Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-02-27
TEXAS MID.

addressed to The Chris,i.a Advocate al
Galveston;
Mn RplTOR My last was only
svLidee ris'r uf the sublecl-ihore
are other aud much graVer qnos-
| lions connected with Texas mud
Tho learned AgassiZ has explored
the continent of Europe to illustrate
and elaborate his Glacial thcory-a
theory first suggested 10 his mind
by the worn, smooth pebbles that
lie at tho base OF the Alps, These
little pebbles, no contends, teach
that the European continent was
once one vast sn0w-bed, He has
more recently been retonnoitering
along the shores of tho Amazon,
aud questioning It's banks and trib,
utaries in the interests of science,
Why comes he not to question Tex,
ns mud, and see what IL would say
10 him2 Why have none fthc sci
cntitic sons of America felt interest
ed enough in 1.-The boundlcss pTai.
ries of the West" TO look into the
matter and venture theory as 10
their geological originG How comes
il that, with the simple facts known
to every sold Texans SO many i'm.
possible statements still find cur
rcncy in the text books OF the land
in reference to the origin of tho prai-
rics2 Whence came this vast al.
luvial deposit, spread in myriad
acres over the Wcst1 What are
the Geological relations of the Mis-.
sissippi river, and the Rocky Noun
tains, and the vast emerald slope
that reaches up from the verge of
the Father of Waters midway to
/ that Cordillera? There is an din.
t.,rogation mark" Mr.. Editor, in
ever footprint over this black loan
on which we live, TO which it will do
always simply TO attach an "excla-
nation mark but TO which science
must, sooner or later, seek satisfac-
tory replies.
But Texas mud hass not merely
Geological significance. Precarlous
as it looks, it is the firm foundation
upon which rests many oft.e social,
economical and political interests
of tho "Lone Star State"
Two things grow spontaneously
from Texas mud, TO wit: luxurious
grass and fat beef. As consc.
qucnce, every body-cven the beg
gars, if such can be found here de-
serving the name-ride on horses,
because to manage cattle is here
an instinct of the population. This
engenders the free, dashing, intre-
pid and adventurous air that every
Texaa unconsciously wears. The
spontaneous and universal growth
Of beef engenders also, no doubt,
the nomadc habits of so large a
portion of the population, who are
continually looking for richer plains
amidst the boundcss fertility around
them.
1t is not, as is still gravely stated
in some of the school books, that
the annual burning of the forests by
the Indians resulted in their des-
truction and rendered bare these
fertile plains. No large trees are
seen even where the greatest pre-
cautions are taken to secure their
preservation and growth. In this,
as in nearly every other matter in
Texas, the mud interposes. Proba-
bly, its strong impregnation with
lime has largely to do with it, The
absence Of trees ."promotes the
g'owth" of the price Of lumber,
which, in it's turn, seriously 'dimin-
ishes the growth" Of houses, both
us to style, number and size. All
these social interests, with their
thousand attendant questions, rest
entirely upon the quality, quantity,
expanse and depth of Texas mud
Nor is the political complexion of
this ebon face that Texas wears less
interesting to contemplate. But for
this black (the popular color) bog,
over which and around which we
step so daintily, the Macmillan
tragedy might have had different
solution, and Texas might now bo
resting under the Imperial egis,
Certainly, but for it, the star Of Tex
as never would have shone in the
American galaxy, nor the stripes"
from the United States Government
have been laid upon her. But for
this Ethiopic strata Texas, when
first in rebellion" would never
have been instigated by her cum
ming neighbors in their act of"trea-
son against the worst government
the world ever saw" She would
have been secuted as a "rebel," and
Santa Anna would have Stumped it
over the State, "the monarch of all
he surveyed" All but Texas had
rich black soil, the very place to
search for the golden fleece" and
so she was not a "rebel," but gal
lantly asserting her Independence
Into the door, enticingly opened for
entrance by her neIghbor, she smil-
ingly entered. Facilis est decensuS
Acerni. No sooner did she begin
to feel dissatisfied with the new in
closure, and boldly walked back to
60 out at the door by which she had
so freely, but short time before,
entered, than she met q glittering
sword unsheated, and heard, thun-
dercd in her astonished ears, "rebel
and traitorl Who enters here leaves
hope (of getting out again) behind?"
The fact is, in all such matters, the
political judges will ask: (Which
OK did you say was gored, yours or
mine?" Now, stuck in the mire of
reconstruction, neither in nor out.
Texas has come to understand The
quaint old paradox once applied to
the Calvinistic theology:
"You shall and you sban't
You will and you won't,
You'll be damned il you do,
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