The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-01


politician could have obtained one at a
Members of the first degree were not al
lowed to know what was done in the
second, and those of the second were
kept in ignorance of the transactions in
the third; and as every one was sworn to
do the bidding of his superior, and each
degree to obey the directions OF those
above it, the despotism was complete. 1t
was the province of the few to command;
OF the masses to obey.
This was the feature to which / OBJ
iected. / was rather pleased with some
things. particularly the prospect of adj
venture; but could never take an oath
to do an act the nature of which knew
nothing, nor could swear TO obey irrespon-
Sible men, who proposed to do anything
unlawful. If the object was legitimate, 1t
occurred to me, why this secresy? l be-
lieve subsequent events have proven that
my objections were we'll taken; indeed, a
few months sufIiced to satisfy me upon
that subject, and think to satisfy all the
world
The Captain was a ready talker, and
well calcula lated to seduce the unwary into
his schemes, and nearly all the Rangers
were induced to become members of the
ORDER after which he left TO enlighten the
| people of other sections. He was exceed
ingly lavish in his promises. To become
a knight was to secure perpetual fame at
once, and few of the Rangers who lolned
but believed that the lowest position
which would fall to their lot would be
| that of field officer.
"All promotions he said, were to be
made from the ranks" Tan old story,
every soldier knows, and all the great
estates in Mexico were to be confiScated
to secure fortunes to the adventurerS.
Immense tracts of land were to be granted
to members of the order. The mines IN
Sonora were to be parceled out, and every
poSseSSor to be made a Cr0SuS at once
A hundred other glittering promises were
made, which, under ordinary crcum-
stances, would have excited men of a
wild. rowing disposition, but in this case
success in obtaining enlistmentS was
chiefly the result Of other causes.
Mexican depredations on the Rio Grande
had been frequent, and many Ranger
was longing to retaliate upon the per
fidiouS perpetrators in TamaulipaS and
Nueva Leon. They looked upon this as
an excellent opportunity to join in a
scheme which promised them revenge
far sweeter to the pioneer OF western
Texas than the wealth of an Astor or q
Vanderbilt
POLITICAL EXCITEMENT.
But very soon the attention of the
Texans was turned to other enter rises
than the invasion of Mexico, and the
Knights had other foes than Spanish
mongrcls to fight. When reached Waco,
the most intense political excitement
Lincoln had Just been elected President,
and orators were busy on every street
corner firing the Southern heart, which
they fully succeeded in doing, though it
has since pretty completely burned out.
heard nothing now but clamor about
Northern aggression" and Southern
rights wherever ! went. The State
should seccde at once. The politicians
willed it, ard the Governor must obey.
The cry was "secede, Secedc" break up
all connection with the Federal Union
by fair means or by foul-only secede.
OF course was at once questioned as to
my views, and supposing there would be
freedom OF expression, spoke my mind
without reservation; but they did not look
upon the matter in that light, and they
plainly ntimated that could choose be-
tween conversion to the views OF the
Sccessionists and exile. !, however, re-
fused to be converted, and was at once
denounced as a Tory, Lincolnite, and Abo-
litionist, and it was confidently expected
that these cpithcts would enligiten my
obtuse intellect and arouse my patriotism.
This procedure was persisted in from
the time ! was mustered out, in Novem-
Der. 1860. till after the first battle OF Bull
Run, in July, 1851, when left the State;
and that, too in the face OF the fact that
the greater part Of this time was con-
sumed in protecting tic EcmeS and fire.
sides of my nlalignerS frcm the depreda-
tons OF the wild ComancheS. II may he
chivalry thus TO avail ones self Of ysoTv-
ices so onorous and Dangerous, ard then
Willy him who accomplishes them, but it
does not agree with my idea Of the mean
ing of that term.
For time Gov. Houston resisted the
wild fanaticism which prevailed, but the
current was too strong. Reason was
hushed, force and fraud were the order of
the day, and chivalry ard mob violence
ruled the hour ard dofed the law. A
convention was called ard candidates
were out early, defining their positions, u
and soliciting the sUffragcs of the people.
In McClennan County, where ! resided
the candidate of the SecessiOnists was
an ambitious and unscrupulous lawyer
named Coke. while the Unionists sup