Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-27

American law-giver for Texas The
rude pioneers who followed him to the
wilderness bowed without questioning the
authority of their chief, and so wisely
did he govern that III all his colony no
| man grew impatient under his authority !,
or questioned the business of his acts.
FROM 1923 TO 1927.
From 1923 to 1927 was the happiest pc
Rod of this man 3 life. During that time
his empressario contracts were enlarged
under which he eolonized moce than a
Thousand families. The emlgrants who
for months in 1922 had subsisted on mus
| tands and venison without bread, salt or
/ coffee, now looked on fruitful
fields and plenty everywhere.
In their midst was their capt.
al, San Felipe de Austin, where
their titles were obtained, and which,
like your capital of to-day, was named
for the father of Texas If man s dig
nifty should be in proportion to his use
| fulness, no man who ever trod Texas soil
can rank Stephen f Austin, for the sal
lent points in his career which nnwritten
| history will reveal, cannot eclipse the
merit of that patient toll and high intelli-
gence which organized primitive govern
ment and prepared and secured the SUI
| premacy of just laws.
i AUSTIN AVERTs WAR IN 1927 AND 1882.
A time of trial and danger was ap-
preaching. The colonies were growing
stronger and turbulent spirits in Eastern
Texas precipitated the FREEDMAN war of
1927, which threatened the destruction of
the colonies. Austin through his infiu-
ence with Sancido, the Mexican COM
mandant, restored peace ana averted the
armed interference of Mexico. Thus he
/ who had established the American settle
ments was the first and only man whose
/ interference could save them from de-
| struction Again, in 1882 the flames of
war burst forth against the tyranny of
| Bustamente, and which eliminated in
the affairs of Anahuac and Yelasco.
And now when the central government
dispatched Gen I Mexia with a military
force to chastise the settlers, who saved
them? Austin was then at Saltillo in the
| legislative department of Coahuila and
Texas, he FASTENED to Matamoras, joined
Mexia, came with him to the mouth of
the Brazos, and through his influence as
mediator, restored peace. Thus he
who had planted, saved the coionists
second time.
The peace thus secured was celebrated
with gratitude and banqueting in the old
capitol at San Felipe de Austin, and the
grand men of that day welcomed Austin
as the founder and saviour of his coun-
try At banquet then given he was
toasted as the angel of mercy and the
harbinger of peace. And now the col
onies had grown strong. The spirit
which demanded a separate statehood in
compliance with the constitution of CO.
ahuila and Texas of 1924 could no longer
be depressed. The convention of 1888
established constitution for Texas, and
looking over all the colony but one man
was found who would undertake the deli
cate duty of going with that constitution
to the Mexican capital and demand
recognition as a state, that man was
Stephen f. Austin.
impartial history will one day reveal
the fact that the most earnest opponents
of Austin at the Mexican capital were
American spectators. headed by the
minister from the United States, who in
sisted on a territorial government for
Texas and for the sale of her lands at the
City OF Mexico.
AUSTIN S IMPRISONMENT.
History has already mentioned the dis
astrous issue of that mission. He was ar
rested on his return at Saltille in Deem
Der, 1888; taken back to Mexico and inn
prisoned for fifteen months, and a por-
ton of that time III a dark, damp dun
geon of the inquisition. Thus he who
had established the colonies and given
them government and laws, who had
twice saved them from the horrors of I'M
equal war, was the first martyr to their
aspirations for g separate statehood.
From the hardships Of that solitary con-
finement and the vapors of that cold dun
geon, Austin never recovered. His bold
spirit ehafed like an imprisoned eagle
Ii.
last he was released, he came forth with
wasted frame and tottering step. Re-
turning from his imprisonment, he
landed on the Brazos on September L
1885.
AUSTIN s RETURN.
The butchery at Zacatecas of Ameri-
can and European citizens by the
usurper. Santa Anna, who had violated
the constitution of 1924 and established a
military despotism, gave warning to
Austin of the fate impending over the
colonies, and he whose prudence had so
often preserved them from destruction
now saw no safety but in war.
Only eight days after his return from
prison the pioneers came from every por-
ton of the settlements and celebrated
his return with festivities and rejoicing.
His address to them was calm and states
manlike. He advised an immediate con-
vention of the people.
MADE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE OF
SAFETY.
With no government invested with the
powers for defense, committee of /
public safety was organized at once to
provide for the defense of the colonies
On the wisdom of that committee must
hinge the destiny of Texas. Again all
eyes were turned to Austin, and he was
made chairman of the committee of pub
lie safety.
Nobly did he do his work, for almost |
in the hour of his appointment he set |
forth over the wales and prairies of Texas
like the fiery cross, the ringing appeal |
that assembled the army at Gonzales.
Never on the soil of Texas was there in |
any assembly of the people of like num-
Der, more intellect and self assertion than |
was found in that little army The |
Frank Johnsous and Jacks were there, |
Thomas ] I. Rusk was there, Burleson, |
Bowie, Fannin and Travis were there, |
Collingsw orth, afterwards the first chief |
justice of the republic, was there In /
that camp was as grand galaxy of |
knights as ever mounted the breach with /
prince or palladin.
AUSTIN ELECTED AS GENERAL.
They had come with rifle in hand from