The Placer herald., 1866-06-23
Mutilations Of the Almo Monument "A
Disgraceful Sacrilege.

The Texas correspondent Of the New York
NeacS thus writes coucernin5 the conduct Of
some United States soldiers, . 1t deserves
and will receive the reprobation of all good
men and true:
The Almo monument stands upon the
porch in front Of The State-house in Austin.
1t is an humble tribute erected by the old
State of Texas to the immortal honor of the
heroes who perished in their defense of the
fort.
1t is about fifteen feet high, and is so
situated that in order to enter the building
you must pass around it. With four sides
beautifully but plainly oruamented on each
side; with a shield above, which are the
skull and crossbones, in indication of their
heartess MURDER by brutal mongrel inva-
ders from the South. Above the shield the
names of Crockett, Bowie and Travis. At
the top and each side are written these
touching words, which would move any civ.
ilized heart;
"Thermopyl@ had her messenger of defeat; the
Almo had none.''
On the South side:
BE they enrolled with iLeoni(las. as in the host
Of the mighty dead"
On the north side:
ITO the God of the fearless and the free is
erected this monument. gathered from
the ruins OF the Almo."
On the shield was the names of the de-
Tenders in raised letters. Such was the
beautiful monument raised by grateful
people in the sacred memory of the iIlustri
ous dead.
Some Union soldiers have taken their
knives and cut from the soft stone the names
of Crockett, Bowie and Travis, and instead
have inserted their own names. On the
skull they have drawn, with pencil, huge
mustacbe and imperial. The east side of
square has been broken 10.
In all Christendom there is only one class
of human beings of whom such an outrage
should have been expected. The disappont.
ed Mexican greaser, who was not satisfied
With the murder of the brave defenders of
Texas, would insult their names. But this
crime was perpetrated by men of the nine
teenth century-of the United States of
America-by the very men sent to restore
the State to peace and quiet. The men who
committed this outrage wrote their names
and place of residence. 1t has been under
the very eye of the military officers. Gus
tar may glory in this as Hunter did in dis
mantling the Washington statute. Such
man may well have the face to swear peo
pie were disquiet under such treatment,
and if they were not, such an outrage would
keep them so.
1t was the policy of tyrants in Pagan
Rome to so insult the people as to make
them seek refuge in despotism. Texas, that
voluntarily joined the Union, is sought to
be degraded by this process. The very men
who bequeathed this beautiful legacy to the
Union are nsulted in their graves by her
troops. O, ye immortal Gods! have such
crimes ever been committed before in thv
name.
No wonder General Grant would suppress
the newspapers of the country, lest these
crimes should meet public eye, and call
down the execrations of mankind. But |
defy the martial law of vandas like Custar,
and scorn the usurpations over The press
assumed by Grant. TEXAN RANGER.
Deposit OF KAoLIN.-A. fine deposit of
kaolin was recently discovered within about
three miles of Virginia City, State of Neva-
da. The deposit is about seven feet in thick.
ness, and is said to be of superior quality.
Kaolin is the material from which porcelain
and all the fine Chnawares are manufactul
red. 1t derives its name from the Chinese
word Kao ling, meaning high ridge, the
name of hill near Jauchau Flu where the
mineral is obtained in abundance.