortitude and I'M
complaining heroism the cruel years worse
than those of war, which followed upon the
close Of the conflict.
Broken in fortune and sore stricken by
hardslips, wounds and disease, they re-
turned TO desolated homes and barren
helds TO meet and battle with eaunt and
bitter poverty.
They were disfranchised. oppressed end
deprived Of participation in the privileges
Of citizenship and in that dread hour
faced future as dark as ever Swallowed
the pathway of patriots.
Misinterpreting and misapplyirg the
maxim that ''all men are created free and
equal" those vested with National power
placed the control OF the State govern
ment OF Alabama in the hands OF the
Ignorant and corrupt. The master was
supplanted In the hall of legislation by
ms former slave. Ignorance usurped the
place of Intelligence. Vice and venaiity
sal IN hlgh places. where honor and in
tegrity had before been enthroned.
such legislation and such exercise Of
governmental power was born not of
statesmanship, but of revenge. 1t was
theory run mad. It %as the very fury
and frenzy of fanatcism. It begot
fiotous revel of rotttenncss and robbery
carnival OF crime and corruption. The
allen and the adyenturer directed and con-
trolled the political destiny of Alabama.
Her legislative halls were made the market
overt where Legislators and Offices were
bought and sold like sheep in the sham
hles. Her temples of law were defled hy
Judges at once ignorant and corrupt Jus
tice, aflighted, gathereCAup her garments
and fed; and fair State, rich In glo- 4
rous history and tradition fell defense /
less into the remorseless clutches OF polit- |
Ical spoilsmen and official plunderers.
It's needless TO tell here the story OF |
her deiiverauce. The same heroic sons |
who had for her dared death on many a |
hard fought field rose TO Ter rescue, and |
by the inevitable and Irresistible power
of intelligence, courage and patriotism.
operating by constitutional method, they {
delivered her from the hands OF those
VINO under the forms OF iniquitous legis-
lators had placed intelligence, wealth and 1
virtue at the mercy of ignorance. poverty |
and vice
BY that object Lesson OF tho redemption
Of great State from the control OF its |
txrrn IL
encouraged, aided and directed by tina /
alien and adyenturer of another race,
there Is revealed that truth which needs /
10 be learned by many eysn at this day, i
yet which need to be burned into their
minds. II is that political clans may
claim, political parties promulgate plat
forms and declare politics. yet the truth |
remains that in this land under all cir
oumstances and conditions. whether In tho I
minority or majority. heneeforth the blue /
yeined and white skinned man will rule.
he has ruled this land for an hundred
years, and he will rule II
Through all the days and nights to
come,
In sole and sovereign sway ana masrsr-
dom"
With her government once again in the
moved forward with giant strides in every
field of development and progress.
The rich treasures beneath her soil
have been explored and developed and
the day draws nigh, II it is NOT even ,.A<
al hand, when old King Iron will place
upon her brow his crown and in her hand
his seepter.
Again in the halls OF National legisla.
ton her sons stands as of yore among
the proudest and ab,est, and she moves
abreast OF the foremost in the march q,
moral and Industrial development and
Improvement.
A few years ago l stood In her capital
lily and saw band OF grizzled veterans
who had marched and fought in the ranks
II the gray battalions marching with rev.
'rent step and slow behind the funeral
ar whcreon was borne the eneotfnei
lay OF him who had in that city nearly
hiriy years before, with barred head aud
ipliited hand. vowed. before the God OF
ms fathers. TO support and defend the con.
itAution OF thar young republic. the tash
u guiding the destinies OF which had hoan
o him committed.
L SAW thera Z. thrnn.,