Reminiscences of reconstruction in Texas ; and, Reminiscences of Texas and Texans fifty years ago Page: 10 of 58
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10 RECONSTRUCTION IN TEXAS.
to wrest the governments of the several Confederate States from
the hands of his former slaves, and regain them for the intelligent
white people, to whom they of right belonged. Although the Confederate
people were at the time in the iron grasp of the military,
reinforced by the ignorant negro and the corrupt rapacity of the
carpet-bagger, they succeeded in a few years in accomplishing this
purpose. Under the intelligent control of their own intelligent
white people, the several Confederate States have risen Phoenix-like
from the ashes and poverty entailed by the war to new life and
vigor, and to a degree of material prosperity never before reached
in their history.
No more glorious achievement than the restoring of political
power in the several Confederate States to its ancient and proper
owners was ever accomplished by any people, considering the manner
in which it was done, and the magnitude and seeming impossibility
of the end to be obtained. It stands as an unfading monument
to the credit and glory, the intelligence, common sense and
practical ability displayed by the people of the Confederate States
in the accomplishing of this mighty work.
The placing of th, ballot in the hands of the negro by reconstruction
and subsequent legislation rendered inevitable the political
solidification of the white people of the rebel States, in order
to avoid negro rule and ruin; and the solid South will remain so
long as there is the remotest chance of such a misfortune. Doubtless,
had the people of the North known, in the days of reconstruction,
what they now know, the ballot would never have been given
to the negro.
Under the State governments established in the rebel States, the
creatures of reconstruction legislation of the Federal Congress,
many ignorant and corrupt men obtained office, in order to have
better opportunity to serve their own interest and greed, regardless
of the rights and interests of the people. To such extent did this
evil obtain that these governments in many instances, instead of
conserving the rights of person and property, and protecting the
accumulations of honest industry and thrift, became engines
of oppression, pillage and robbery; and it became a matter of selfpreservation
to the vast majority of the white people to oust these
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Wood, William D. Reminiscences of reconstruction in Texas ; and, Reminiscences of Texas and Texans fifty years ago, book, 1902; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth14387/m1/10/?rotate=270: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.