Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-22
REMEMBER THE ALAMO. !"
A Patriotic Proposition From Mr.. Chas.
Hedges.
He Wants TO Make the Monument National
Instead of State Affair, and Give
All a Chance.
INprANApo11s. 1Np.. Jan. 10, Use.

Editor San Antonio Express:
have just read your interesting article
upon the Alamo monument fund, and as
a Texan it appeals to me in most graft
flying manner. AS a Northerner who
has cast his lot with the people of Texas,
it has always been matter of surprise to
me that our great state has neglected Sc
long to erect an appropriate memorial to
that band of heroes who offered up their
precious lives for liberty and independ-
ence at that historic and unparalleled
massacre.
The wonderful struggle of Texas is a
sealed book to the people of the North
Did they but realize the desperate and
patriotic character of that remarkable
struggle for liberty, how insignificant
would some of the latter day heroes ap-
pear? Your article does not give the
amount of Mr. Maverick s donation, but
whatever it is, 1 re-echo the sentiment,
f'All hail, Sam Maverick.
The memory of that forlorn struggle
should be commemoratcd in bronze and
granite that will endure for ages, for it
l write, however. to offer humble
suggestion. The battle of the Alamo
was not fought for Texas alone, it's
sacred memories and incaleulable results
reached far beyond our borders and are
now part of the nation IS history
Texas Is an integral part of the Ameri-
can Union, therefore why should you
confne the historic perpetuation of such
a far-reaching struggle to the citizens of
Texas?
What American, be he Northerner or
Southerner. has read of the fearful
Slaughter but his heart swelled with
pride at the heroism of Travis, Crockett,
Bowie and their brave followers? Why
not, then, make it a national monument?
Those heroes deserve a grand monument,
one that will stand SO high as to attract,
not only the youths of San Antonio and
BeXar, or of the great Texan empire, but
a monument that (f1guratively) may be
seen from the lantern of Bunker Hill
monument and the dome OF the Lick OBJ
servatory!
Nothing in the history of America,
from the day it was discovered by Chris
UOpher Columbus, is better calculated to
inspire coming generations with the ines
Unable value of their heritage, than the
godlike heroism and sacrifice of the
men who defended the grand old Alamo.
Each man knew that inevitable death
awaited him the moment he saw the
overwhelming strength of the enemy,
yet authentic history does not record that
a single one of those heroes asked for
quarter, or offered to surrender, OF de-
serted to the enemy; all stood firm at
their posts, battling to the last.
7 a., -, IL CI
900 as an amount sufficient to commence
rate this immortal sacrifice. It seems to
me the sum is altogether inadequate to
the momentous event.
The state of Indiana is now erecting,
in this city, monument that will cost
about two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars to the memory of her sons who
participated and fell in the late war be-
tween the states. Texas is now the fifth
state in the Union in point of population,
exceeded only by New York, Pennsylva-
mia, Ohio and Illinois, therefore it seems
to your humble orator as though 500 900
was entirely inadequate to the commem-
GRAFTON of such an event as the siege and
fall of the Alamo.
1 realize the largeness of the sum you
suggest, and admit it is quite sufficient,
if confined TO Texas alone, but strenu-
ously maintain that it is clannish in. you
TO confine this matter to the present gen
GRAFTON of Texans. The monument that
marks the spot where such heroes died,
sword in hand, should be so commanding
as to draw thither pilgrims OF liberty for
generations to come, and the sum you
suggest will not meet this end.
Holding this exalted view take the
liberty Of suggesting that the ''Alamo
association - fix the sum nee
essary for the proper fulillment of their
plans at $500 900, one-half of which
they shall ask from the people of Texas
and the other half from the people OF the
other states and territories. 1 feel con-
vinced that if they go about it on
broad basis they can easily raise the nee
essary $500 600 in the next year.
1 observe you suggest the bloody day of
San Jancinto, the 2lst of April, as an APP
propriate time to solicit subscriptions
from the people of Texas for the proposed
The suggestion is certainly
a good one. but 1 would like to enlarge
upon it, and suggest that if the proper
steps are taken toward advertising the
event in the North, and soliciting patri-
otic subscriptions, an additional 500, 900
(to the Texas 500, 000) could easily be
raised.
Do not for moment think that I de-
sire TO put the people of my adopted
state in the attitude of beggars (or even
far from it. 1 simply desire
that they present the historic event to
the people of the North and South and
give them an opportunity to unite with
Texas in properly c0mmemorating the
great sacrifice.
1 therefore suggest that the gentlemen |
the Monumental association |
add Governor Ross and other distin- |
guished citizens to their committee and |
issue an address to the people of the |
United States, setting forth their desire |
to raise $500, 200, one-half of which to |
come from citizens outside of Texas.
II the Monument association will pre- |
pare such memorial request and send |
It to me early in April, I will undertake
to give it the widest circulation in the |
tally press. Let them also prepare an |
accurate and vivid account of the Alamo |
massacre in pamphlet form and mail /
same 10 the superintendent of public |
schools in all the principal cities Of the |
asking that the Alamo be the |
subject of the historical lesson on that /
lay, and that the teachers of every
school would receive donations that day |
or the benefit of the Monument assoeia-
inn 4 little effort in This dira.t;or