The Daily Mercury (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 146, Ed. 1 Friday, February 27, 1874 Page: 2 of 4
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BYTILlGRAPH
CITY PRINTING.
WANTS A PENSION!
DAUT MERCUBY
THE ONLY INDEPENDENT PAPEK
x3st TEXAS.
Possessing the Largest Circulation
. —AMOS" a—
l^pCQA^n^ AJJD PROFESSIONAL
MRS OP ANY PAPER IN
THESTATE.
ADVERTISING RATES:
[bt inches oklt.]
Oa« inch, thr«e month*. 18 09
One inoh, abrtnaaias.... #0 iti
One Inch, twelve mont is 80 00
. Se *lsetiau of torn ai of ilnrtla-
meets.
So other rates accepted by lis.
Opr Mends win save themselves and us
annoyance by bearing in mind that
WI HAVE HO OTHSB BATSS.
The Age publishes
ing:
"We have concluded to charge
gentlepien ... announcing them
selves as candidates fo^ city offi-
ces ten dollars, which must
positively be paid in advance.
mal a terrible thing it would
have been lor the King if they
had been compelled to accept I.
G. Lord, the mechanic, as a nom-
inee for Mayor.
The OambeU and Courtney
sewer distresses a correspondent
ol the Age. He no doubt pre
ters the back-action ditches dug
by Billy Baker's voters.
What a contrast is presented
in the two candidates for Mayor,
Both men of respectability and
moral worth; but how different
in natui* ipd temperament The
one warm, impulsive, generous,
open-handed, and open-hearted
—the type of his race. The other,
austere, cold, calculating, close
and repelling. The Convention
power must be strong indeed, if
it can carry such a man into
m l ■-? h '
Bow different the election of
Tuesday will be than that which
has called out the people On form-
er occasions. In the past the peo-
ple have come out to vote, feel-
ing that they .were exercising
the tall and free privileges be-
longing to them as citizens of
Bgptof. tfcfcy go ta 1
|)dlls depressed with the. feeling
that their rights have been in-
yaded, and that the privilege to
-elect the officers who are to guard
their persons and property, col-
lect and disburse the taxes, and
take care of the public highways,
has been wrested from them and
usurped by the Ring, which now
seeks to perpetuate its power.
Every citizen of Houston has
a right to feel indignant at this
usurpation. Can it be said that
the people are not competent to
elect a Marshal, Assessor and
Collector, and Street Commis-
sioner? These officers have closer
relations with the people than
the Mayor and Board of Alder-
men. They come in contact with
them continually, and the right
to selqqb them Beyer should have
been taken away. With what
faetf can the ring ask the suf-,
frages of the people whose rights
they fcttv&inVaded ? They haye*
shown that they were unwilling
totnatA* people. The people
cannot afford to trust them. Had
they believed that the people
would * endorse them at the
poBa, tt^y waald perhaps have
been willing to risk the election
of these officers* but having no
confidence in the people them-
selves, they thought it best to
take no risk, and thus secure a
hold on the person of the fiit.iy.p.Ti
and on the Treasury. Their
whole course in overthrowing th^
city Internment, and inaugura-
ting the Bing has been selfish.
Their usurpation of the rights of
the people has shown that they
are not to be trusted with power.
At ^his election we are permitted
to vote for part of the officers
who ate to govern our city. Elect
the Bing, and they will find some
meaps to perpetuate themselves,
even if the elective system is to
be overthrown, altogether. The
safety of the people depends
upon nipping the thing in the
bud.
Billy Baker's Landlord and
Tenant bill has passed the Sen-
ate in an amended form. The
original bill Was directed against
poor men who rent dwellings,
being framed entirely in the in-
terest of the land owner.
Governor Dix has removed
District Attorney Britton. One
reason was his failure to prose-
cute Badean, an officer who de-
posited public money in his own
n^me. *
The sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives favors a Constitu-
tional Convention, with one del-
egate from each Senatorial Dis-
&
Judge Wheeler, having ten-
dered his resignation, the charges
against him have been withdrawn
by a joint resolution of both
Houses of the Legislature.
The Supreme^lndicial Court of
Massachusetts has declared la-
dies eligible ft>r School Commis-
sioners.
Office Comptroller P
Sta'
* Acstih Crrr, F<
This is to certify
T. D. Wilson has fil<
tory proof in this office that he'
was in the military service that
aided in the separation of Texas
' from Mexico, and will be entitled
to the benefit of any future legis-
lation in the interest ot the vet-
erans who w(M this priaoeiy em-
pire. A. Bledsoe,
Comptroller.
The Legislature passed a law
giving a pension of three hun-
dred dollars a year Id' tSe *vel;ear-
ans of the Texas Bevolution.
Supposing that those who were
in affluent circumstances would
not desire to be a burthen on the
State, an appropriation was made
supposed to be sufficient to pro-
vide for those who had not been
fortunate enough to lay up money
against a rainy day. But the
desire of men like J* T. D. Wil-
son, who are rolling in wealth
and living from their princely in-
comes without labor, to Secure
pensions has been so great, that
the Treasury could not meet the
demand without levying a-heavy
tax on the people'; and hence
no provision has been made for
the poorer veteran^ someofwiiom
to our certain knowledge are now
in their old age toiling for their
daily bread. It will* be seen that
Mr. Wilson has got his claim es
tablished. ' ~ ".
How completely has the Bing
vindicated Mayor Scanlan's ad
ministration J in-order to main
tain the city credit at par, he
was about to issue $75,000 of
bonds to retire all the matured
indebtedness of the city. These
bonds were not to be sold, but to
be used in actually paying par
ties who held claims against the
city, and no bopd would have
gone at less than 75 cents on the
dollar, and in most cases at par.
He had arranged a settlement
with the market contractor.
These two acts were made the
pretext by the usurpation of the
Legislature, and we have no
doubt members were led to be-
lieve that it was necessary to in-
tervene to save the city from
great wrong. What does Mr*
Wilson and the Bing Council do ?
They vindicate Mayor Scanlan
by issuing the $75,000 of bonds,
and they make a settlement with
the market contractor more fa-
vorable to the contractor than
that made by Mayor Scanlan's
administration. The bonds are
sold at a ruinous priee and in
private hands.
Mayor Scanlan's administra-
tion had made a contract for
opening Slaughter Pen Ditch.
Has it been found too high ot
opposed to public 'policy ? No,
tie Bing have been compelled to
vindicate him in this! Has any-
thing wrong been, found in
plank sidewalk contract, or
oak crossing contract ? No, the
Bing has been com pelled to vin-
dicate him. The people at the
polls will vindicate him also. ^ H
—; < .. ■ ' —
The Age gives a long history
of the powder transaction. It is
fortunate that this example of
heroism has not been lost to his-
tory. What trials, privations
and dangers must have been en-
dured 'by the heroie Wilson in
that long and weary march from
Monterey to Austin, history
has never done justice to tL6
gallant men who, "at the risk of
their lives," took cotton trains
from Texas into Mexico; and it
never wilL The bones of .their
oxeh lie bleaching on the plains
from San Antonie toPiedras Ne-
gras and Laredo, from the Nfeuces
to the Bio Grande, aadamidthe
chapparels from Piedras Negras
to Matamoros; and yet none
have reared their monument.
Alas! howungratefW are Repub-
lics !'. s:iu'f.Z'
, y.V.:,
The Age says of Mr. Wilson;
While he is not the straight-
laced, strict sectarian, still he is
not of the world worldly, the fre-
quenter of dram shops and gam-
bling saloons. - l sww Mw,!j
"Dram shops and gambling sa-
loons!" Spine Ren don't ifrink
because they don't want it,—some
because they are &fraid they will
drink too nracl^^tne because
they don't want others to drink,
and some because they are afraid
they might be expected to ask
somebody to drink with them.
The last reason keeps a good
many people out of what theA^e
calls "dram shops." Some of
these take it on the sly at home,
and some don't take it at all. The
Bing candidate for Mayor belongs
to the latter class. A good drink
of honest old Bourbon would
make him unhappy the rest of
his life. He might in a moment
of forgetfulness do something
generous, and he would never
forgive himself!
We admit, "he is not of the
world, worldly," for he is dead—
politically dead; and the people
of Houston will bury him out of
sight next Tuesday.
Wagner's Opera House at
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was burned
on the*24th.
rcu-
enfng thatfj'the
ivojfcted a freople's ^ticket
(eft wanteiiilhe CitfPrint-
ing,"
In this the Colonel erred.
First, We are now, by contract.
City Printers, auk are doing the
city printing, and, knowing that
the law guarantees us our com-
pensation, wo care not one
straw about- the resolutions of
the Baker-Barziza-Central Rail-
road Bing Council, and have not
the least objection to their em-
ploying and paying the Age, also.
It benefits the craft, and we have
no foolish jealousies. .>«
As for the city printing, con-
sidering the manner in which
both the city and county pay
their bills, the profit on both
combined have not in one year
paid one week'« bills of the Mer-
cury establishment.
- And right, here we will say
that the present proprietor looks
for no office or profit in politics.
Working from 9 o'clock in the
morfiing till 3 o'clock the next
morning, with hands as well as
headland having the greatest
feith in hardlabor,he has reached
out for work, and is to-day doing
job, pamphlet, book work and
ruling for nearly every county in
the State, which work has here-
tofore gone ' to St. %ouis, New
Y&fk^d^few Orleans,
—t^o-have succeededin coming
through a "financial panic, yellow
fever, wad.the support ,of two de-
feated candidates, (in the face of
pluHic prejudice) and the support
of the present State ticket—
though the patronage of the pa-
per had formerly been nine-
tenths Bepublican ; and having
weathered more storms than ate
usually encountered in one year
by &ny one journal, we have only
to say that we are able to look
upoiv political patronage with a
disinterested eye. Now, will our
able friend^ Col. Stewart,say that
he fa totally disinterested ? Has
he no squint in his eye toward
the etty^atteggeysfcip if Wilson
is elected <>r Is present
services to ,be rewarded, by a
seat in the National Congress?
How are you,disinterested Colonel!
Put joking aside, we believe
the laborer to be worthy of his
hire, and believing Col. Stewart
eminently able to fill either
office mentioned with credit ed
honor to our city and State ; we
are in noways adverse to
success o£ his. aspirations.
the
We hope, before the election, to
be able to lay before the people
the full history of the nefarious
conspiracy against the rights of
fully half the citizens of Hous-
ton, by means of a clause in the
Bing City Charter, making a
property qualification. The peo-
ple are alone indebted to the
sense of justice and. regard for
law of the leading members of
the LegtiSsfare for their escape
from, this invasion of their rights.
But for this the Bing to-day
would have its heel on the neck
o^the Working men and non-
proporty holders of this city.
Who wfctfld this disfran-
chised? : rr-j -* ■$ o~' _A.fc£
„%he laboring man, the mechanic,
most of the young me*%f-
the citjf) whether mechanics, clerks,
lawyers or traders.
How many of our gallant fire-
men would have had a vote?
How. many of the bone and sinew
of Houston would have had a
vote?. 'i, {
It was the boast of the Bing
that the new charter would have
a property, o^freehold quail
tion. It is a fortunate thing
c«edeci^m taking away" froin the
peopie the right to elect the Mar-
shai, Assessor and"Collector, and
Street Commissioner, conferring
it upon the'Bing Council; but
fortunately thel Legislature had
too inuch. sense to violate, the
Cctostitution and overthrow free
institutions for their benefit.
FROM GALTESTON*
Funeral of Colt* William T.
Austin.
special to Houston mercdBy.
Galveston, Feb. 2G.
Col. Wm. T. Austin was bnried
to-day from the Masonic Hall.
He belonged to the Thirty third
Degree, Scottish Bite. The cere-
monies were conducted by P. C.
Tucker, Esq., presiding officer,,
and was the most imposing ever
witnessed in the State. The
funeral was largely attended,
every available vehicle being in
attendance. J.
FROM AUSTIN.
Laws and Joint Resolutions
Passed by the Fourteenth
Legislature.
The resolution offered by the
Joint Special Committee on Fi-
nances, coinmends itself favora-
bly to the-consideration of the
people of the State. It provides
for the issuance of one thousand
bonds of the denomination of
$1000, bearing seven per cent,
per ^nnupi interest, and having
thift^' y&&A to run; tiie' pro-
ceeds to be used in paying all
legal indebtedness of the State
prior to January 15, 1874.
JJM «*!,? ; y;. i -a r j .:
The Duke de Broglie, Minister
of the Interior, has sent a circu- v
lar to the Prefects directing them
to keep a watch upon the citizens
who leave their departments for
Chiselhurst for the purpose of
doing homage to the Prince Im-
perial on the occasion of bis be-
coming of age. /
Austin, Feb. 26.
general laws.
An act to prevent Sheriffs
from paying money to Honey,
&c.
An act to prfevent Honey,
Bledsoe, &c., from paying out
money.
An act making appropriations
to defray contingent expenses.
An act to regulate and define
mileage to be paid members of
the Legislature, approved Janu-
ary 31,1874.
An atet making appropriation
for mileage and per diem of mem-
bers of the Fourteenth Legisla-
ture, approved February 9,1874.
An act to compel the Sheriffs
%r ex-Sheriffs and the late Trea-
surers of the Board of School
Directors, or those claiming to
have been such, and other offi-
cers in. the several counties in
this State, to make a complete
and final Settlement with the
County Courts of • said counties,
and to affix penalties for failure
to comply therewith. Approved
Feb. 1§. A ti X
An act to amend an act pre-
scribing times of holding Courts
in the several Districts.
An act to amend an act pre-
scribing time of holding Court in
Kaufman and Bockwell counties,
Tenth District. Approved Feb-
ruary 16. ? •
An act to amend an act passed
February 10, 1874, prescribing
time of holding Courts.
t special laws.
.To levy special tax in Leon
county. > ^
To amend an act incorporating
Brownsville.
The Houston City Charter.
To incorporate the city of Gal-
veston with new charter*? s ^
To authorize the county of Can£-
eron to issue bonds.
To incorporate I. O. O. F.
Lodge in Waco.
To amend act to incorporate
Brenham.
To amend act incorporating
Jefferson.
To regulate holding courts in
Freestone county.
To authorize special tax in Ty-
ler county.'
To amend act transcribing rec-
ords in Bewie~e«raty.
To repeal prohiHitiqn^ tor sell-
ing'Iiqudr near Mosdow High
School.
To make
judgment of
the State, A -co
"k joint resolutions. //
Ratifying amendraentFttf Con-
stitution. - •'
Suspending power of Mayor
and Aldermen Mid other officers
of Houston.
Appropriation to refurnish
the Governor'a Mansron. *•- ■ j —•
Befeurning thanks to Gen.
Giant for upholding the right of
l66ai self-gOvermfigfit "ii1 TOriw.
Excluding CoL^^/DeGress
from the<^tiee of Snpennteadent
1 8 TTf, via JT 5 ■
)Miatic^i ^
Smith against
At Morris, Illinois, thirty-six
of Montgomery Queen's best Cir-
cus horses were burned, together
with his canvas, wagons and
much other material belonging
to his circus. The fire, it ia sup-
posed, was the work of an incen-
diary.
Deelslon or Supreme Court of New Mex-
V lco " '
Tlie decision of the Supreme
Court 6f N4w Meacico that the
PjieblMln^ijiW Pfthat T^ritory
are citizeus may /bring up the
Indian question in a new shape.
The!£M®iiGM£ govemojeiit no
time recognized ; an Indian title
to the soil excepjfc where the title
had been granted, but treated
tberIndians merely 9s a peculiar
class of citizens. By the treaty
of 1848 all citizens of the Territo-
ries transferred were entitled to
all the privileges and* rights
whjch they possessed under the
Mexican government. The Court
therefore decided that all the In-
dians wjthin the Territories ac-
quired by the United States are,
by virtue of such treaty, citizens
of the U^te«l ^ates. The Pu-
eblos 'Indians, in whose favor
this decision was given, number
according tof the reports
otJ " Indian ~ Bureau,
about 8,000/ They live in vil-
lages, cultivate the soil, and ape
said -to be remarkable for so-
briety, industry and docility, as
having butfew wants, and simple
and moral in their lives. There
are some nineteen villages of
them. They can scarcely be con-
sidered as Indians, and but for
tlie reservations patented by
these bands in confirmation of
ancient Spanish grants, they
night be considered part of the
ordinary population of the
country. Chief Justice Slough,
of New Nexico, in 1867, gave an
opinion to the same effect. Mr.
Iiainey, the colored member of
the Committee on Indian Atlairs,
is said to be preparing a speech
on the subject, in which he will
take the broad ground that the
Indians are citizens of the United
States and connot be considered
or treated otherwise. This
opinion, it is well known, is en-
tertained by many members.
They say that our whole
system of managing the In-
dians has 1 been wrong from
the foundation of the joveru-
menfc; that treating with the In-
dians as a -Separate sovereignty
within our own is an absurdity,
and fias been the cause of all our
trouble with them. The ^only
way to do is to recognize them
as a class of pauper citizens,
amenable to our laws and punish-
able for their offence^ as are
other citizens. Should this view
of the case prevail the whole sys-
tem of agencies may be abolished,
and the Indians left to take care
of themselves. Many of those
who have had most experience
with these people seem to think
that this is the only wav the In-
dians can be taught civilization.
Give them a fair start in cattle
and farming utensils, and let
them know that they cannot be
any longer vagabonds, depending
upon the Great Father, but, like
the white man, must work or
starve.
Printing: of Bil s Before Approval by
the President.
In the earlier part of the ses-
sion to-day the Senate "very
seriously considered the fact of
an error having crept into the
written and printed copies of the
bill recently passed exempting
fruit plants from duty. The
text had been made to read by
the addition of an us" to the
word fruit, as if the act removed
the duty from all fruits im-
ported. No satisfactory expla-
nation was given of the fact.
Previous to the taking up of the
financial debate, Mr. Sumner in-
troduced a resolution, suggested
in the discussion which was had
on this subject, instructing the
Committee on Enrolled Bills to
inquire into the expediency of
superseding the present use of
parchment in the last stage of a
bill, and providing that when it
is presented to the President for
approval it shall # be correctly
printed, and so preserved in the
Department of State. The reso-
lution was agreed to.
The Conflict of Federal and State Power
• > . «■ -5 in Utah. . . i
The House Committee on Ter-
ritories had under consideration
a bill relative to the acts passed
by the Legislative Assembly of
Utah, by which Federal laws rel-
ative to judicial proceedings in
that Territory are practically nul-
lified. . A law of Congress re-
quires all Territorial Legislative
acts to be submitted to Congress
for assent or disapproval. No
action having been taken by Con.
gress on the Utah land laws they
regain iu operation, and this is
in accordance with a decision of
the United States Supreme
Court. The object of the com-
mittee is to repeal all the laws of
Utah, conflicting with federal
jurisdiction, and these comprise
a very long list. The committee
will nqt be called upon.;'Jbr re-
ports in three or .four weeks, to
come. . 1'. _
An Actor , Commits Suicide.
/Hamilton J. Sniith, a native of
Memphis and actor by; profes-
sion, wlio played under the,name
of Notiimah Smith, committed
suicide by shooting himself
through the heart
A Terrible Affair—Capitaliits Kfefu*e
Money to the Kailroad—The Insurrec-
tion in Xucatan. • ;
c11.t of Mexico,; ^feb,
terrible affair is pepo^ediiri the
State of Vera Cruz. ; a quarrel
between townsmen ot Qu!m<&t-1
Ism and Huascala resulted in a
fight, wherein , fifteen persons
were killed.' It is' reported that
infuriated Huascalians after-
wards went to Quimexflan and.
began an,. Indiscriminate massa-!
ere, killing children and cutting,
off breasts of women.; / .
The neighboring to wu of Chal-
chucohula lias sent a military de-
tachment to the scene of the out-
rage to put a stop to atrocities^
The police have arr£#tpd fo?ty-
seven bandits implicated in kid-
napping Senor Sacostierra. The
large.ransom demanded for the
prisoner t;: was not forthcoming,
and the ^fortunate man ias
murdeged. ? <>-*0^ Uuu inwa
■ Bngliah ^capitalists jefnse;
funds for the recentiy organized,
railroad construction. company.
,T^e iusurrectsioa, ia,;Yucatan:
cosBtinnes, The?ei ®ft4er.«f the;
Bepublic is tranquil, .-a f .. , r
' A Criminal's Confession. !' •••'
Kansas City,' Feb.; 24.—Mc-!
Nutt, who, widi .'Winner^ mur-
dered' ana burned -ikl •paiirter
named : i Sdviers,* at ;:Wacliita,
Kansas, in - December' last, has
confessed * his ' crime. He says1
Winner persuaded him long ago
in Kansas Cityito enter upon the
course of crime, Mid planned the
whole affair. McNntf was to
have his life insured for $3000,
and then-kill and burn some vic-
tim and palm off ttie bodyfor his,
so that-the money cotild bo col-
lectedJ fv ' <>■ - ?iJ ot
At first they intended to com -
mit the crime in 'Kansas City,
butfiually conctuded to g6 to
Wichita, thinking- their escape-*
would be i easier • there. They
started'business as painters, and
soon built up a fine trade. 'They
were delayed, however, from car-
rying out their plan'for want of
a victim, ' but Winner at laat
came to Kansas City, engaged
Saviers to work for them, and
sent him down. Thev met
htm at the de^)ot on
his arrival at Wichita, and
took him to their shop. Making
him drunk, they gave him ether
until unconscious, and then put
his face over the fire and burned
it nntil it could not be recog-
nized. They afterwards laid him
on a bdd saturated with coal oil.
McNutt then cut a gash in Win-
ner's arm with a pair of scissors,
and opening a vein iu Savier's
arm took out a quart of blood
and sprinkled it over Winner to
make it appear that he had bled
a good deal. McNutt then left
his vest and empty pocket-book
back of the house, where it would
appear that robbers had dropped
it, and took the train for Atchi-
son. Winuer then set fire to the
building, which was burned, and
reported that he had been robbed
and McNutt killed and burned.
lAentenant Levi S. Robinson.
Hartford, Conn., Feb. 23.—
The remains of Lieutenant Levi
S. lvobinsou, of the 14th United
States infantry, who was killed
by the Indians near fort Lara-
mie, wete buried in New Britain
to-day jwith military honors.
Tli€ Prize Kiufz. ^
Jim Mace writes from England
to say that he will accept the
challenge of Tom Allen to fight
for from $1,000 to $5,000, if Al-
len will put up a toitfeit to prove
that he means business.
OI1I0 Constitutional Convention*
The Ohio Constitutional Con-
vention yesterday adjourned out
of respect to the memory of Dr.
John O'Connor, of Seneca, who
died Saturday night, and a com-
mittee of six was appointed to
escort his remains to his home
in Tiffin, Ohio.
The Vendome Column in Paris.
A short time ago Marshal Mc-
Mahon visited the Vendome Col-
umn and urged the contractor to
hurry it up as rapidly as possible.
The eighth spiral is now being
placed, and the contractor prom-
ised the Marshal that the monu-
ment should be entirely comple
ted by the first of June.
Presentation of the Chinese Commis-
sioner.
Washington, Feb. 24.—Sec-
retary Fish introduced to the
President to-day the Chinese
Commissioner of Education, Chin
San Pin. Mutual eupressions of a
desire that the relations between
this country and China should
be continued, were indulged in.
The conversation was carried on
by the distinguished foreigner
through an interpreter. The
Commissioner was also intro-
duced to the members of the Cab-
inet. His visit to the Executive
Mansion was merely to pay his
respects to the Chief Magistrate,
and not with reference to any af-
fairs of an official character.
Delayed Trains—"Working" the Saloon
t j) iKeepers.
Memphis, Feb. 24.—No trains
have arrived here on the Mem-
phis. and Charleston Bailroad
since, Saturday, owing to heavy
rains. The Mississippi Central
is badly washed nprth of Grena
da. A number of excursionists
from the New Orleans carnival
are here en route North, being
unable to get beyond Grenada
by the Mississippi Central.
A number of saloon keepers
have received postal cards signed
"committee," asking tbem to quit
the "devil-dealing business," and
saying that in the event of a re-
fusal they will be visited and
prayed for. .
Another Letter from Thiers.
-•■-Paris, Feb. 24.—Ex-President
Thiers in a letter to a Bepubli
can candidate for Assembly in
the Department of Vienna, de-
clares that experience has rend-
ered his conviction invincible
that a republic is the only pos-
sible government for France.
-i:3 l)r. Livingstone's Remains.
ADbn, Feb. 23.—Mr. Dillon,
member of Livingstone's search
expedition, has committed sui-
cide.
Dr. Livingstone's remains were
expected to reach Zanzibar on
the 20th inst.
• The Cameron expedition will
proceed to Ujiji to obtain the
documents and property left by
the Doctor. ': . i ' t> '. r *
.' Sickles has Left Madrid.
; MaDeed, Feb:' 24.—Gen. Sick-
les took leave yesterday.
!; ?■ '•
AFFAIR?. '
' The Statesman reminds the
Legislature Business is moving
tanjily,-! and particularly those
leading measures of State policy
which mVolve its prosperity. > In
our/ judgment, the Legisla-
ture should promptly meet
the exigencies of tiie hour,
and discuss and act upon the
grave questiom# before it."
'The Jefferson Democrat closes
an able article on party lines
in local politics, with the follow-
ing passionate appeal:
"We appeal to our fellow-citi-
zens of Marion county, to the
good men of Jefferson, to Demo-
crats who supported Coke, and
tb BepuWicans who now wish to
join the* pprty warring against
ahti-corruptjonists, to interpose
theirsdlemnj united voice'against
permitting further encroach-
ment^ of policy men and clan-
destine beggars for favor. We
have concluded that the only way
to' bdnvince stieh men of right &
to' fet public opinion hold th.em
uj) ^ the ga?e of afl good peo-
The Dallas Commercial hastjiis
to say of Barziza, whose partisan-
ship arid tinkering intermeddling
with the' Houston city charter has
reflected seriously u^on the judg-
ment pf tjiat body, who has-
tened to take his ex parte state-
ment and that of Central Bail-
road Baker in the grave matter
of legislating put of the corpora-
tion a large number of citizens,
arid perpetrating other eqnaliy
harsh and unkind acts upon the
people of Houston:
"Baraiza wants a commission
to make a: Constitution, but the
specific quality he leaves out.
The gentleman from Harris is
not going to be handicapped by
old forms of thought. He is not
to be balked in measuring the
events of the day (in accordance
with the time-honored principles
of the Democratic party.' He
has a mind of his own. He is
aware that he is a citizen of the
United States, and he is sure to
traypl tl^e road leading to the
nearest approach of big rights
under it. But in. this contro-
versy. Coke will have to take
sides, nQless be assumes the in-
dependence of a man, and rises
up to grasp the occasion, his ad-
ministration will be a harrassing
failure. In what is wrong we
sliall condemn, but in what is
right, promotive of the public
good, this paper will yield to
none in the honesty of his de-
fence." <!i*
The £>an Antonio Herald says:
"The New York drummers
who cpme to collect money have
had such hard luck that it is pro-
posed to get up a series of tab-
leaux to raise funds to send them
back to their parents and guard-
ians.
" Little Herft, son of Capt. W.
B. Storey, met with quite au ac-
cident Saturday evening, being
thrown from a buggy, but we
are glad tajknow was not serious-
ly hurt. The buggy was badly
wrecked, however. The cause of
the accident was a collision of
the buggy in which the boy was
riding with a hack'.
" A General Courtmartial will
convene at Fort Duncan, on
Thursday, February 24,1874, for
the trial of such persons as may
be properly brought before it.
The detail for the court is Major
Alfred E. Latimer, Captain
Charles N. W. Cunningham,
Captain Peter M. Boehm, Lieu-
tenant Alfred C. Markley, Lieu-
tenant S. Iv. Thompson, and
Lieutenant Otho W. Budd. The
first named officer will be Presi-
dent of the Court, and the last-
named is appointed Judge Ad-
vocate."
The State Journal has the fol-
lowing interesting Austin items:
"Mr. Frank Brown was crip-
pled a few days ago by his horse
failing on him in coming down
the Capitol bill. . He is an effi-
cient District Clerk, and as the
District Court is now in session,
his services are very mnch need-
ed. We are informed that he
will be able to attend to business
in a few days.
"Mr. J as. A. Wise, agent and
correspondent of the San Anto-
nio Herald, died last evening in
our city. We understand that
his death was rather sudden but
have not learned the particulars.
Mr. Wise was a cousin of Dr. H.
Clay Wise, of the firm of Messrs.
Stiles & Wise, of our city, and
has many friends and acquain-
tances both here and in San An-
tonio, who regret his sudden de-
mise. His funeral took place
this evening from the office of
Messrs. Stiles & Wise, and his
body was followed to its last
resting place by a large concourse
of friends.
"We learned yesterday that a
flouring mill is to be established
on Waller creek, only a short dis-
tance from the city, by one of our
enterprising citizens. The ma-
chinery is en route now from Cin-
cinnati, and will arrive in a few
days. We are informed that the
capacity of the machine is from
forty to fifty barrels of flour per
day, about two hundred bushels
of meal per day, besides hominy,
grits, etc. The mill when com-
pleted will cost about $10,000.
Mr. G. W. Honey, we understand,
is the enterprising individual.
We hope our formers will take
courage from this and go to rais-
ing more wheat in this county
than heretofore. Our soil is well
adapted to it, and considerable
quantities could be raised,
"We were present this morning
at the Avenue Hotel when the
stage arrived from San Antonipi.
Some gentleman on board killefl
a. large white sand-hill crane
somewhere on the road, and gave
it to Dr. Moore, of the Avenue,
with the request that it be pre-
sented to the Geological Depart-
ment of the State. The crane
measured nine feet from tip to
tip of wings, and five feet from
tip of beak to the end of its toes,
and weighed about*twenty-two
pounds. It is a species of bird
that is rather scarce in this
State, and created a great sensa-
tion when it was brought into
the hotel. We would suggest
that it be stuffed and kept in the
Geological Department of the
State a£ a rare species."
We presume the "crane" is a
joke on the State Geologist, as
our Houston hunters meet larger
crane by the hundreds. We
would like to know if it belongs
to the tertiary species !
The Sherman Courier thinks'
the salaries of the' Supreme
Judges high enough. It says t
"Forty-five hundred dollars an-
nual salary for "a Suprem^ Judge,
is an empty honor—not enough
for such a high dignitaty, sounds
badly emulating mm', i meijiper
of any party', pledgpa to re-
trenchment and reform. Who
is it iii this country that cannot
feed and clothe his family, and
educate his children on half that
sjun, and few indeed it is who
can afford to expend h^li so.
much."1 "" ij-., .'V+nrf
TheClarksviUe.^tam&Jtti makes
these sensible reinarks on a Con-
stitutional Convention: .
We dpn't Sriy chabteb
granted to ugbya'cpnd^scendmg
commission of a hair ilozen gen-
tiemep, who may IjaiPw' a go
deal of law, but have npt stui4"
popular rights, apd haye 90 pop-
ular affinities, and are much
more learned in precedent^ than
in elemental principles Of popu-
lar government." .,'. 7,.
The Clebqrne Chronicle S^ys
the Baptist church tfyere, aftej" a
discussion wliicb lasted three
nights and till about 12 p. m.,
the third night, the query: "Is
it right for a member of thp
church to sell or deal in; ardpnt
spirits f was virtually tabled by
the adoption of a substitute aS
follows: "It is riot right for a
member qt tbB church, to sell or
deal in ardent spirits unscrlpt-
urally," ..-Si'
The Corsicana Observer speak-
ing of Texas bonds, gives en-
couragement to those capitalists
who desire to subscribe for the
issue shortly to be placed on the
market, by the following:
"As an evidence of the in-
creased confidence by -capitalists
in Texas bonds since the inaug-
uration of a Democratic State
Government, State bonds have
advanced nearly twenty par.
cent, above what thpy were under
Badieal rule." : t
The Statesman says that the
House came to a vote qn th§,
Constitutional Convention or tjie
night of the 25th. The vote wag
taken on the substitute offered
by Mr. Storey, which was that a
Convention composed of thirty
delegates should be called. The
vote stood forty-one for and
thirty-eight against the Con-
vention. V v, .,jj j
The Dallas Commercial has
this to say of Central Bailroad
Baker; fTff;j
" The Austin Senate Chamber
has a Baker. The " fouls" of the
air will be well roasted."
DEATH OF G0L AUSTIK.
Death loves a shining mark.
Col. William Austi^breathed his
last in Galveston on Wednesday.
Our dispatches inform us that he
was buried by the Masonic fra-
ternity last evening. The attend-
ance wasi unusually large. We
find in a Galveston paper a brief
obituary notice, which we copy:
Colonel Austin wae bom in the
city of Bridgeport, Ct., on the
30th of January, 1809. His fath-
er, John P. Austin, was a man
of prominence in his day, having
graduated at Yale College with
high honors.
After the war of 1812, the fam-
ily located at Norwich, Ct., from
which place William F. Austin
emigrated to Texas in 1828 witii
a family consisting of a wife and
one child, and became a member
of Stephen F. Austin's colony.
He was successfully engaged in
mercantile business until about
the year 1833, when the overflow
of the Brazos destroyed his goods
and improvements.
In 1834 he joined the volunteer
army of Texas and was attached
to the military family of General
Stephen F. Austin, Commander-
in-Chief, as aid-de-camp. At the
battle of San Antonio de Bexar,
December, 1835, he served as
aid-de-camp on the staff of Gen-
eral Edward Burleson, and on
the 14th of March, 1836, was
complimented by General Sam.
Houstonp-by being assigned to
duty as aid-de-eamp, a position
which was resigned during the
following May. Nothing of spe-
cial importance in the shape of
military operations occurring in
Texas after that time, Col. Aus-
tin located with his family in
Brazoria connty, on a plantation,
and made a continual practice of
joining Indian expeditions and
scouting parties on our frontiers,
so long as that sort of service
was necessary.
As a staff officer, Col. Austin
ranked high, as may be inferred
by his assignment to duty with
the most distinguished of the
Texan leaders. At San Antonio
de Bexar, at San Jaainto, and on
other important battle-fields, he
conducted himself with such gal-
lantry as to challenge the admir-
ation of his comrades, and elicit
honorable mention from his su-
perior officers. Although CoL
Austin has never figured promi-
nently upon the political stage,
he has always taken a lively in-
terest in public affairs, and his
name has frequently been men-
tioned in connection with official
positions. At the time of his
death he was President of one of
the Democratic ward clubs, and,
notwithstanding hib age, was a
prompt attendant at the meet-
ings uffhe game. ■■ ■ ■ 1 r,
Upon tbe organization of the
Agricultural and Industrial As-
sociation, of this city, he was
elected Secretary, the duties of
which office he continued to dis-
charge up to the commencement
of his fatal illness. • 1 Vil1-
r?
O
ag?
9G
1
*•
*
ST
.5?
s
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*
a
cw
%
5;
The dispatches inform us that,
cm representation of Senator
of War has directed that in fu-
ture the subsistence stores needed
by the troops of Texas shall be
purchased in New Orleans. This,
it strikes us, is not just to the
merchants of our State, and we
demand that our Senators and
Representatives look into the
matter, as we can supply goods
as cheap as they can be bought
in ^ew Orleans.
An Eastern paper says: "Mrs.
Geri. Sherman is a devout Bo-
man Catholic. The General is
on the fence."
-Hew AdTertlsei
pan NAi*.
" Oae TWO TEAS OLD HEIFER, and
oaeTWO YEAR pLD BULL, both im-
proved stock;k r tij ? - .ti* -L-". M
feSf? tf V J jfc-U'WESTHEJSfER
WI£L OPEN
February IS,' 1874,
XEW PATTERNS Itf
*>dj SPRING frRINTS.
STRIPKD SMAJjL yjGJTRED
AND CHJjyiQT- BjiRGiLBS.
Soft Finished Domestics,
NEW PATTERNS SPRANG PQPWlfg,'
BLACK ALPACAS, vo.
MICHELL'S CELEBRATED,
Dott€(4, Striped and Figured
Linens for Gents' Shirts,
A superb lot of new styles of
LADIES' NECK WEAK.
THOS. B. PBANKLIN.
febl8-tf 73 MAIN STREET.
i
I
t
JCIHTH WABf p
)Trtr;DeMqntic )sa *
RATIPICAHOW MEETING,
m 1 m<>&rr *'■
htuutr ir*«lvTf 4.n<,* gfi iiif t
. IBE^OOISLS' -
Hon. CHAS-
speakers will be preeefl^.
fet>27—if '
.?>r Qfj r- « 7: I mif'i
Qp tlie njgbt_gt the 2itli of February,
one SORREL HORSE, abont bands
bigb,' branded W on the left shoulder,
heary.built, white specks en tha imp,
sadtile mark§ on the b^ck,. shod op fore
feet, Wfloeyej- will return thp sape tg
the owner win be liberally rewarded.
. 0I*- ' • CHA& MODYMA*,
, #8b26-2w Hoostoc. +
J^aTELTIES
i ■"* * t tC «Tt'
• TlnM goods.';
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Baker, J. H. & Wilson, J. H. The Daily Mercury (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 146, Ed. 1 Friday, February 27, 1874, newspaper, February 27, 1874; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth232985/m1/2/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.