San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-07-17
NO. 80.

national loss, for the very name Of
Old Louisiana had rich, aristocratio
sound, AZ associated with grand
seigneurs, like those of France, who
lived ON great estates, and exercised
q princely hospitality. But Of many
of these baronial estates, there
remains now only the tradition.
Senator Gibson told me that he
inherited plantation which before
the war never paid less than $40, 900
q year, and sometimes $75,000, and
on which now the only human being
was one poor old negro woman !
And yet for all this, he did not hesi-
tate to say that he rejoiced that the
war had issued in the removal OF
slavery, eyen though IL had wrought
present financial ruin for out Of
all this ruin he saw the hope Of some
thing better to come. Though for .
time cultivation has ceased, the soil
remains as rich as ever and in time
will be occupied by new cultivators,
who will make the country to bios
som as the rose. In the words Of
the song which Whittier puts in the
mouth Of the negro boatmen:
DE yam win grow, do cotton blow,
Wen hab de- rice and corn;
Onebber you fear II nebber you hear
De driver blow his horn."
II was midnight before we were
out of the State Of Louisiana, which
is bounded on the west by o river
that descends to one Of the passes to
the gulf. As the traveller crosses
the Rhine (or did cross it when other
countries reached up to its left bank)
to enter the Empire of Texas'-a
portion of America not unworthy to
be named beside the great European
States, since it is larger than either
Germany or France.
As we recall these memories Of old
Texas, some will ask, '.But what OF
the newt" It is only within our day
that the new life has been born. At
the beginning no man dreamed
whereunto it would grow. It is q
very instructive historical fact that
after Texas had gained her independ-
ence, without our help, and came to
the door of the American Union ask
ing for admission, she was refused.
She came again, andagain was reques-
ted. It was not ''till the third time Of
asking, less than forty years ago, that
she was received ; and even then she
was thought by many Of our prudent
statesmen not worthy the having;
that she would bring us only trouble
and vexation. And indeed the first
result OF annexation was the Mexican
war. And again, as If to disappoint
us second time, no sooner was the
madness of secession abroad in the
South than Texas, which had strug-
gled 30 hard to be admitted into the
Union, took herself out Of it, and
fought it to the bitter end. This
seemed to demonstrate the folly Of
the political ambition, which in add
ing to our domain to increase our
greatness, had brought upon us such
accumulated woes.
But God is wiser than men, and
events which seem ominous only OF
evil are sometimes turned to the
greatest good. The second birth Of
Texas did not come till after the sec
ond war, when the prodigal son came
back irto the Union, and came to
stay and the territory that was at
first annexed to emarge the area OF
slavery, served to enlarge the area OF
freedom.
From that moment Texas entered
upon a new career Of prosperity.
Northern capital began to flow in,
building railroads in every direction,
along which towns and villages have
sprung up, and by which every part
OF the State has been opened to settle
ment and cultivation.
At the same time the tide Of foreign
immigration that was coming to our
shores, turned strongly to the South
west, and tens of thousands from the
Old World chose Texas as their
home. The new settlers were from
the strongest races Of the old world.
Germans, especially, have come in
vast numbers. Who can say that
they will not yet establish here q
New Germany greater than the Oldl
The territory is greater than that OF
the Fatherland; in the course Of the
next century it may have larger
population. But, without making
comparisons, we can set no bounds
to its growth. Already we hear the
tramp Of millions coming to take
possession. Unless this career Of
progress is checked Texas has q fu-
ture before her boundless as her own
imperial demain. May this American
"empire" be forever consecrated to
and liberty
Death at lis Years OF Age.
Diarra Coftaa n Qalabrafad half