The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-04
From Texas.

ltOBiNSONNILlE, lcA., July -, lo'i.
Having spoken in brief about the soil, eli
mate and productions Of the country, will
now say something about the people 1t has
been Il current idea over the Northern and East
tern states that Texans are no more than bands
of robbers, thieves and .cut-throats, and if we
will 90 back a little, the causes can be easily
discerncd that gave rise to these fearful tales.
Texas, during its carly periods seemed TO be Il
refuge for fugitivos from justice The I'M
menSe territory being sparscy settled, was very
| inviting to them, and then to augment this
class, just after the war, our fair state was sub
ected to four years Of maladministration un-
1 der Gov Davis, during which crime welded
its balefll effects all over the land, while a
wall Of anguish went up from truc-hcaltcd CIT
liens Those were dark days for Texas, and
will stamp an indelibc spot upon her records
for future generations to read and ponder.
But then we must remember that while such
men as we have described came such men as
Stephen f. Austin settled here, and who was
among the first to locate colony on The clear
waters of the Colorado, in the early part OF the
present century. Then, too, we still retain the
postcrty of such men as General Travis with
his brave $50 who fell in the Alamo And to-
day, under n Democratic government there Is
as little if not less crime committed here than
in any other State according to its size and
population. We have almost every nationali-
ty in the world represented among us, from the
highest polished Frcnchman down to the John
Chinaman or Mexican Grcascr As an evil
dcncc of good society and morality, we can on
ly refer those coming here to their results. Let
the weary emigrant, whilctravcrsing the virgin
soil of our broad prarics in search Of new
home in a strange land look toward any vii
lage or thiclily settled community. Church
spires pointing hcavcnward tell him that the
cross Of Christ has been deeply implanted
| there = examination of the curriculum of
many of Our high school, and colleges will
show that thorough course Of instruction is
impaired, and while it is Il lamentablc fact
that our system of Free Schools is laboring TN.
der great disadvantages the day is dawning
when II thorough plan Of operation will be
adopted, making the ineXhau,tiblc supply OF
school funds applicable to the rising genera
ton With the moializin@ influence Of Chrs
tianijy shed abroad in the land and the refining
Culturc of schools no one need fear being
| hung or shot to piece, by an infatuated rabblc
The people living on the frontier are usually
rough in appearance, having been 50 long ac
customed to Il petty warfare with Indians and
no doubt any one coming here green from the
States, as Texans term it, would bo somewhat
uneasy should he meet company OF Rang
crs in pursuit Of II fresh Indian trail, But The
Western pioneer, however rude he may mp
pear, will greet the traveller with a welcome
voice, inviting him to spend the nightly hi
iircsidc though his cabin be rude in structure
seemingly little better than that Of Wigwam
and then with rifle in one hand and bible il
the other he sows seeds and morality in The
hearts Of the few children who live in hi
sparscly settled district. While it is true tina
stage robbcrics occur, and men are executed
without form of trial, il must not be inferred
that state Of anarchy exists; but these tales
Iof lawlesslcSs are greatly cmbcllishcd as they
so North or East, so completely tcrriiyin!
many who desire 10 COME ;hat they rcgarc
Texas as II passport to eternity and from NJ
consideration could be induced to risk tIIci
lives among us.
As evidence of enterprise among the people
we have only to look at the internal improve
mrnts railroads have traycrscdthc country il
various directions, during the past few years
along whose lines towns and cities have Sprun!
up as if by magic, being supported by the ricI
? products of the country. On every hand d
we see the plowsharc driving its way through
the fresh soil which in turn yields bountiiu
harvest Bridges span our rivers, adow
whose currents many II poor fellow has los
his life in attempting to cross. With all thcs
inducements, people here will ere long be NJ
ted for their high culture, socially, moral
and intellectually LITTLE TEyNN.