Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-04-24
oId Texans.
- b. Br..a.,IlIs ssalIssl.l

l sweet Home, laaNaeA county lcAar-
lie was a brave man, as exhibited
ia his career as a sOldierin the early
wars OF Texas against Indians aud
Mexieans, and he was noble man,
as shown in all bis Intercourse with
the world.
In 1874, We stopped at his house,
an entire stranger, then just come
into Texas, remained a day and
night aud obtained = horse from him
20 ride some miles 10 tho house Of a
friend. When about TO leave, We
praetieed tho manners Of the States
BY asking our bill, aud he was al
mos, insHlted, and replied warmly,
"You owe mo nothing, sir. j am
glad enough TO see people IRON the
States coming here without eharg'
ing them for three meals aud bed,
or n horse 10 ride few miles. l
never charged person in my life,
sir, and such ls not our habit In
Texas"
We then asked him how no could
know that his horse would DO len
ut our friends as arranged, when
he said, ~ know il by your face,
SIR"
Eyon in that carly day the dcsig'
nation of old Texan was in common
use, and was applied to those who
came here in the earliest days.
A moro noble or hospitable SGT OF
mon never broathed.
Such thing as 10 charge a bill
outside Of public house for enter
tainment, was not known, and II
gave them real pleasure TO receive
strangers at their houses. They are
now nearly all among tho dead, but
their memories will live rs long as
Texas ondurcs.-[ Houston Telo-
graph.
Tho kindness and hospitality Of
old Texans was u matter of surprisc
10 newcomers. A person fully i'm
pressed by all tho details of scenes
Of violence which reached the Uni
ted States in days gone by, and
stamped Texans as murderers, and
almost savagcs, hardly know what
to think when ho was welcomed with
warmth and cordially by all.
A kinder hearted people never
lived. What they had was ut tho
service of their friends. 1t WINS not
givon or loaned grudgingly. There
was no attempt ut conccalment.
All was open, frank, and manly.
Yet thoro was a limo mono could
pass with impunity. Improper in
tor ference with the affairs of another
was resented in tho most pointed
manner.
Tho man who kept open house,
and had the coffee pot on the fire
about eighteen hours out of twcnty-
four, for the entertainment of COM
ors and goers, had also trusty rifle
and a bowie knife, for any ono who
dared defy him.
I Less than q hundred thousand
souls occupied territory larger
than the Empire of France. Poo
tple talked of neighbors thirty miles
off. Law was respected, but tho
means of enforcing it were not pow
erful.
Each settler was q soldier. He
had to protect himself against sava-
ges and enemies from Mexico. lie
felt himself an element of power in
the governmental sovereign in
theory, in fact, and indeed. lilo OK
hibitod his regal power on all pro-
per occasions. He might err in
judgment, but his motives wcrc cor
rect.
1t required Just such men to hold
tho country against eight millions
of Mexicans, and hordes of Indian
foes. They discharged the task
with chivalry, and they gave an en-
pirc to the United States.
They had no fear. They never
despairod of tho Republic they up
hold. They demonstrated their
ability to maintain their indepen-
dence, and they voted for annexa-
ton as q matter of choice, and not
of necessity. 1t was an offering to
the cause of American progress.
Mixico acknowledged tho indepen-
dence of Texas, with a proviso
against annexation to the United
States. England and Franco wero
guarantors. Tho old Texans looked
upon tho matter rs a question bo-
tween republican and monarchical
principles. They did not hesitate
to throw their weight into tho scale
of free government, and to mako tho
Rio Grande the boundary of the
United States.
To yield up tho nationality of
of Texas to furl the Lone Star Ban
ner they loved with devotion, was
bitter trial. When President Arson
Jones announced from the steps of
the Old Capitol at Austin, that the
last scene of the drama had closed
"the Republic of Texas is no more"
thore wcro men present who had
faced danger in its most appalling
forms and had never quailcd, and
who were sobbing like stricken chill
dren. 1t was solemn and impress
sivo scene, 1t was the final act
which sealed and delivered a genor-
GUS offering to tho cause Of cousti-
tutional government. 1t was sur
rendering tho child, nurtured
through revolution, danger, priva-
ton, and, toll, TO other hands. The
tear of affection told of the pangs
which accompanied the votivc offer
ing Of our political Isaac upon the
altar of duty. 1t was made in the
same spirit which had characterized
all the doings of the old Texans.
There were no mental reservations,
no double dealings, all was fair and
square.
These noble men, who have play
ed so grand part in the worlds