San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-03-26

selfish patriotism oAcltcs ana Wurihs
TO human praise-so long rs these
colossal columns can commemorate
the greatness and glory Of the State,
the names of the good men gone, az
we'll rs those who are still with us,
will be remembered with reverence
by the citizens of Texas.
The old adago that IA rolling stone
} gathers no moss" has been disproved
by our history rs a nation and state.
The first "capitol" our predecessors
enjoyed was at San Felipe. The cap
itol building was rooted by the blue
dome OF heaven, while the sward OF
the prairie served for floor! Then
came Washington on the Brazos,
whose crumbling ruins to-day tell of
former splendor. Harrisburg, Gal
weston, Velasco and Columbia, all in
turn aspirod to that dignity later on.
At Columbia our first Congress con-
voned. In the spring Of 1887 the
seat of government was established
ut Houston, and not until that time
was our first capitol constructed.
Who, even of the present day, does
not remember the "old capitol!
From being the capitol of ma
tion, fhe building become hotel,
and was only displaced for more
commodious structure within the
past few years. Whether that capi
tol had corner stone, or if it had
one, whether it was ever formally
"laid," am not informed, but it is
to be presumed that the little band
of patriots of that period were more
pressed for time than we are, and
probably dispensed with the ceremo-
ny which calls us together to-day.
In 1889 the seat of government pre-
ceded the city to the spot where Aus
tin now stands. In 1912 the presi
dent, Gen. Houston, put the govern
ment" in his pocket, and carried it
back TO the city of Houston. Again
the "seat" of government found it's
way back to Washington on the Bra
zos. The convention to determine
whether nation should merge and
become u member of tho confederacy
known as the "United States of
America" was called by President
Jones to meet at Austin, and from
that time to this day this city has
been the seat of government. This
first capitol buding in Austin was a
wooden structure, whose timbers
were prepared by hand in the Bas-
trop pineries, and was erected on the
hill where the recorder now holds his
daily levees, and the city council leg
islates for the corporate veal. That
building probably cost four or five
thousand dollars, but humble though
il was--no king or potentate ever en-
tered his court with more genuine
pride than did the gallant men whose
swords had earned the right to be
there as the chosen representatives, of
an Independent nation. While that
building was going up the men who
fashioned and constructed it lived
under adjoining trees, and feasted on
corn meal ground on hand mill,
with wild meat killed on the very
spot where we now stand. In the
rear the cloak room was situated, but
tradition fails to enlighten us as to
whether or not the senators and
of the house wore such gar
ments, and if they did, what material
they were composed Of This con
tnued to be the state house until the
stone building was erected whose fire
blasted ruins SO lately marked the
scene of our present ceremony. The
old house on Market Hill, so prolific
Of historic memories, also witnessed
the demise of a nation and the birth
Of state. 1t was, in truth useful
for it served with equal
us senate chamber,
church edifice, and q school house,
nnd was usedfor Sunday school meet
ings, political conventions, public lee
tures and entertainments, balls aud
social gatherings, theatrical eXhibi
tions, and in short, on all public oc- I
casions no one asked where the peo-
pie were TO assemble, for by common {
consent the cold capitol" was known '
md regarded rs the regular rondez- '
Fous. When Texas sold her Santa Q
Fe country TO the United States and q
obtained S5,000,000 in cash therefor, s
she felt rich and proud, and deter
mined TO build new stone capitol.
The corner stone was laid, with ap-
1ropriate ceremonies on the 4th day
# July 1852. The piles of burned :
JoOEs, records and furniture left us .
. legacy warn ms. in this our new en- |.
orse, against defective hues and ,
hoddy work. In
We are not erecting n house for v
he present generation, for think il i
5 safe to say that one-third of the n
,eriod allotted 10 a generation will n
ave passed away ere this building h
5 completed When it is completed u
70 will have something worth trans
hitting TO our descendants. It's to
al length is $50 feet, with a width OF A
- feet 1t will be three stories h
hove the basement. while its dome Z
III rise to an altitude Of BIG feet
ighcr than the place where we now o
tand II will contain over $50 &
ooms AID apartments, and its cost, G
Though indefinite on a money OF a b
ash basis, Is covered by a grant Of g.
100000 acres Of land Its material u
hal be-whatl gray limestone OF /
n granite. When IL Is completed I