The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 76, July 1972 - April, 1973 Page: 151
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
the necessity and importance of the early adoption of some policy by
which the different sections of our State shall be furnished with a
cheap and rapid means of transporting their productions to a market"
and indicated his support for liberal land grants and state loans to pri-
vate companies to achieve these ends. The circular made no specific
mention, however, of the Pacific railroad."'
In mid-June, satisfied that he had secured a firm base of support in
the west, Pease hurried eastward. At Palestine he declared for the first
time in the campaign that he strongly supported the Pacific road and
was "in favor of Texas offering every possible inducement and doing
all within her power to secure its location and passage through our
State.""
By the time that Pease had begun his eastern canvass, the nature of
the gubernatorial campaign was changing once again. Since the spring,
Democratic papers throughout the state had been warning that, with
so many Democrats in the field, Ochiltree might be tempted to recon-
sider his decision not to run. Soon after the failure of the Democratic
convention, there was talk of calling a new one to meet later in the
spring in Austin. The press of the state generally split along sectional
lines on the issue, with western papers supporting the idea, while those
in the east opposed. Eastern editors accused the west of wanting a con-
vention primarily to prevent the nomination of an easterner. An at-
tempt was made on June 15 to hold a second nominating convention,
but it failed for the same reasons as had the first."'
By the end of June the worst fears of the Democratic establishment
were realized. Ochiltree declared himself in the race again and soon
was campaigning vigorously throughout East Texas, where he was per-
sonally popular with both Whigs and Democrats. The Galveston
Journal, a Whig sheet, predicted that its candidate would get at least
6,ooo votes in that section but was careful to point out that Ochiltree
was a man "of enlightened . . . views on subjects of State policy ...
"Pease to Mrs. Pease, April 28, 1853, ibid.; Pease campaign circular printed in the Aus-
tin Texas State Gazette, May 14, 1853-
88Pease to Joseph H. Polley, May 16, 1853, Joseph H. Polley Papers (Archives, Univer-
sity of Texas Library, Austin); Amasa Turner to Pease, June 9, 1853, Pease Papers; Pease
to Mrs. Pease, June 27, 1853, ibid. The quote is from the Palestine Trinity Advocate
[n.d.], reprinted in the Austin Texas State Gazette, July 3o, 1853.
8"Nacogdoches Chronicle, May 17, 1853; Austin Texas State Gazette, March 5, May 14,
June 4, 25, 1853; Pease to Guy M. Bryan, March 3, 1853, Guy M. Bryan Papers (Archives,
University of Texas Library, Austin); William G. Webb to Pease, March 1, 1853, Pease
Papers; Jefferson Herald, April 28, 1853, noted in the Marshall Texas Republican, April
3o, 1853; Nacogdoches Chronicle, April 23, May 17, 1853.151
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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/m1/181/: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.