New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-20
THE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
v.uvv GERMAN COLONIZATION
PRINCES AND MOBILES IN AMERICA.
THE FUTURE OF THE STATE.
LECTURE BY FREDERICK Knapp.


b, FRID. RaPP-i, being the sixth OF the series OF
German Lectures being delivered this winter. rne
lecturer opened bis remarks with details touch
ING The earlier history Of Texas under the dominion
Of Spain, and the changes which the Mexican revoa
ton had caused in the policy of colonization in
card 10 tina, vast country mainly used by Spain as
barrier against the United States. He argued tha.
the indeI endence of this Mexican province was not
as il s oftsntimes grossly misrepresented and be-
Esved the consequence of the struggle for freedom
but plot OF North American slaveholders, imni-
grated from the Southern States Of the Union laid 10
her exclusive interest Leaf the security of their
blsch property might be affected. Those nsty per-
sopp who in December, 1885, had dc dared the nde-
CO Of Texas and after the battle of IAN ia
eipto had adopted republican constitution, wholly
modelled after those Of the Southern States, were
citizens Of the United States and wonder, there
fore that scarceiy one year later they applied al
ready for anneI6ilOn-the essiest and most aDpr0-
Driaie uea,ure TO insure their institution against
spy Abolition tendencies Of humanity and true lib-
erty-nbich after being twice defeated, was finally
carried under President POks Administration in
ls45. Even before thar period, in l-42, an ss-ocia
ton of German princes and noblerDen, established
by Count Castel for the purpose OF assisting those
willing 70 tmierafe and 70 protect the from frauts
practlced on immigrants and 20 relieve the county
Of the IL cressiDg pauperisin and open ne@ heds 70
German commerce and industry, he'd cast is eyes on
Texas The time particularly favored such scheme
The public ceiling The political neDt aud, above
AZ t6e social aspirations Of the worrying 81 ssses were
aroused after long sumber. and the higher Glasses
Of society found il comfortable and pleasant 10 5y n
pathize with the people, 10 form societies Tor this
lief The literature OF that time has also shown this
teDdeDcJ-as it IL always the best mirror Of public
orir ion The glorifcaion OF the "Ptoetriaos,
and The most fab8s'cal scherDes for establishing uni
ytr.aI bs ppiDess, sprDging like mushrooms out
Of the bot but foul atmosphere Of the time The
plan Of Count Caste takes certainly high and hon
cradle rank among all these various schemes and II
pTopefly conducted would, perhaps, have done mucn
GOOD 10 the colonsis as well 10 the mother
fyy When the Ar Dexaiion Of Texas was but mere
question Of time several proprietors of large tracts
Of land in that country united TO turn the fux Of
German mmie ration INTO II, aud spared neither
mopey nor iDtrigues TO represent II a paradise on
earth. Thus they succeeded TO attract the attention
Of the said association OF nobemen, who were
pleased with the political situation OF the country be-
caufe il encouraged in them the most saDgune
bopes for The promotion of their particular inter
eet. This interest consisted chiefly III opening nsw
sphere OF action; also a new source OF wealth - the
German nobility, who suffering under the level
ing spirit OF the age. An independent German colony
IN that part Of North America could not exactly be
declared impot sibe at thst iimethe project OF an
Dtxation being disllked by both Mexico and England
and wellregulated immigration o. bat ,OOU pc pie
with proper means would have been strong enough
TO maintain Itself in posse ssion of the whole country
from the shore at Lavacare Bay, between the Colo
RADIO and Rio Grsnde, up TO the mountainous region
T,Ias, that England bad in hand in settling the
country by Germans. Ii 80 Pamerston has selected
very poor helps for his purpose. That there were
trabtactions between the English Cabinet and the
principal leaders of the Association of NOblemen
o.. ms to be a fact. They abored 10 make Eng land
tske the "prot ctorafe" over the Texan Colony
The Grit agent of the Nobemens Association, Couat
Btos WslCeck was utterly incompet sDt. He trav.
cleo in the country during the year s43 but cid not
even 90 to the foot Of the mountain where the Ger
mans settled in later years He bought plantation
and be came Stakeholder himself, and all the advice
be gave favored the saveholdiDg interest. An
American Democrat woud consider this matter of
couIte; but even the princes and nobemen in Ger
many disguised 10y such an alliance. Count
Waldtck was dismissed and the Association resolv ed
10 pursue faithfully more liberal sysem OF coloni
ration. They declined publicly denying through the
pIess the Of their being allied with the slave
holders here and this cusaton although false, had
shaken the public confidence at an early time. In
March, 1914, the BY Laws cf the Association were
Published and its charter given by the Duke of Mas
Who accepted the protectOra'e it, The Prince
ef LiDnsen was President; Count Casteil, Direc-
tor; Prince Frederick Of Prussia the Duke OF Co
bur, -Goihs the Princes Of Hesse Homburg, of
Sehwsrizburg. the three Princes of Solms Brauniels
and about thirty other Pnnces, Counts and Barons
were msmben. According 70 the bylaws, they in-
tented to direct the German emigration 10 God
couIiry-to assist the emigrans with good advice
and substantial aid, and 10 open new markets TO Ger
man industry and commerce On paying $40, each
aduf promised deed for forty acres of land
al free passage; paying s24O ach family should
have eighty acres and free passage block dwell
ling house stock and uiei sis could be bought the
place, If wanted At a low consideration School
hopses churches public roads and hospitals to
be built by the Association. There were more appl
cations than expected. In the first year, ls0
ard in the second year, about 600 families sub
scribed TO the above terms. Prince Charles, of
Solms Brsunfels, appointed Commissioner Gen
era went 10 Texas, but instead of applying 10 the
Government for donation of a proper tract of
land. which would have been granted, the company
hnuoh ~ ba DIVA nd bQ Hep Etsbg
the first in Bexar Coun'y-a dubious bargain
which was afterward forfeited The other, between
the San Saba and the Upper Colorado in the utter
wilderness and never trod by white man. Fisher
having heard of what was going on in Germany, had
succeeoed in lsiJrn obtaining grant OF large tracts
Of land and, in company With a certain Miller, had
haste ned to Germany, where the leading members Of
the Association fascinated by the enchanting
pictures which he drew of his estate that they pur
chased il III good faith, without pledge of their
truth This the death blow for the whole enter
prise. The Company lost its money, and its chsrac
ter. TIE deceived emieran's lost all they possessed,
and some of them their lives. Fisher alone the
gsner. Whoever feels interested in the further de-
tails OF this project, and of the history Of COLOMBIA
ton If Texas in general will be satisfied by the work
Of Mr.. A SimmeriDg-s fully competent writer, who
has lived q long time in Texas and whose book will
soon be published Prince Solms followed in
the fall OF the year isii by 40 families engaged by
TIE Company, and started with them for the Fisher
tract. After long and dangerous journey through
the wilderness, haunted only by hostile Indians they
became dsbearfeDed and stopped at the iuncture of
the Comsl with the Guadalupe, where, advised by
Ferdinand Lindheimer, most distinguished and
Learned Botsnisi, Prince Solns laid out he town of
New brsunfele-caled after his own residence md
OF the first German settlement in Te1ss Prince
Some, although quite al smiab'e and benevolent
man, was, however, totally unqualified for the office
he vas intruited with Tie had too msny preiudices
ara ffesunpnSns Oh rank and nobility, was qaeer
and vain, liked 10 act the Prince 70 the people who
laughed and scorped at IT, He sousndered the uo,ev