The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 67, July 1963 - April, 1964 Page: 338
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Wooldridge's reasoning was admitted by the committee which
then tried to convince Wooldridge of the necessity to separate
the two branches for the good of the university as well as the
people of Texas. After reaching an impasse on these points, the
Galveston committee told Wooldridge that if Austin used the
ballots then proposed, not only would Galveston vote for separa-
tion but the city would also attempt to elect Tyler as the seat of
the main branch of the university. Wooldridge reiterated Aus-
tin's position and both sides promised to live up to their words.
Immediately after returning from Galveston, Wooldridge gave
a full report to the executive committee which unanimously
backed the stand its chairman took while on the coast. The
question of interpreting the vote disturbed the committee, so it
was determined at this meeting to send an inquiry to the can-
vassing board, asking for an explanation of the tabulating pro-
cedures. Members of the canvassing board were Governor O. M.
Roberts,49 Attorney General James H. McLeary,50 and Secretary
of State Thomas H. Bowman.61 The arguments of the committee
were presented to the board by Anderson J. Peeler, member of
the Austin Bar.
The board gave its opinion on August 19. Governor Roberts
and Secretary Bowman concurred, while Attorney General Mc-
Leary dissented. The opinions of both sides were thorough and
lengthy. Roberts and Bowman believed that if the vote divided
the university, the main and medical branches had to be sepa-
rated to the locations receiving respectively the largest votes for
the main and medical departments. But since the Act of March
30, 1881, calling for the election contemplated among other
things, that if division lost, the whole university should be located
40Oran Milo Roberts was one of Texas' most ardent proponents of education,
serving as president of the board of trustees and lecturer in law at the University
of San Augustine before the Civil War and professor of law at the University of
Texas after he retired as governor in 1883. Lelia Bailey, The Life and Public
Career of O. M. Roberts (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Texas, 1932).
5oJames Harvey McLeary was admitted to the Texas bar in 1869 and was elected
to the Texas Legislature in 1873. After serving as attorney general of Texas he was
appointed United States judge in Montana Territory by President Grover Cleveland
in 1886. San Antonio Express, January 6, 1914.
5xThornton Hardie Bowman came to Texas in 1871 where he taught school and
began his law practice. After entering politics in 1873, he was in public service for
the rest of his life, including his two year term as secretary of state under Roberts.
T. H. Bowman, Reminiscences of an Ex-Confederate (Austin, 1904).338
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View one page within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 67, July 1963 - April, 1964, periodical, 1964; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101197/m1/396/?q=%221777%22&rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas State Historical Association.