TEXAS. 



739 



that he is securely protected in his life, liberty, and 

 property. 



V. The school fund, sacredly set apart for the 

 education of the children of the State, has, under 

 the operation of the misrule of the party in power, 

 been plundered by peculation, squandered and per- 

 verted to political purposes. The Democratic party 

 through ns, reaffirms its past opinion and the policy 

 ,t has ever pursued, that it is the bounden duty of 

 the State to maintain an efficient system of free 

 common schools, and secure the means of a common 

 education to every child in the State, and we advo- 

 cate the gradual sale of the alternate section of land 

 belonging to the common-school fund ; as also of 

 the asylum and university lands, under such restric- 

 tions as will secure the funds arising therefrom to 

 the purposes for which they were intended, and giv- 

 ing in such sales proper preferences to actual settlers 

 in good faith thereon. 



\ I. It was the Democratic party which first in- 

 augurated the wise and generous policy which has 

 made the United States the asylum of all nations 

 from oppressive government, and less favorable 

 means ot livelihood and independence; and the 

 Democratic party of Texas, true to the early teachings 

 and uniform practices of the party, advocates the 

 most liberal and active policy to encourage and in- 

 crease foreign immigration, to develop the resources 

 of our fertile State, as well as to perpetuate the gov- 

 ernment, through the intelligence and moral worth 

 of her citizens. And that every adopted citizen may 

 enter into the spirit of perfect freedom of thought 

 and action in matters of conscience, the Democracy 

 of Texas, in convention assembled, declare it to be 

 our firm conviction that legal interferences with 

 merely the social habits of any class of citizens, native 

 or of foreign birth, is contrary to sound policy, to 

 genuine democracy, and to the enlightened spirit 

 of the age. 



VII. The Democratic party is, and has ever been, 

 in favor of throwing ns lew impediments as possible 

 in the way of Europeans making the United States 

 tlie hind of their adoption ; and to enable foreigners 

 to enter into citizenship without needless trouble, 

 delay, or expense, we declare it to be our conviction 

 that a foreigner who desires it should have the right 

 to make his declaration of intention to become a 

 citizen before the clerk, in vacation or in open court, 

 as may be to him most convenient ; and we favor the 

 passage of a law to that effect. 



VIII. We condemn in the strongest terms all cor- 

 ruption in public officials, and demand the strictest 

 honesty and economy in the administration of public 

 trusts, from the highest to the lowest officer of the 

 Government. 



IX. That the Democracy of Texas adhere to their 

 past policy of developing the material resources of 

 the State, and fostering the best interests of the 

 people by encouraging the construction of railroads. 

 That to this end, and to encourage the investment 

 of capital in such enterprises, we favor the granting 

 of liberal charters to companies able to buUd such 

 railroads, and of donating to such companies alter- 

 nate sections of the vacant lands, under proper re- 

 strictions, and with such provisions of law as will 

 protect the people against oppression and unreason- 

 able exactions, until each section of the State has its 

 equalproportion of railroad facilities. 



2. That we are opposed to granting money sub- 

 sidies by the State to secure the bulling of railroads, 

 as unequal in the distribution of burdens and bene- 

 fits, and unjust in principle. 



8. This convention denounces as false and slan- 

 derous the imputation, sought to be attached to the 

 State of Texas, by her enemies, that she contem- 

 plates the repudiation of any of her just and legal 

 liabilities- 



X. We consider the constitutional amendments 

 proposed by the last Legislature as eminently ne- 

 cessary, and recommend their adoption by the 

 people. 



XI. The situation and sufferings of our frontiers- 

 men and their families arouse our deep and sincere 

 sympathy ; and we do hereby pledge the most ear- 

 nest exertions of the Democratic party to secure 

 their speedy and adequate protection in the future 

 believing them to be paramount to all other duties. 



XII. We favor the calling of a constitutional con- 

 vention by our next Legislature. 



XIII. We invite all good men, whatever may have 

 been their past political preferences, to unite with 

 the Democratic party in removing from place and 

 power those radical officials who now in part con- 

 trol the State government, in order to insure an 

 honest administration of the laws, and an honest 

 and economical expenditure of the public moneys 

 and to throw the segis of justice and protection over 

 the person and property of every individual what- 

 soever in the State of Texas. 



The election was held on the 2d of Decem- 

 ber, and resulted in the success of the entire 

 Democratic ticket by an overwhelming ma- 

 jority. Eighty-five thousand five hundred imd 

 forty -nine votes were cast for Coke, and 42,-. 

 663 for Governor Davis. For Lieutenant- 

 Governor, Mr. Hubbard received 86,825 votes, 

 while 42,812 were polled for Mr. Taylor, the 

 Republican candidate. At the same time a 

 new Legislature was chosen. 



It was this election which caused, perhaps, 

 the highest political excitement known in the 

 State. The constitutionality of the law under 

 which the election was held having been 

 doubted, a case was prepared by the Republi- 

 cans for the purpose of obtaining from the 

 Supreme Court a decision on this question. 

 For this purpose it was arranged that Rodri- 

 guez, a Mexican, should vote twice. For do- 

 ing this he was arrested. The case was then 

 carried to the Supreme Court on an applica- 

 tion for a writ of habeai corpus. 



On January 5, 1874, the decision was ren- 

 dered by the court, declaring the law author- 

 izing the election unconstitutional. Acting 

 upon the assumption that under this decision 

 the election was void, and therefore that the 

 successful candidates were not entitled to ad- 

 minister the ofiices to which they had been 

 elected, Governor Davis determined to pre- 

 vent their recognition as lawful officials, and 

 on the 12th of January issued the following 

 proclamation : 



AUSTIN, January 12, 1874. 



In the name and by the authority of the State of 

 Texas, to all to whom these presents shall come, 

 greeting. 



Whereas, The Supreme Court of the State has in a 

 recent decision declared the election held on the 

 second day of December, 1873, in substance to be 

 invalid, by reason of the unconstitutionality of the 

 law under which said election was held ; and 



Whereat^ Great public injury and further danger- 

 ous complications of public affairs are likely to re- 

 sult from any attempt on the part of those claiming 

 to have been chosen as members of the Legislature, 

 and other officers at said election, to assume the 

 positions they claim, therefore, for these and other 

 reasons which it is not necessary to incorporate 

 herein, it is deemed advisable, and it is so ordered, 

 that those who have been chosen as legislators and 

 other officers shall not attempt to assume the posi- 



tions they claim unless by further action of adequate 

 authority. Such election may hereufter be validated. 

 All good citizens are advised to abide the decision 



