The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 12, July 1908 - April, 1909 Page: 204

Texas Historical Association Quarterly.

PRESIDENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION IN TEXAS.
CHARLES W. RAMSDELL.
III. THE RESTORATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT.'
1. The State Elections of 1866.
The last day of the Constitutional Convention had been given
over largely to preparations for the approaching elections. About
two weeks before adjournment a caucus of the radicals had ten-
dered to Hamilton the nomination for the governorship, which
he declined. Thereupon a new ticket, headed by Ex-governor E.
M. Pease and B. H. Epperson, was made out and published with
a declaration of the principles for which this party had contended
in the Convention. Their opponents, after some hesitation on the
part of the ultra-secessionists, centered upon 'Throckmorton, presi-
dent of the Convention, and Geo. W. Jones, delegate from Bastrop
in the same body. In a public letter, April 2, announcing their
candidates, the conservatives endorsed the president's policy for the
restoration of the State governments, asserted their opposition to
the negro-political-equality policy of the radicals in Congress, and
declared that the Texas radicals were preparing "to aid and abet
Stevens, Sumner, and Phillips . . . . . . in the establish-
ment of a consolidated, despotic government."2 The tickets thus
put out did not, however, remain intact. Epperson, although al-
ways a strong Union man, refused to align himself with the radi-
cals and was finally replaced by Lindsay; while several of the con-
servative nominees either withdrew or declined to run. Changes
continued to be made in both tickets up to the eve of the election.
From the outset the canvass was bitter. The radicals, their
defeats in the Convention still rankling, charged that their op-
ponents were unwilling to abide by the true results of the war;
that they refused even to accept the president's policy which they
professed to endorse and support--in proof of which it was pointed
'Parts I and II of this article were printed in the April QUARTERLY, 1908.
2See Southern Intelligencer, April 19, 1866.

204