The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-04-26
THE OLD GUARD.
The Celebration of San JaclntO Day by
the Texas Veterans at BeltOn.
A Grand Parade and a General Good
Time Had All Around.
The Annual Address by the Hon. JOt
Stewart, of Austin.
A Companion Association Organized
by the Ladies.
Adjourned 10 Meet at Paris.

AuJUuihc W 1hoSo "' "'''
BELToN April Special 1.-The vete-
rams this morning formed in line on the
public square and were photographed.
They then proceeded to the Baptist church
headed by a colored band from Waco The
spacious building was crowded to overflow
ing and hundreds turned away unable to
even get near the front of the church. The
proceedings were opened with prayer by
DR.. Atkinson, after which Mayor Chamber
lain formally rendered the freedom of the
city to, the veterans. Judge y. b. Saunders
delivered an address. of welcome, compar-
ing the struggles of the American colonies
with the struggles of Texas for in
dependence. The address was bril-
liant and was listened to with
profound attention. Hon. Guy NJ. Bryan,
responded in few appropriate remarks in
which he urged the unity of Texas now and
forever. In the behalf of the veterans he
said: MAKE your children swear upon the
altar of their country that Texas shall re-
main united forever"
Colonel Joe. H. Stewart then delivered
the annual address, which wasa follows,
Texas soldiers of 1896, and the Widows OF old
Texas Soldiers
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-l feel at this
moment as if | were az some holy Shrine.
What an honor, standing here almost in
my youth to be called upon TO speak to
you. .,
When quite boy l visited the Smith
sonan Institute at Washington, and alone
and without companion, prompted by Gu
riosity, entered the various rooms and de-
partments of that institution. At length L
found myself ushered into large room,
perhaps eighty feet square and fifty ieet
from floor to dome, and saw the whlted
walls hung with the pictures of distin-
guished Indian warriors, adorned with war
pal mt and feathers, and human scalps
dangling from wampum belts. Each eye
seemed firmly fixed on me, and l felt in
my boyish fear as if confronted by living
red men.
At that moment l remembered all the
the thrilling accounts l had heard and read
of these men OF the forest. The occasion
and surroundings inspired the remem-
brance and reflections.
Locking now into your faces | am alike
impressed with this occasion. These
wrinkled brows, snowy heads and trembling
limbs; these sunken eyes, cleaning still
with the sunbesms OF patriotism, impress
me with the magnitude OF this presenae,
and realize at this hourth am standing
in the presence of the grandest living he
roes of one of the grandest political reVolu-
tions hitherto known among the children
of men.
Such collection of the living portraits OF
men of three score years aud ten, pencHle1
by the very Master Hand of the Universe, 1t
has rarely been the privielage OF men 10 be-
hold since the days of the prophets and pa
triarchs of the olden time.
1t shall not allude in detail to the bistor-
ical events in the early days OF Texas, that
grand temple erected by you and the dead
heroes of the young Republic, within whose
walls all the liberty glowing men now living
and to come hereafter, may gather courage
and inspiration, and upon whose polished
walls your pictures will hang when nails
are eaten with rust, when cords and tns'eis
are broken, and when marble structure. IRE
crumbled into atoms and dust.
Yes, that temple of imperial structure,
whose foundation stones are laid deep and
sure on the rock OF ages. and whose dome
now grows and swells towards heaven and
eternity. / would only wipe the
dust from its plain, old noble urns.
Every nation has had its heroic period,
and its heroic race. The heroes OF Bexar,
of the Alamo, of Goliad, of San Jacinto,
and the Texas revolution, furnished the
heroic race for Texas, and the revolution OF
1885 aud 1886 was the heroic period.
The heroic age IS that time dlstin-
guished above all others by a concur
renee of grand agencies with grand
results, by uncommon examples OF the
rarer virtues and qualities OF man, tried by
an exigency that occur only at the begin
ming of new epochs-when the great bell OF
time sounds out another hour
The heroic race is that one in the course
of history which is recognized rs the great
agency 10 kiudlC and feed the moral illds-
ination, nerve the heart and command the
intelligent wonder Of the word for all time
TO come Such an age was the Texas reyo-
luton, such race was that which fought
the enemy upon her then trackless prairles
That was not the age OF the looking-glass,
Of dainty appetites and OF gentle manners.
Sam Houston, like Achiil les, sometimes
cooked his own scanty meal; men then and
women, too, wore blue denims and buck
skin; they may have seemed 10 possess
no ray of fancy, no emotion
of taste; others may have had a quicker eye
for the beautiful in act, may have con-
tributed more wit, more song; may have
worn more decorated armor IN battle, vet
their lives and deaths have been Whole
Iliad in action: grander, sweeter, OF more
mourniul pathos, of more purifying inilu-
ence than anything yet sung by old or
modern bards.
In 1885 Mexican oppression and DONNA.
tion became 50 insupportaDla that revolt
and arms were the only recourse Tor fret
citizenship within the borders Of Texas.and
the few colonists and settlers staked liie and
fortune upon the hazard OF independence.
All brave and loyal hearts throbbed in ten
derest sympathy for the little band strug-
Cling for life and freedom.
tennessee sent her Ed Burleson, her
Davy Crockett and her James w. Swisber.
Georgia her Ward and Rusk, her Lamar
and Fannin; Connecticut her y. NJ. Peas,
l. TNar sIr.rUa a
Carolina her Travis, her BOnham; LOuisi. |
ana her Bowie; Kentucky her Ben Milan
the Old Dominion ber Stephen y. Austin. |
her William l.. Hunter-whO now sits be I
fore me bearing the leaden and bayODet
scars OF Labardie, his head ripe with years
and honors-and ber Frank johnson, and
there be sits presi5ing over your association
like an old and honored prince Of the royal
blood; the land Of the TeutOns sent ner
KleberR; and hundreds Of true hearts
gathered around them, and braver and
more loyal men never defended q wOman's
honor or espOused q cOuntry's cause. /
They came from the south, from the north !
ana the east, from the banks Of the fOEing
Rhine. and the land Of the green shamrock
20 contest tbs palm with the irnperious snd
eager foe. They came not Tor pelf or sOrdid
gold. for the infsutrepublic ves
Too poor 70 possess The precious ores
And 700 much Of q stranger 70 borrow.
The world, m all the sgss, has furnished
DO such e1emplars Of chivslry. self-abDera-
ton and God-Iike manhood. Young men,
lust In the untold delights Of q honey
moon, kis4sd their tender brides . sad fare
vel and len b join the patriot baud that
were then here fighting for freedom young
fstbsrs left their hrst born % join the night |
eousc cause. ! zee nov troops gathering al0nf
the bsnks Of the Tennessee and the tor
tu0us Chnttabooche, sway up on The 81 |
Lawrrnoe fn the glens of 6collsnd and on /
fhs blus turf of Kenfucky; i bear The
lons roIl Of the ksttls drum and TIE shrill
= suupdfng 30 TIE rescusn Lovinr uoth-
r-s s-s ssyinR 20 brxvs and duflful sons
Good bye, God bls-s you" loving sirte-s /
srs v1plng v.tsry eve, s11 s.yirs VT