Six Decades in Texas, or Memoirs of Francis Richard Lubbock, Governor of Texas in War-Time, 1861-63; a Personal Experience in Business, War, and Politics . Edited by C. W. Raines. Austin: Ben C. Jones &Co. 1900. Pp. xvi+685.

While attending the District Court of La Salle county, at Cotulla, in 1888, I met an old frontiersman, who inquired after Lubbock's health, etc. In speaking of him he said he knew him as comptroller, district clerk, lieutenant-governor, governor during the war, colonel in the army, staff officer of President Davis, and auctioneer and commission merchant; and that in every position he was always faithful and zealous. He said that he happened to be in Galveston after the war, while Governor Lubbock was in the business of auctioneer and commission merchant, and having some curiosity to see how he played the role of auctioneer he went around to his establishment and found him expatiating upon the virtues of a promissory note which he was offering for sale to the highest bidder. One of the greatest merits the note had in his mind was its signature. Passing it around through the crowd, he explained how celebrated forgers signed their names; how shrewd fellows who never intended to pay, arranged their signatures—calling attention to the fact that nobody but an honest horny-handed son of toil could have made such a signature—interspersing his remarks with various historical references, until, when the note was finally bid off, it brought nearly par. He said he had heard him on the stump in Know-Nothing times—had heard him discuss the Kansas-Nebraska bill, squatter sovereignty, and most of the leading issues of ante bellum times; but never heard him deliver a more entertaining speech than when he made this note the subject on that occasion. The same resourceful characteristics which made this promissory note a fruitful and interesting theme, has given us a book on weightier matters, instructive and entertaining to the highest degree.

An active career as merchant, comptroller, clerk of the Harris county district court, ranchman, farmer, lieutenant-governor, governor in the most trying time of our State's existence, colonel in the army, staff officer of Jefferson Davis, prisoner, auctioneer, commission merchant, collector of taxes, State treasurer, member of Penitentiary Board and later of the Board of Pardons has brought him in close contact with almost every phase of life in Texas from 1836 to 1900.

The great charm of his conversational powers, his wonderful memory, his charity for all and malice toward none have all been transferred to the pages of this book and made almost every line of it attractive and entertaining, as well as instructive.

Its value, as a contribution to the history of Texas, consists mainly in the elaborate background to the bare historical picture furnished by others, yet there is enough new historic material to make it exceedingly valuable for that alone.

It seems to be a complete history of politics, politicians, and statesmen in Texas; and, what is surprising in a closely printed book of nearly 700 pages by a most pronounced democrat of the extreme school, there is no uncharitable insinuation or unkind allusion towards any foe, or to any tenet opposed to his own. There is no deification or disparagement of men, and no dogmatic treatment of the measures, which divided the public men of Texas into hostile camps from 1836 to 1896. Public policies, political platforms, and all issues concurrent with the development of Texas, from an infant Republic with a population a little more than 30,000 into an imperial State with a population of over 3,000,000, are clearly and frankly stated.

It will be a valuable legacy to future generations who will learn to love and honor the men who have directed her destinies through so many dark and perilous times.

Z. T. Fulmore .

How to cite:
Fulmore, Z. T., "Six Decades in Texas, or Memoirs of Francis Richard Lubbock, Governor of Texas in War-Time, 1861-63; a Personal Experience in Business, War, and Politics", Volume 003, Number 4, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 283 - 284. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v003/n4/review_6.html
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