Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25
teRtiOl.
rescherous savage and the welcome of

he was admired and trusted by his gov
eminent and by them he was placed to
rule over. He was generous to all men
save the tyrant; and when the oppressor
interviewed TO impede the advancement Of
civil liberty, he was another Sampson to
tear open the very jaws of the growing
lion. As at Anahuac and at B xsr, he
was more ready to lead than to follow.
Colonel Sam W. McKueely, your first
vice-p president, who so often served by
his side, and who was most intimate with
his military daring, will testify to his
courage; for he sought rather than
avoided danger. he was by education 8
surveyor, out the great God and giver Of
all had created him q chevalier and 8
soldier, for he was the knightliest of the
knightly.
Around the social board no less than
| upon the field of Mars he was born to
command. He was as mildSAS he WAS
brave, as generous as he tust, and
"the mildest are the brsvesfI b bravest
are the best" His uniform hodesty of
demeanor was almost womsnly, and
would do Infinite credit to the sixteen
year-old maiden OF this day. He was not
less erect and stately in the sablimity Of
his character than in the most imperial
grandeur and stateliness of his person.
Colonel Frank W. johnson was sui
generis. His character, qualities, intelli-
gence and manners would have been well
BETTING prince Of the royal blood.
Although opportunities had been album
dsnt to become enriched by methods that
then and now are or were less or more
resorted to by many, he lived and died
poor. What greater compliment can be
paid to any man He was scarcely less
meek than Moses or less patient than Job,
Do speak the truth? call upon you,
his comrades, to respond. "a voice
Every word you say is true. The ex-
trsordinary character of that msn-of
him who was your friend and mine
whether as citizen or soldier, should
be deeply engraven in colors of living
light upon the heart of every Texan now
| living and to come hereafter. (
Men OF 1886, the life and exploits o
your old comrade should be preserved,
as being worthy of emulation by the
youth Of the land-for the young men are
taking your places and must soon take
mine; and the history as written with his
three fingered and almost palsied hand
should be handed down to remotest DOS
terlty, for the fullness and plSinness Of
the truths written by the old hero; and,
will you pardon me fer saying that
If the executors of the old chieftain
cannot or will not edit and publish
the six thousand pages OF manuscript
contded to them by the author, there are
others equally competent who will. With
proper Difference and respect to his exec
tors-for they are his friends and mine,
and are excellent gentlemen-Would it be
improper in this association, which, under
the will, has an interest In that history,
to see that something is done with those
now "musted and cobWebbed" pages
thst seem to have been placed aside By
the executors, awaiting the proverbisl
"MoRE CONVENIENT SEASON."
Inls last work Of your dead president
Is the very keystone to the arch OF his sin
galarly triumphant and useful life. Il is
more than two years since the grand old
Captain died in foreign land, and vet
no practical steps have been taken to
publish the history thAt should at this
moment be in the hands Of every Texas
patriot and every lover of Texas and the
unprecedented achievements of her heroic
men. In his old age and in
the pursuit of health he sought
the old land of the Montez 1mas and
there he died, not less ripe with honors
than with years. Although he fought the
Mexican hordes with uneIampled hero
ism half a century before, paradox as it
may seem, he went among them to die.
And stranger to you, his comrades, il
may seem that the Governor of the state
Of Aguas Calientes ordered that his re-
mains be placed in the state vault, to be
watched ever and guarded by 8 Mexican
'ehtinei--and there they remain to this
lour.
All honor to the generous magnate who
,resides oyer the destinies of that state.
Applausel.
But, men of Bexar, men OF Goliad, men
Il San Jacinto, heroes of the greatest of
uccessful modern revolutions, when will
he state OF Texas cl1im the bones of her
eloved SOM Shall they longer lie in
nat vault, in foreign land, protected
rom desecratlon by Mexican guard?
l call upon you, l call upon the chivaI
ous men and noble women of this COM
lonWealth to answer.
I Ex-Governor Oran NJ. Roberts has been
called the Old Alcade but this
Le belongs by prior right 10 Colonel johnson.
no was the first alcade at the settlement of
an Felipe on the Brazos.-[ EDITOR
Regarding the disposition made of John
IN MSS the foil wing letter was received
40 read by A Detenbaugh at the veteran
Getting In Dallas, 1886:
DEAR SIR The manuscript history of Texas,
Iltten by Colonel Frank johnson, is In pos
'ssion or his executors, Judge Lee, Colonel
Hisher and myself. That manuscript was his
1ly estate, and he died before he had ar
.nged 1t for publication. 1t will require much
Dor to put It in shape, to do
stice to the old hero, and none
his executors have yet had time
e were his warm personal friends, and re-
ird the publication of what he has written as
personal trust which we viii execute as soon
we can. II health permits, will this fall
ID winter get the history ready for the pub
sner. Much of 1t is disconnected, and will
quire some kind hand to correct 1t with rec
Inized history, or IL would be deprived of
UGH of its value. 1t Will be placed for the
esent In hreproof vault. for Il narrowly es-
pea destruction last week when my Office
as on fire.
Trusting that You may have happy reunion
a few days with yozr heroic comrades Of 1885,
remain your friend, A, w. TERRELL