Year: 1866

supports him. ! recognize in the


members Of the convention no right


to select candidates, and ! shall


neither support or oppose any one


because he has thus been recon-
mendcd, but according rs j shall
conceive him to be fitted for the po:
sition for which he has been pre-
sentod. For one, | rejoice that q
number of the original advocates OF
secession will vote for him; it is an
evidence Of their appreciation OF
the honesty of the man; of his pa
triotism, and of their disposition to
ignore past differences, | think they
ought, every one, to vote for him;-
| hope they will-and that all who
have hitherto been with Col. Jones
in politics ought to meet them upon
these grounds, and thus secure the
services of ut least one man whom
all sides concedo to be conservative.


1t is true, that some time since l
did assent, and authorize my name
used as candidate for Governor;
but | did not do it as partisan, nor
as tho representative Of partisans,
but in compliance with what l be-
lieved to be the general wish Of at
least the people of northern and
eastern Texas, irrespective Of old
party divisions. / then defined my
views and still stand by them. But,
in the present state Of affairs, sur
rounded by so much gloom, | have
no heart for political strife. 1t isno
time for party strife with us. With
out representation in Congress, or
the prospect of any at an early Pc
riod, | wish to be no party to.a con-
test from which no good can result
to Texas. In the division Of parties
which may spring up, 1 am for the
one which is for Texas: but hope it
may never be said of.her people, as
it was OF those Of the Roman EN-
piro, "there is party for Caesar and
a party for Pompey, but no party
for Rome" | oppose the organiza-
ton of parties upon old and dead
issues. "Let the dead bury the
dead" / am for the oblivion of
past party antagonism. | want not
to awaken old party discord. | am
sure that no one whoremained with
us. and suffered with us, in tho late
war can desire this. / then did all
in my power to soften party and po-
litical asperity, and to. avert civil
war in our midst. L assailed no
mans motives for n difference of
opinion. Even when assailed, tra-
duced denounced and misrepresent-
ed, I did not retaliate. l preferred
to abide the future. | said, in my
heart, "they know not what they
do"


We are now common sufferers Of
a common misfortune, sharers Of a
common destiny; and must contin-
lie so. 1t will do no good to inquire
who is responsible for this state of
things. We cannot now avert the
evils which are upon us, we can ag-
gravate and perpetuate them, by
elimination and recrimination. All
candid men must admit that the
differences, which then sprang up,
had their origin in an honest diff
ference Of opinion as to the true
policy to be pursued. The great
mass of the people were honest in
their convictions. Good men
great men-did differ. But the war
has settled these issues. All concede
this, and all who acquiesce in this
settlement, and are willing to abide
it in good faith, are to be regarded
as equally loyal. l know of no other
test of loyalty, The Constitution
of the United States requires no
other President Johnson requires
no more. This the people of Texas
have yielded in good faith. | have
no sympathy with that class polite
ians who are attempted to produce
the conviction that portion of the
people of this State are disloyal,
and are determined to renew the
war. / believe there is no such
and least of all. with those
who were SO eager "to precipitate
us into the late one" and especially
with that portion who went to the
field, and SO gallantly maintained
southern honor. They do not want
to renew the war. They will not
renew it.. But imputations like this
serve the purpose Of those who are
attempting to thwart the Presidents
policy of restoration. There are
no just grounds for such. / trust
that nothing which can be said
will provoke the people to give the
shadow of an excuse, either by word
or act, for such an imputation.


Let us make no mans position
upon secession, a text for political
preferment. Let no party be organ
lied upon such a basis. To do so
will inevitably renew old conflicts.
Let ms remember it is not the past,
but the present we have to deal with.
Let those who dissent from this re-
cur to all they have said or done,
examine their own consciences for
sins of omission or commission, be-


fore they cast the first stone; and


when about to do this, let them turn


their eyes 10 heaven, and with true


christian humility, cry out, "For-


give ms our trespasses as we forgive


those who tresspass against U.s.


There may be hypocrites and Phar-


isees among us, who thank God that


they are not as other men. Such


have been found in other DAYS and