In Memoriam. Senator L. A. Abercrombie. Born in Macon County, Ala., DECEMBER 1, 1832. Died at Philadelphia, Pa., DECEMBER 23, 1891. Age 59 years. (287) Memorial Service. [Extracts from the Senate Journals.] FIRST DAY'S SESSION, AUSTIN, MARCH 14. Senator Clemens offered the following. Resolved, That a committee of three Senators be appointed to draft resolutions on the death of the late President Pro Tem E. G. Maetze. Senator Glasscock offered as an amendment: "That the name of the late Senator L. A. Abercrombie be included in the resolution," which was accepted by Senator Clemens. Resolution, as amended, was adopted. Lieutenant Governor Pendleton, President of the Senate, appointed Senators Clemens, Searcy and Pope as a special committee for this purpose. FIFTEENTH DAY'S SESSION, AUSTIN, MARCH 29. The following report was received from special committee: Hon. Geo. C. Pendleton, President of the Senate: Sir-Your committee appointed to draft resolutions in respect to the memory of the late Senators E. G. Maetze and L. A. Abercrombie, beg leave to present the following: Resolved, first, That in the deaths of the Honorables E. G. Maetze and L. A. Abercrombie, formerly members of the Texas Senate, the State has lost two of its most estimable and useful citizens, who, both in private and public life, performed the full measure of every duty, and by their conduct firmly established themselves in the confidence of their people. Resolved, second, That we tender to the respective families of the deceased our sympathy in their bereavement, and the secretary of the Senate is hereby instructed to furnish them each with an engrossed copy of these resolutions. Resolved, third, That these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the Senate. Respectfully, CLEMENS, SEARCY, Committee. On motion of Senator Pope, the hour of 11.30 this morning was named, at which time the Senate will consider the report. The hour, 11.30, fixed by the Senate to consider the resolutions having arrived, Senator Townsend spoke to the resolution. Senator Townsend said: Mr. President: It was my good fortune to have been intimately (289) acquainted with the deceased E. G. Maetze. Long before I knew him personally I knew him well and most favorably by reputation. He was & man in the full sense of that word. Those intimately acquainted with him knew perhaps better than others his sterling worth, great learning and ability. Devoted at all times to his country and his country's good, more especially was he devoted to those great principles of government which lie at the foundation of safe and broad freedom to the individual. He was an open, bold and fearless advocate of personal liberty and a firm and steadfast believer in the doctrine that "that government is best which governs least." The deceased was a native of Germany. Governmental oppression drove him from her borders, and Germany's loss was America's gain. In a fearless and desperate struggle to rescue his native land from the fetters of despotism, unshackle his countrymen and secure to them the blessings of individual liberty he became a member of the revolutionary parliament in 1848. Failure of the cause he espoused necessitated his flight to save his own life. Many of his political associates in that great reform movement joined him in bidding farewell to the home of their childhood. America, whose ever boasted pride is the fact that she has ever stood with open arms to welcome to her shores the worthy and oppressed of every clime, received them. I may well add that by the immigration of that period Texas secured a most valuable citizenship, some of whose names will adorn the pages of Texas history. The deceased was for many years, and to the date of his death, a citizen of Austin county, Texas, where he was well known and universally loved, esteemed and honored. He was elected without opposition to the State Senate in 1888 from the district composed of the counties of Austin, Washington, Burleson, Fort Bend and Waller. In honoring him the people of his district honored themselves. His broad-gauged statesmanship, true patriotism and universal conservatism soon won for him the confidence, esteem and admiration of each member of that body. Dertermined in debate, courteous, generous and unassuming, making it a point at all times never to wound the feelings of those who chanced to differ from him. He was the oldest member of the body, and at the close of the last session he was without solicitation unanimously elected president pro tem of the Senate. By his death this body has lost one of its ablest and most conservative members; the Democratic party, one of its honored and most zealous exponents; Texas, a statesman and a true and tried patriot, one who in private and public life has ever advocated the great fundamental principles of republican government. Amiable in disposition, a charitable and forgiving nature, an affectionate and loving husband, a kind and devoted father. The great reaper, time, has mown him down. He who doeth all things for the ( 290 ) best has seen proper in His wisdom to remove him from earthly scenes. He is no more, and we bow in grief as we dedicate to him a space both in the records of this body and on the tablets of our memory. Senator Pope spoke to the resolution as follows: Mr. President: I have served a longer term of years in this body, I believe, than any of you. During this service, which has lasted for ten years, I have had occasion to pass through this solemn scene several times. Since I entered the Senate at its eighteenth session, four of my co laborers in this body have passed from earth. They were all my friends The first who died was Senator Buchanan from Wood. In the very strength of his manhood and usefulness this gifted Senator was called away, lamented by all who knew him, a most serious loss to his country. Following him came Senator Pfeuffer of Comalof rugged honesty and most estimable traits of character. No Senator did excel him in his ardent devotion to duty. And now come these last two, to whose memory we this day testify our respect and high regard. Mr. President, the grim reaper has been busy with his sickle during the past year, gathering to his harvest the best and truest in the land; Texas has sorely suffered. In my own town the sturdy old warrior of half a score of wars, Walter P. Lane, has been laid to rest. The intrepid soldier, the faithful, pure and impartial judge, J. L. Camp, who, too, had been a Texas Senator, has laid his burden off and gone to his reward. I knew him well, and loved him almost as a father. Again, we have lost Sam A. Wilson, the laborious lawyer, the eminent jurist, with a heart as simple as a child's and as devoted as a woman's; born in Texas, he loved his mother state with full devotion, and gave to her interests the best efforts of his life. These are not all; James H. Bell, the giant lawyer, whose intellect had no superior in the state has recently followed those I have already named. The last of our state's gifted sons to cross the dark river that I now recall is W. H. Huddle, the gifted artist, whose brush has fixed upon canvass for the admiration of the people of Texas the culminating seene of that battle which was the Marathon of Texas. They have all gone to that unknown land from whose silent realm no mortal has ever yet brought message back to tell us what or where they are. Mr. President, this but serves to remind us that "Between two world's life hovers like a star "Twixt night and morn upon the horizon's verge, How less that which we may be." I knew Senators Maetze and Abercrombie well. The former belonged to that class of citizens in our state known as the German-American. Shortly after the admission of Texas into the Union, he fled from the political ( 291 ) |