Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-30

ileve that this House would prefer the
evidence OF gentlemen in the sctive
service OF their country to-day to any
testimony which might be given either by
civilians or by gentlemen who have made
their army records in the past history OF
this country.
Under dste OF January IL, 1883, Gen.
I erai Stanley. in command of the Depart
| ment OF Texas, writes as follows, in re-
spouse TO letter from me inviting his
opinion IS to the necessity for the con-
tinuaDce of the post Of Fort Brown:
oiR-in answer to your letter OF the 10Th
INST; nave the honor to stase shat the post of
| roft Brown is built upon reservation of 35SH
| acres Of land 'mme diately adjoining the town
OF brownsville, Tex, and situated on the Rio
drande river, by river route sixty i've miles
ana by land twenty two lies above the mouth
| or mat river II Is the most southern pos; of
the United states, excepting Key West Fla.
| IL Ia connected with Point Issb bel and ocean
NAVIGATION by narrow-gauge railroad twenty
Two miles In len 9Th. Immedfs ely opposite is
me Mexican city of Matamoras which is forti-
ned With earthwo, Ks, and where the Mexican
government usually keeps two regiments of
Seneral The post was established In 1916 by
General Taylor, at the outbreaS of the Mexican
war. ana has been occupied by United States
troops ever since, exec ting the interval of the
civil war, when IL was held IS very important
post by the Confederate authorities. The ims
proVements on the reservation consist OF about
tOlty buildings of more or less value. OF these
Twelve are of brick and substantial; the re
mainoer of frame, in fair condition. but need
Ing repairs Fort Brown. as q mi itary station,
rs an absolute necessity, and occupies very
ia portant point gees graphically ano strategical
~ on ouc Me4i1an frontier. Granting that We
nave no desire for Me iican territory, and hop
ing that we may never again have war with
heHioo, the necessity for this post st!ii
mains.
There you have the testimony of the
commander of the department of Texas,
In conjunction with the testimony of the
Lieutenant General of the army.
General Stanley continues:
The nearest military post to Fort Brown is
Fort Bin 9gold, 100 miles by lan5, 800 by river,
and On the left bank of the Rio e4rande. The
frequency of thefts If horses and cattle, aud of
crimes of violence to persons, and robberies of
stores and ranches on the frontier between
Rlnggold anu Fort Brown, has made II neces.
sary to keep up two special stations with de-
tachments OF troops at each-one at Santa
Maria, twenty five miles from Fort Brown, and
one at Edinburgh, fifty eight mi es from Fort
Brown.
MatamoIas oppo,ite to Fort Brown, has a
population of 1890, and Is the principal city In
the state of Tamsulipas, which has population
of 12O, C0O' This state of Tam aulipas s noted for
the turbulent, war; like and aggressive char
half the revolutions 'A that have .s' dis dis.
turbed the republic of Mexico since their
independence In 1922 have had their origin in
this state. The great revolution thas placed
the present executive of Mexico in power
had its beginning right at Matamoras and
brownsville. The central govern ment of
Mexico hold large fo3 ce of soldiers in
without rebellions, robberies by wholesale, and |
tnvaris bly, when inundated the discounted |
party flee to our side of the Rio Hrande In |
mood 10 appropriate anything they can lay |
their hands upon.
For these reasons alone Fort Brown must |
continue military post; its facilities for |
transportation, and the imr royemehts already |
made upon the reservation, make 1t preferable |
to any point on the LIVER Rio Grande Filing |
the necessary conditions. Yours respect |
fully, D. S. STANLEY, |
partment of Texas.
have another letter to the same effect |
from the comm.nder-in-chiefo of the srmy
dated yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, before taking my seat l |
wasn't to call attention to one other mat
ter. In the first place there are SIS, 900 |
worth of buildings on that site. If the |
be abandoned. those buildings |
belong to the owners of the property. In
the next place there is. cemetery there;
and in letter from the commander
in chief of the army 1t is stated
that 5000 soldiers ere buried there
Now, since I have been member of this
House have seen large appropriations
made here for the maintenance Of national
I have voted cheer
ully for those appropriations, be-
cause I believed them to be righs.f
Side By By, side as they fell in the moss covered
We have tenderly laid them a: rest.
IN hn1l pl II da no |
Bloom the roses as red on the moss covered
bed
And the mo ckipg bird carols as free;
Drops the willow as low on friend ss on foe;
Sign the zephyrs as soft as the sea,
Lightly tread o'er the grave where we've buried
the brave;
Scatter roses and garlands DER all.
We're they right. were they wrong, Ills to God
they belong:
IT'S His 30 rel ct or receive.
Ours to honor the clay of the blue and the
gray;
Do1bly ours to forget and forgive.
II it be true, Mr.. Speaker, thst we
should appropriate money for the main
tepsnce of national cemeteries where
Union soldiers are buried, where Confed-
crate soldiers are buried, does not the
same reason apply to the maintenance
and continuation of the cemetery at Fort
Brown, where 5000 graves attest the fact
that their inmates died In the service of
heir country Applause.