Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-01-05

I y
propose 10 submit o Few facts 10 your read
ers not generally known, relative TO the
frontlero Texas and It's deic &C.
Residing ny | have done for The last fpur-
I teen years in Eastern Texas, orr may ex-
cept the first two years OF tue present war,
during which was volunteer soldier 10
the Pr visional army OF the O.. Sa) claim
TO know something o. public sentiment IN
that portion OF the State IN regard 10 the
policy of the Legislature in maintaining
/ ioroe for frontier defence.
The fact is, that u large portion OF the
people OF Eastern Texas are Impressed with
the belief that the military organization OF
this frontier is made up Of very bad materi-
al, the greater part disloyal, or 10 say the
least, d. satlucted towards our government
rendering no valuable service 10 the eeuh-
try, afordng Rs.e!eus 10 which shirHers'
deserters and bad inen rally aud that any
appropriation made TO sustain II, 10 use
less waste OF the public treasure, am Tree
to admit that very recently | entertainer
similar sentiments But, sir u mouth res
idence here, the Head Quarters Of the LIST
Fiouter District of Stale Trool 8, with am
pie means Tor learning lie character, senti-
soldiery, have convinced me tia this is ALI
mistake. The promprncss with which both
officers and men ubey Orders would do cred
il to veterans in the service; while the vig-
lance aud wttchtuness displayed by citl-
gems and soldiers in arrestng deserters,
hunting up the brush men, and reporting
Tie dlsloyal, should make some people nv
ing tui Their East, blush NJ the contrast. In
brief sir, more loyal, patriotic, sell sacri-
fcing people, have not seen any where III
the Siae. They have purged the country
OF those uniriendly 10 the government they
have arrested scores of desertcrs and re-
turned them to their commands; they have
promptly punishe consp iraiors with DEATH
so that now there are but few delinquents
of any kind in this frontier District. Gov
crnment agents nave been and still are art
wing thousands OF their beef cattle to fed
our armies. giTing in return "promise 10
pay ut the Fate OF $50 perlead IN tonfed-
crate money, when they could realize dou-
Die TINT sum ii ON citizens IN Eastern Tex
MS, aud yet you scarcely bear murmur on
account Of it, | regret that have not sta
tistical Information Of the number OF beef
cattle driven from this Frontier Military
District, Tor the use of the army, the past
year. From all i have seen and learned,
The number il vast, aud fear the import,
ance oil fostering and protecting this branch
OF industrial pursuit is greatly overlooked
by our government authorizes. They well
know the Importance OF otet TO sustain our
armies, but icing remote from the pace OF
producing il they do not consider properly
how II has been and must continue to be
suppiel.
IL Is true that The State Legislature and
Governor have doue what they could 10 pro-
tect The irouier by organizing three NH
taly districts, each CONFUSED OF certain
frontier counties OF ihe state Besides
this, the G. s. has one Reg't. and one Bat
taliiou Of cavalry doing service on this
frontier; yet with all The vigilance that
these 1oic,s have been able 10 exert, small
bands Of sayages and Kansas jay- hawkers
continue occasionally 10 pass the out posts,
enter The settlements, murder men, " omen
and children, and drive OF herds Of horses
aud cattle with inipunity. The broken ana
brushy character Of lh' country, the length
OF the line to be guarded, ex.snding as
il does tronl u point North OF Red Rive,
hundreds of miles Southward--ihe slealthy
manner in which the Indians enter and
their rapid and continuous movement as
they pass out, travelling NJ ght and day rem
/ ders ii exceedingly doubtful wheihera force
FIVE times as great as that now stationed
here could guard against every cs sualty
and inroad OF this wiley foe.
4 Bounded as we are on the west by a vast
wilderness, uninhabited- except by rowing
tribes of hostile Indians, we must necessn-
rily continue TO have frontier TO protect
and deierd. The question s, where shall
the frontier be2 Shall We MAINTAIN u
where il is, or shall we by policy which
will force the families ofthp present from
tier settlements with their focks and herds
to emigrate Eastward, draw II in? from
tier we are compelled to have if we exist as
q nation and people. Suppose the settle
menis West Of the counties OF Gray son, Col
lin. Dallas, Ellis, &c, break up and move
East o. thnt tier Of counties, what assurance
have we that the people Of that tier will re-
main 10 form new frontier OF the state
apprehepa hat The cause being the same
the like effect would follow.
have been led TO the serious coniempla.
tion of this subject, from some circumslan-
ces that transpired here and before my eyes
within the last few weeks. The &. 5. En-
rolling officers for this cou' ~ and Cook
made a formal demand on Gen. Throckmcv.
4 Ton. now in command of this Military Dis
trict, for all the men of bis command, with
view OF conscripting and forwarding then
TO camps of instruction forthwith. The
news spread like wildhre. Only a few day.