The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 76, July 1972 - April, 1973 Page: 147
539 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Intrastate Sectionalism in Governor's Race
to concentrate all of its internal improvements efforts on securing the
passage of the Pacific railroad through northeastern Texas."
Newspaper reaction to Evans's sectional appeal in the western part
of the state was predictably critical. The Austin Texas State Gazette
of June 25 declared that it might possibly gain him a few votes in the
east, but "it at once cuts off all hope of his getting any respectable
number of votes in the West." The Gazette went on to ask Evans to
specify "in what particular Eastern Texas has 'interests distinct from
the West.' We had supposed that the State in all its parts was one in
interest, in sentiment and in feeling." The editor also criticized Evans's
railroad views as sectional in character, noting that the Pacific road,
important as it was, would directly benefit only the extreme northern
and northeastern areas of the state." As Hampton saw it, Evans's elec-
tion strategy was
calculated to stir up afresh the elements of bitterness and strife between
two sections of the State-feelings which should never have existed among
citizens of the same State-They originated, whether in the East or West,
with demagogues whose only object was self-aggrandizement."
Editor John S. ("Rip") Ford, of the Austin South Western Ameri-
can, commenting on Evans's tactics, declared: "we [would not] sup-
port any man in any part of the State, who would proclaim himself as
the local candidate for any office," and went on to assert:
We do not believe the people of Eastern Texas are governed by any
feeling, to make them subscribe to the narrow views of Judge Evans....
We are sure the citizens of the West entertain no local prejudices consti-
tuting elements in the contest."
Some East Texas papers were critical of Evans as well. The Jefferson
Herald, for example, denied the judge's claims that the east provided
most of the state's revenue, while the west was the beneficiary of most
of its legislation. The paper expressed its regret that a candidate from
the East
17Walter Prescott Webb and H. Bailey Carroll (eds.), The Handbook of Texas (2 vols.;
Austin, 1952), I, 576; Nacogdoches Chronicle, September 25, 1852; Austin South Western
American, August so, 1853; Austin Texas State Gazette, June 25, July 9, 1853. The quota-
tions are from the paraphrase of Evans's speech given in the Jefferson Herald [n.d.], and
reprinted in the Austin Texas State Gazette, June 25, 1853-
"1Austin Texas State Gazette, June 25, July 9, 1853.
"Ibid., June 25, 1853. For a similar post-election assessment by an East Texas paper see
the Marshall Texas Republican, August 27, 1853.
2"Austin South Western American, June 25, 1853. Essentially the same sentiments were
also voiced by the Houston Telegraph [n.d.], as quoted in the Austin Texas State Gazette,
June 25, 1853.147
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 76, July 1972 - April, 1973, periodical, 1973; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101202/m1/177/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.