The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-22
hearts are locked in warm embrace and

each,
Breathing ont the tender tale.
beneath the milk'whiie thorn that scents the
evening gale.
And some hopeless, sad. but bright eyed
maiden is saying.
Ny lips refuse 10 say farewell
For that word that fatal word,
iio"er We promise, hope, believe. there
A thousand prayerfnl lips and swelling
hearts are invoking Gods choicest bless,
lngs, For months, aye years tender hearts
yesrned for the departed loved ones. sor.
rowinl yet hopeful eyes. each day, eagerly
watch at the gleomipg along the old-accus-
TONED paths, anticipating return OF the
departed anu thus. many a sad "a. morrow
came and went. And did the husband ne.
turn to his fond wife. the son to a PRAYER
iul mother, who had coniided his keeping
TO the god OF armies and battles, the sweet.
heart 10 the bosom he had so often rested
upon in the tull fruition OF requited
love Sound the muster roll, and let the
silent response answer--the dry bones
NJ Gollad, the Alamo and at San Jacinto
to tell their own brave but piuflu
story, But you and those imperishable
dead bones planted here the tree of liberty:
thus II became watered with the blood of
human hearts.
Though for time swayed by adverse
winds, that tree sent its roots down below
the drought and frost OF anarchy. its trunk
went up erect-not riven by the storm.
soon the evergreen uniolded its branches
and now affords a welcome shade for the
oppressed and liberty'loving of all the peo
pie of the earth
And where lies the true greatness or
grandeur In the civilization itself or the
primal human agency that produced IT. Ii
Is TO them that strike the first blow and blaze
snc snc road TO progress and civilization
The character OF Martin Luther will live
IN history when Henry Warde Beeohes
IS quiet in oblivion; the. name of Gutten.
berg will be cherished when the printer,
and type-setters of the present civilization
are clothed In the dark garb OF utter forget
luiness the name OF Columbus will be a
towering monument when that of the com-
manuer OF the steamship Great Eastern is
ctnm0ied into impalpaole powder; the
name OF Morse will electrify the coming
aces, while those of tho presidents
OF the Western Union, and other
omnipotent telegraeh corporations are
olotted from the minds of men, The names
OF Austin and Of Far min, Of Bowie aud
Frank johnson, OF Stephen w Blount aud
Sam Houston, OF VIM, l.. Hunter and Deaf
smith, ol Davy Crockett and Ed. Burleson.
and OF the men now before me, who blazed
the road TO our advancement and ciyili-
zation, Will be spoken OF with veneration
and blessings hundred generations
after the great men of this day In Texas are
discarded from the pages OF history.
Ihen, whence came these choice bless
lpgs to Texas; what human agency poured
TINS priceless treasure into the very laps of
the two millions of people that now dwell
within these bordersg You and your com.
rads IN the early days of Texas were the in
struments under the direction of wise
Providence, to create this civilization and
unfold our destiny. You and the truly
couraeeous wife that followed yourfoitunes
made these prairies, these rivers, these mills
and valleys almost sacred by your woes,
your prlvatons, your henisms.
Men then, iootsore and hungry, marched
daily with feet unshod and nightly slept
upon untented fields, women of high
birth and gentle manners gathered
no tnornless flowers Of comfort and ease.
but they challenged the bowling blasts Of
the prairles, the tomahawk OF the savage
ana the very welcome OF the solitudes.
IL, sirs Is to you and those of your Spar
tau band, who have crossed over the river.
that owe the proud privilege Of breathing
to day this balmy Texas air, of resting IN
the soft rays OF her bright sun, OF looking
down upon these valleys which might seem
to have been followed out for the very
home and dwelling place of liberty.
forty;seven years ago, this very day, a
vanquished Toe lies bleeding on the banks
OF the San Jaointct A ie.y hundreds OF
ragged and hungry men were the victor,,
over almost as many thousands of trained
foreign soldiers already surieited |
with treasure and human blood |
their proud general is on bendet knee, ask |
ing that quarter and mercy go foreign TO |
his own heart and so little ~ Keeping with |
his own mode OF warfare On that even.
ing the very heavens smiled, and for the
lrst time, the sun went down on this free
and liberated sovereignty. From that good
hour Texas has been free. These people
are now governed by magistrates of their
own selection, under laws framed by their
own agents; the so called Napoleon of the
west no longer dictates your policies or
commands your battaIions; here now
smiles an independent, peaceful, law-abd.
ing nnd well-gOverned commonwealth
Thousands shall spring from your loins
M pace back with pride and lneal
love their blood to yours, Cen.
firms hereafter, in great cities.
from tribes OF common Israel shall come
together the good, the eminent, the bcauti,
iuh to remember you and learn the lessons
OF your unexampled herolsm Your innu
ence Will endure here for ages, and until
the morning stars sing together your names
will be spoken with gratitude and yenera.
tion.
And shall the state hesitate to outs,ietch
her arm, once weak but now strong
made so by your valor. to tender that
bounty your noble achievements SO richly
earned. Shall the millions remain locked
and bolted in the state treasury while the
widows of dead Texiun Spartans are almost
without food and raiment} Just here |
VIII state that 1t was my pleasure to pre-.
pare and have introduced aud earnestly
laoor, before the legislature Just adjourned,
To procure the passage of the law granting
you the meager pension Of $3.50 year, end.
strange 10 you as u may seem, many OBJ
staces were placed in the way. The men
of gray hairs and tottering footsteps, with
exceptions, opposed your demands against
the state, while a large majority OF the
young men-and be 1t said TO their credit
were your friends ana stood between Won
and the Older members "like a pillar of
cloud by day and a pillar of fire ny night.n
The Oldest member OF the senate refused
10 recognize your rights, while Mr.. Mat.
Iock, the youngest, was your earnest advo-
cate, The lower house furnished like ex.
amples ofRratituie and patriotism on the
one hand and niggardy economy aud base
voting against your Just demands aud the
Youngest standing by you with unshcathed
swords battling for your rights.
fou, sirs, merit OF Texas her highest
honors and richest rewards. She may offer
her bounties and pensions 10 simple NOR.
sels, but she cannot circumscribe the mem.
Dry OF Your gallant deeds and achieve
ments. There is now no marble shalt up.
risen 70 the past of Thetmopylm, bu,
l,eonidas and his brave band will live when
ihe law makers of Athens and Rome are IL,
ionble oblivion. Nothing save the
Wreck OF matter and the crush OF worIdsn
IAN destroy the monuments reared 10
your valor. for they are and will ever be In
.he hearts of men.
cannot forget that this Is your
festival which you have journey cd
70 far to keep. | have, therefore, spoken
briefly. Until this hour | never looked in.
% many of your faces, and perhaps but
ew oi you, until now, ever looked into
mine, It's likely We may never meet each
)ther again In this life face 10 face Your