San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-04-14
From BastrUp.
BAsrROp. March. 20, 1881.

From BastrUp. Fth
slmo BAsTROp, March 20, 1881.
EDITORS FREE PkEss:
What Is the matter? l see 10 your
last paper that several divorce cases
were granted by the district court. l
lived eighteen years in SaI Marcos, and
during the whole time, do not re
member that there was u single appli.
cation for divorce.
Hays county was then very moral
community-what is tue cause OF this
change? ? Are the people getting degen
crate? reier t0 my history 0f Hays
county, aud if | have not forgotten it,
there was oply one murder case, aud
Que of accid. ntally killing a man no
horse or COW stealing-is Hays, my be
loved county, retrvxrading?
My dear sir, when | started in Hays
county, we were ,cial, band 50 to say
of relatives, each sympathizing over u
oase'Of s.ckness-there was no Distress
tor though we had to live at first plain
on beef or veniUn, we had plenty aud
it was divi ed. But immorAlity was
not known, nor any other bad vices.
Now, you have so many divorce cases.
| vow, generally the men are ut fault,
they mistreat their wives, or are drunk
,rds or libertines. | preferthe simplic-
iy Of early days to modern improve
,nents--miy it be thu fashion, or rail
roads. or any hyfalufin scheme Ofo'u
cation or philosophy @
The purity aud simplicity of tho early
Texan. und the simple laws enacted then
prefer; lm,y be fogy, but all Texas
veterans will remember how happy we
lived in the days of tho Texss.repub-
lie; We wore then poor. we had to strug.
gle against lniians and. Mexicans. but
we were pure in morals, honest and
md a band of brothers---and the female
sex was almost adorcd, tor they we're
faithful to- Their country, their hus
bands. and in time OF danger they ex.
hibited Spartan heroisu. fL .ss4 ~
Civilization has many advantages, but
[ doubt whether it improves morality or
genuine happiness. Prosperity and wealth
too often degenerates; honesty and NOR
,lity, simplicity of lite, in family or ma
ton is the best aud trucsr standard or
"'Pp'TD1'' PrpTs 4 Respectfully. I 81 q z
~ - z. ERHARD.
The editor ishappy io'have presented
the above correspondence, but regrets
that our noble pioneer friend takes so
despoudeut view Of " modern affairs.
It is true a few disco ntentod parties are
getting an n-mnrried, and some are going
TO the bad" in Hays county as well as
elsewhere. An occasional horse or COW
i stolen. but one must remember that
he population has increased largely
since the writer lived here, and the evil
comes with the good. Moreover, Il is be
iieved that BeeIzebub. the prince. !"
b rs been unclaimed since the war. and
that makes things, worse than usual.
One eau hardly believe il is oil the
m ms or women's fault, this divorce; /;
either party may see some sfhniiy.' or
puppy love. and not regarding the Di
vine law which says divorces shall not
be granted except for adultery. and even
then said divorced parties should not
m,rry again until the former partner is
dead-they are sep,istsd and often in
cur scandal on society. Courts are v"ry
loose in this respect. and after reading
a formal petition stating misussee snd
abuses. let the parties loo o. A better
~ay would be to send them to q reform
schooll' Oa the whole. il msy be said
that old Hays holds her ovn 10 moral
ity, educational aud religious status.
Her communities are honest. Gcd-fesr
ing. and enrerprisiog. aud for these rea
sous hundreds Of excellent cisisess sre
aockiug TO her borders. Her women
are ss noble. beautiful and heroic ss
ever. or Il you dos't believe IL. let the
British lion uy to wate them up, and
Noa pcrroEa"
In regard to the .rresd Of refseuent.
iifasiou Of ksorlcdge. snd iocresse Of
luxury. nations hare often failed TO m
ierrssi that 10 preportion ss norsli'y
sud inieIlisssos s-e coub'ssd- DO they
srove most besefczI. ssi sise. tbs,
rirhieousses er,lieth q nation" and
proporsiou ,s The rrsrrisre rsl.iIOs is
ssld sseres. - riIl be The reign q true
srospe-ity.
In ospelusis.. Is: rs sy. thst Sun