The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 90, July 1986 - April, 1987 Page: 135
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
John P. Osterhout
railroad company. The newspaper was no longer very profitable; in
1867 he had written that "money is very scarce and times hard here
now." He needed a larger income to support his family, which had
grown to include two sons and two daughters."
Osterhout did not give up the Countryman to enter the political arena.
In 1869 he wrote, "I despise politics." In a letter to his mother he ex-
pressed profound disillusionment with Texas politics. He stated, "I am
not even a voter and so not considered as good as a 'cornfield nigger."'
He looked for advantages in his situation: "Where so many are dis-
franchised perhaps it is a good thing. As we can have no voice in the
government, we don't want any body else to have ... the government is
fast drifting toward a despotism.""7
The government Osterhout characterized as a "despotism" was con-
trolled by Radical Republicans. The Republican party split into Conser-
vative and Radical factions. The Radicals won the hotly contested state
elections in 1869. With support from the blacks and Germans, the
Radicals won over 50 percent of the vote in Austin County. The Radi-
cals were a diverse group; some had been Unionists before the Civil
War, some had been Democrats, some fought for the Union, and others
fought for the Confederacy. Austin County's state senator, John G. Bell,
characterized as a "mild Radical" by the Countryman, was a close friend
of Osterhout's.73
Osterhout had despised politics in 1869, yet he actively supported
the Republican party in 1870. This decision to enter politics as a Re-
publican contradicted his earlier political position. Before 1870 his
political opinions seemed straightforward; he had been a Democrat
before the war, a secessionist and loyal Confederate during the war,
and a supporter of conservative candidates as editor of the Countryman.
John G. Bell probably played a part in convincing Osterhout to join
the Republican party. As a state legislator Bell supported the Radical
governor, Edmund J. Davis, and was an influential man in the new
government.74
71J. P. Osterhout to S. Osterhout, Dec. 5, 1867, Oct. 3, 1869.
72Ibid., Oct. 3, 1869. Like many former Confederates in the late 186os, Osterhout may have
chosen not to participate in a political process under Republican control. Widespread abuses
occurred in the 1869 elections; Republican registration boards often refused to register their
opponents. Osterhout gave no explanation for his disfranchisement. See Nunn, Texas under the
Carpetbaggers, 16-17.
73 Moneyhon, Republicanism in Reconstruction Texas, 98, 124-125, 131-133; Texas Countryman
(Hempstead), Feb. 26, 1868.
74 Moneyhon, Republicanism in Reconstruction Texas, 133. In his later years Osterhout dated his
conversion to Republicanism to 1868, but his correspondence reveals no active interest in the
party until 187o. See Osterhout to David C. Stunkard, 1899.135
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View one page within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 90, July 1986 - April, 1987, periodical, 1986/1987; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117152/m1/173/?q=%22J.G.+Bell%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.