The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-07-13
VOL. v.
THE GERMANS AND THE CENTEN-
NAL.

"Everybodys business is nobody's bust
ness" and therefore half dozen persons
organized and directed the celebration of
the Centennial Fourth in Austin. Every
body attended, and everybody applauded
speeches and events and listened with p o
found interest when the Declaration OF H.
dependence was read, and while Judge
Bell pronounced a tasteful and patriotic
Orution instead of historical recitation Of
local facts which the public expected at his
hands. But this profound public interest
in events of the day and the earnest devo-
tion manifested and applause so generously
awarded not only the reader but the ora
tor, both steadfast Union men through all
their lives. should surely convince our
Northern feIlow-countrymen that the peO-
pie Of the capital of Texas are not only de-
voted to the Union and its hallowed memo
ries but have absolutely forgotten, if they
ever existed, those unworthy, section
al and personal prejudices that spring
from the fact and are only forceful to
the extent that the true people OF
the North and South are ignorant of
each others peculiarities. Very many peo-
pie of the South have only seen one phase
of Northern character AS developed IN q
class that was pensioned off, for services to
Radlcalism, in the South, and came simply
To gather gold and return with it; but rail-
WAYS and travel and the influx of people
from all the States and nations rapidly cor
rects errors of ignorance and of local preJu-
dice, and the people learn that honesty and
virtue, like knavery and crime, are not lin
tied by parallels of latitude or longitude,
but are of equal force, where grades of in
telligence are equal, in all climes and all
countries. OF those who sat through four
or five hours in the hall of the House and
listened intently and applauded earnestly
the patriotic assertions of Judge Bell and
Governor Hubbard, ninety-nine hundredths
were ''rebels," and yet the vices of the
times in Texas are ascri5ed by Northern
partlsanship to the dormant but excitable
spirit of secessionism that "still pervades
and makes a very volcano of the South. "
Austin, Tuesday ana Tuesday night, was
surely volcanic of Federal as of local pa
| triotism.
Perhaps the most pleasing incident of the
day next after this double assurance of
fealty to the Union, and to unionism as de-
veloped IN those who led in the celebration,
was the social and moral effect of the
splendid entertainment given by our G, rman
fellow cit zens to the Legislature and to
citizens of the capital. The firing of can
mons, the Centennial ball in which our
fathers and mothers of the 0lden time re-
appeared, the wonderful exhibition of the
Turner'S, the patriotic speech of an eloquent
| German barrister, the tirewOrks-all til csc,
however effective, sink into insignifcance
in local social results and in accomplishing
a defined purpose when contrasted with the
| festival rendered by German taste and Ger
mln generosity to lawgivers and people.
Five hundred invited guests sat at endless
tables burdeued with every conceivable
delicacy and with every dish in the prepara-
ton of which German culinary art was eX-
|
infinite good humor and rich wines from
Rhineland vineyards and music and fair
women, and Germans and Texans were an
undistinguishable mass and there was IL de
gree of good fellowship enforced establish
ing degree of oneness among the people Of
the capital that must affect, for long years tn
| come, through representative men and
women, the social conditions of the COM
monwealth. There is nothing truer, how
ever we may dislike to confess it, than the
oft made assertion that the shortest route
To u mans good will runs down his esoph-
agus. Our German fellow -citizy MS recog-
n zed the force of the apothegm at tie
supper table, and then captivated popular
fancy by graces and delights and delightful
melodies of the splendid ball room. The
good accomplished on the by-gone auniver-
sary by speeches and by the peculiar history
and i, telligence of Germany, developed in
Texas, will be surely felt through the
century that is before us, and when al
these years have aci the living of the Sec
ond Centennial, reviving memories of Tues
day, will have reason to bless the men and
women who love not Texas less because
their tongues have accents significant oi
hallowed memories of Faderland.
SANTA ANNA'S TH-HIS VIR.