The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-18

There is much well-authentfcated
material for the historian in the minds
of old veterans of the border that will
soon pass beyond the reach of all writ
ers, says "Brazos'' in the St. Louis
Globe Democrat. Few people know
anything of the very first settlements
in Texas and, doubtless, many will be
astonished TO learn that the business
of creating republics in that country
commenced nearly 200 years ago. There
were filibusters who dreamed of carving
out for themselves an empire IN the
great southwest long before even Aaron
Burr Was born. Others in the ranks
OF the most careful readers of history
will possibly be surprised TO learn that
the old San Antonio road, which is one
of the best-known landmarks in the
southwest, was laid off and carefully
mapped just 1872 years ago. 1t was. at
one time regarded as the strongest
highway in the world. 1t was longer
than any of the old Roman roads
longer than the great military way
that led from the gates of the Eternal
City to Constantinople and the AsiaL.c
provinces. The San Antonio road proper
ran from San AuSugsine to San An
lOUlO, anu the lOHS IOdQ CAlCllQl4i5
south of the Alamo Mission across the
Rio Grande to the City of Mexico,
distance of more than 1000 miles, was
also called the San Antonio road. 1t
was originally laid off 100 feet wide.
1t is a road yet. This great road, over
which Spanish viceroys and richly
laden caravans traveled-over which
countless thousands crowded their way
to Texas battlefields for more than leo
years. was laid off by men who were
talking of republican institutions be-
fore the ideas of Jefferson or the tri
umphs of Washington had ever entered
the minds of the widest dreamers-
Spain and France both claimed the
country. France based her claims on
the discoveries of La Sale. This great
explorer, in searching for the mouth
OF the Mississippi sailed too far west,
and finally landed on the shores of Ma
tagorda bay. Here ne built fort and
called it Fort st. Louis. in honor of
Louis the XIV of France. Realizing that
he had made mistake, La Sale, &C
companied by few followers, at
tempted to march across the country,
hoping to reach a French fort on the
Arkansas river, where he had instruct
ed De F'onti to keep a small body of
soldiers. He lost his life through the
treachery of his own comrades, and it
is supposed that his bones repose some
where on the shores of the Neches
river Exaggerated reports concerning
the rich country west of the Mississippi
river, which bordered on the Gulf O.,
Mexico, reached France. The soil was
said TO be the richest in the world, the
climate was salubrious, like that OF
southern Spain, the mountains were
full of gold and silver, and the rivers
ran over golden sands Amongst the
hundreds of adventurous and warl.ke
spirits that surrounded the throne of
Louis the XIV none listened 10 these
stories with more eagerness than Count
st. Denis He was a brave, energetic
and handsome youth, who had inherited
q great name and many heavily mort
gagged estates. The opportunity which
he eagerly sought to draw his sword
and make an effort to fill his purse on
the plains of the Rio Grande soon pre-
scented itself.
The bare cold facts of the story of
this young mans adventures, unadorned
by rounded periods, reads; so much
like the dreams of q romancer that
they would be rejected by all historians
if they were not supported by indubit-
able records. Count st. Denis and a
young Frenchman of equal rank of The
name of Belisie were both violently in
love with the same young lady. Their
rivalry ended in a quarrel which leo
to a duel. The anita gonists met and
fought a terrible battle with swords.
which terminated, as ST. Denis sup
posed, in the death of his rival He at
once fled from France, and after
series of narrow escapes from arrest
and death he finally landed in America
and Joined the great Louisiana COM
pany His countrymen received him
with open arms and Immediately of
fered him employment
All Spanish territory at that time
north of the Rio Grande was, ruled
by a governor appointed by the viceroy
of Mexico The Louisiana company was
anxious to possess the country. md
the authorities sent Count St Denis at
the head of a little army of less than
100 men to plant the flag of France
upon the domes of the Spanish forts
and missions. He marched through q
region of country that literally swarmed
with hostile savages and estab-
lished himself in northern Texas
without ever firing shot. He
must have been an extraor-
binary young man, possessing many of
the traits of a leader, not the least
among which were his mastery ac-
complishments as a diplomat, for he
not only made an alliance offensive and
defensive with the powerful warlike
Natchez. but he soon Won the friend
ship of the Spanish settlers who lived
in the territory. Intoxicated with his
success, he boldly cut loose from the
Louisiana company and set up a gov
eminent of his own. This was in the
year 1714. and it was the very first at
tempt to establish an independent gov
eminent ever made on the North
American continent. st. Denis was at
the head of it under the modest title
of governor. and by the provisions of
the constitution. which he drafted him
self, he possessed in his limited realm
just about as much power as the Auto
crat of all the Russias.
Leaving a trusted subdltern in COM
mand, St. Denis set out for the City of
Mexico on a mission that has never
been thoroughly understood. He either
hoped through his shrewd powers of
diplomacy to get the Spanish viceroy
to recognize his government or, failing
in this, he expected to turn everything
over to Spain and get himself ap-
pointed governor of the territory
When he arrived at the Preside San
Juan, near the Rio Grande, the gov
ernor received and entertained him in
most hospitable manner. The
polished address and courtly military
bearing of the bold young adventurer
almost instantly won the head of the
old governor, and at the same time the
heart of his beautiful daughter 1t
was a case of mutual love at first
sight. st. Denis almost forgot the en-
pire that ne had been dreaming of,
while enjoying the hospitality of Senior