when richard coke defeated course hero

by Kenton Hartmann 9 min read

What did Richard Coke do for Texas?

Richard Coke (March 18, 1829 – May 14, 1897) was an American lawyer and statesman from Waco, Texas. He was the 15th governor of Texas from 1874 to 1876 and was a US Senator from 1877 to 1895. His governorship is notable for reestablishing white supremacist rule in Texas following Reconstruction.

What happened to John Coke after the Civil War?

After the war, he returned home to Waco. In 1865, Coke was appointed a Texas district court judge, and in 1866, he was elected as an associate justice to the Texas Supreme Court.

How did Richard Coke benefit from public sentiment?

No one benefited more from prevailing public sentiment than Richard Coke, who in 1873, leveraged resentment at Union occupation to construct a Democratic electoral coalition that ruled Texas for more than 100 years.

What did Governor Coke believe in?

Governor Coke had faith in his people. He believed in the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race-he prided himself in the rich blood of the Southern people. As their leader he fought back the tide of tyranny that was about to engulf them in the murky water of mulatto domination.

When did Coke run for governor?

Having been fired by Sheridan, Coke ran for governor as a Democrat in 1873 and took office in January 1874.

What was the legacy of the Coke defeat of Davis?

Legacy. Coke's defeat of Davis marked the return of a white supremacist, pro-Confederate government in Texas. Historians in the state praised Davis for this, and consolidated a version of Texas history that downplayed or omitted the liberal government that had preceded him. In 1916 the state archivist wrote:

What nationality is Richard Coke?

Nationality. American. Political party. Democratic. Alma mater. College of William and Mary. Richard Coke (March 18, 1829 – May 14, 1897) was an American lawyer, farmer, and statesman from Waco, Texas. He was the 15th governor of Texas from 1874 to 1876 and was a US Senator from 1877 to 1895.

Why was Coke fired?

The following year, the military Governor-General Philip Sheridan fired Coke and four other judges as ‘an impediment to reconstruction’, in pursuit of unionist Reconstruction policies.

Why did Coke vote to leave the United States?

The Convention's chief concern was keeping slavery legal. For this purpose, Coke voted that Texas should leave the United States to join the Confederacy.

What did Governor Coke believe?

Governor Coke had faith in his people. He believed in the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race —he prided himself in the rich blood of the Southern people. As their leader he fought back the tide of tyranny that was about to engulf them in the murky water of mulatto domination.

What was Coke's role in the Texas A&M University?

He was also instrumental in creating the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, which became Texas A&M University.

About

RICHARD COKE was born in Williamsburg, Virginia and graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1849. After being admitted to the Bar the following year, he moved to Waco, Texas, opening a private law practice. He was also appointed to an Indian Commission by then-Governor Hardin R. Runnels to persuade the tribes to move to Indian Territory.

Source

Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.

Who was Richard Coke?

Richard Coke, Texas governor and United States senator, son of Joh n and Eliza (Hankins) Coke, was born near Williamsburg, Virginia, in March 1829. He entered William and Mary College in 1843 and in July 1848 was awarded a diploma in civil law.

What did Coke do in 1859?

In 1859 Coke was appointed by Gov. Hardin R. Runnels to a commission that decided that Comanche Indians on the Brazos Indian Reservation should be removed from Texas. In 1861 Coke was a delegate to the Secession Convention in Austin and voted for secession. The next year he raised a company that became part of Joseph W. Speight 's Fifteenth Texas Infantry and, as captain, served throughout the Civil War, except for a sixty-day leave in 1864. He was wounded at Bayou Bourbeau (Muddy Creek), near Opelousas, Louisiana, on November 3, 1863. In September 1865 he was appointed judge of the Nineteenth Judicial District by Gov. A. J. Hamilton, who valued Coke's integrity in spite of their political differences. Coke was elected associate justice of the state Supreme Court in 1866 but was removed a year later by Philip Henry Sheridan, the military commander. Coke won the Democratic nomination for governor in 1873 and, in a bitter and sometimes violent election, defeated Governor Edmund J. Davis, the Republican candidate, by a vote of 85,549 to 42,663. He took office in January 1874 in spite of Davis's resistance and an attempt of the Texas Supreme Court to nullify the election by its decision in the case Ex parte Rodríguez.

How did Governor Coke restore order?

Governor Coke tried to restore financial order by cutting expenditures for public printing and the state asylums, but the cost of securing the safety of the Mexican border and combatting Comanche and Kiowa Indians on the western frontier offset such reductions.

What did Coke support?

"Old Brains," as his admirers called him, supported the Bland-Allison Act of 1878 and the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. On grounds of unconstitutionality and extravagance, he opposed the Blair Bill for federal aid to the common schools. He also opposed the protective tariff, the suspension of silver coinage, and the Force Bill, which would have provided federal protection for voters and elections threatened by intimidation and violence. Meanwhile, Coke continued his involvement in Texas politics. He spoke as a strong opponent of prohibition throughout the state. In 1892 he traveled home to support the reelection of Gov. James S. Hogg over George Clark of Waco, Coke's former friend and campaign manager. Coke was reelected to the Senate in January 1883 and again in January 1889, both times by unanimous vote in the legislature. In 1894 he announced that he would not seek another term.

What college did Coke attend?

Vocational education benefited from the opening of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University), at which Coke made an eloquent speech. He was reelected governor by a ratio of three to one over William Morton Chambers, the Republican candidate.

How tall was Coke?

A white-bearded, hulking figure who towered six feet, three inches and weighed 240 pounds, Coke was a commanding presence. It is said that on the political platform he could bellow "like a prairie bull.". His Senate speeches, while often ponderous, were factual, well-organized, and persuasive.

When was Coke reelected?

James S. Hogg over George Clark of Waco, Coke's former friend and campaign manager. Coke was reelected to the Senate in January 1883 and again in January 1889, both times by unanimous vote in the legislature.

Who was Richard Coke?

1. Richard Coke (1829-1897), Texas governor and United States senator, son of John and Eliza (Hankins) Coke, was born near Williamsburg, Virginia, on March 13, 1829. He entered William and Mary College in 1843 and in July 1848 was awarded a diploma in civil law.

What did Coke do in 1859?

In 1859 Coke was appointed by Gov. Hardin R. Runnels to a commission that decided that Comanche Indians on the Brazos Indian Reservation should be removed from Texas. In 1861 Coke was a delegate to the Secession Convention in Austin and voted for secession. The next year he raised a company that became part of Joseph W. Speight's Fifteenth Texas Infantry and, as captain, served throughout the Civil War, except for a sixty-day leave in 1864. He was wounded at Bayou Bourbeau (Muddy Creek), near Opelousas, Louisiana, on November 3, 1863. In September 1865 he was appointed judge of the Nineteenth Judicial District by Gov. A. J. Hamilton, who valued Coke's integrity in spite of their political differences. Coke was elected associate justice of the state Supreme Court in 1866 but was removed a year later by Philip Henry Sheridan, the military commander. Coke won the Democratic nomination for governor in 1873 and, in a bitter and sometimes violent election, defeated Governor Edmund J. Davis, the Republican candidate, by a vote of 85,549 to 42,663. He took office in January 1874 in spite of Davis's resistance and an attempt of the Texas Supreme Court to nullify the election by its decision in the case Ex parte Rodríguez .

How did Governor Coke restore order?

Governor Coke tried to restore financial order by cutting expenditures for public printing and the state asylums, but the cost of securing the safety of the Mexican border and combatting Comanche and Kiowa Indians on the western frontier offset such reductions.

What did Coke do in Texas?

Meanwhile, Coke continued his involvement in Texas politics. He spoke as a strong opponent of prohibition throughout the state. In 1892 he traveled home to support the reelection of Gov. James S. Hogg over George Clark of Waco, Coke's former friend and campaign manager.

What college did Coke attend?

Vocational education benefited from the opening of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University), at which Coke made an eloquent speech. He was reelected governor by a ratio of three to one over William Morton Chambers, the Republican candidate.

How tall was Coke?

A white-bearded, hulking figure who towered six feet, three inches and weighed 240 pounds, Coke was a commanding presence. It is said that on the political platform he could bellow "like a prairie bull.". His Senate speeches, while often ponderous, were factual, well-organized, and persuasive.

When was Coke reelected?

Coke was reelected to the Senate in January 1883 and again in January 1889, both times by unanimous vote in the legislature. In 1894 he announced that he would not seek another term. In the spring of 1897 he suffered from exposure while caring for his flooded Brazos valley farm and was ill for three weeks.

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Overview

Richard Coke (March 18, 1829 – May 14, 1897) was an American lawyer and statesman from Waco, Texas. He was the 15th governor of Texas from 1874 to 1876 and was a US Senator from 1877 to 1895. His governorship is notable for reestablishing local rule in Texas following Reconstruction. Richard Coke was revered by many Texas Southern Democrats due to his perceived triumphs ove…

Early life and education

Richard Coke was born in 1829 in Williamsburg, Virginia, to John and Eliza (Hankins) Coke. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1848 with a law degree.

Confederacy and Early Career

In 1850, Coke moved to Texas and opened a law practice in Waco. In 1852, he married Mary Horne of Waco. The couple had four children, but all of them died before age 30.
In 1859, Coke was appointed by governor Hardin R. Runnels to lead a commission tasked with removing the remaining Comanche natives from West Texas and the Texas Hill Country.
Coke was a delegate to the Secession Convention at Austin in 1861. The Convention's chief con…

Reconstruction

In 1865, Coke was appointed a Texas district court judge, and in 1866, he was elected as an associate justice to the Texas Supreme Court. The following year, the military Governor-General Philip Sheridan removed Coke and four other judges as ‘an impediment to reconstruction’, in pursuit of unionist Reconstruction policies. The removal of the five judges became a cause célèbre and made their names famous, synonymous in the public eye with resistance to Union occupati…

Later life and death

Coke was re-elected to federal office in 1882 and 1888, serving in the 45th – 53rd Congresses until March 3, 1895. Coke was not a candidate for reelection in 1894.
Coke retired to his home in Waco and his nearby farm. He became ill after suffering exposure while fighting a flood of the Brazos River in April 1897. After a short illness, he died at his home in Waco and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

Legacy

Coke's rise to power marked the return of locally elected government in Texas and the establishment of a rigidly white supremacist Texas Democratic party that would maintain a strong hold on Texas government for over 100 years. Historians in the state praised Davis for this, and consolidated a version of Texas history that downplayed or omitted the liberal government that had preceded him. In 1916 the state archivist wrote: