The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-08
CHAPTER TX.

election, the commanders of the variou
United States posts commenced surrend
ering to the State troops. | was presen
at the capitulation of Camp Colorado a
the request of a number of Union men
who desired to obtain accurate infOrma
ton regarding the nature of the proceed
ing.
The insurgent forces were under the
command of Henry McCulloch, who, know
ing that had seen service, pledged me
Captain's commission if / would ION the
Confederate" army, and had done SO
have every reason to believe he wouio
have made his promise good, but re-
fused his offer firmly.
After had Witnessed the capltulation
returned to Waco. The OrdI nance OF
Secession had been passed and referred to
the people, and the whole State was In a
blaze of excitement. Arbitrary arrests,
brOils. murder, and hanging were the
order of the day, and under the pressure
large numbers of the Union men were CIV
ing way, and the Secessionists were re-
ceiyinr daily accessions to their strength.
The people were either deceived INTO
Secession, lied into it, or driven into IT. :,
Every species of deception was practiceu
that the ingenuity of crafty politicians
or a licentious press could invent. Inc
motives of the Northern people were ms
and South, outrageously belled. one
week the Secession orators would herald
10 excited audiences that independence
could he conSummated without any EdI
at all, simply ty every man voting a DC
cession ticket and showing to the Nortn
that the South was thoroughly united.
They would proclaim that the North was
utterly demoral ized and powerleSS TO
coerce the seeding States into obedience;
nav, that so divided by contendlng rae
tions were the people of that section, mat
they were not even capable OF preserving
their own integrity; that even the North-
ern States could not maintain a union
among themselves, much less impose one
upon the seeding States.
TYRANNY AND PERFIDY.
The next week the cry would be chang
ed and the Northern States would be rep
resented as thoroughly united, and more
unjust and defiant than ever they were
before: that there were no people IN tne
North that sympathized with the SCUM,
or who were willing to see that Sectlon get
Justice and equal rights. That every
man in the free States was a pfacticaai
Abolitionist, and nothing would SATISFY
their rapacity but the immediate ana uh-
conditional surrender of slavery, and even
that might not avail, and that IL was
more than likely a concession on tlaI
subject would invite aggression on an
other.
Southern men were appealed to in the
most impassioned language not to sub
init to these demands or compromise, Dut
ITO rouse themselves to view matters Oh
State in their true light, and 10 prepare
for contest that was inevitable. Every
proposition of the North was treated WIN
disdain: even the President was hung IN
eflicy. and treated with every indlgnlty,
simply because he was a Northern man,
and was elected by free-State votes, When
they we'll knew that he would be bound
by the same cath TO MAINTAIN the ConSu-
tuition that had bound all the presidents
of Southern birth.
The sentiments of known Union men
were willfully misrepresented, and, thus
distorted heTalded TO the people, IN oroer
TO infuriate them against individuals VINO
professed loyal sentiments. For instance
Gen. Houston would make speech IN
Galveston. and take the most sincere and
urnuaIified Union ground. and forthwith
the fiendS of Secession would oiSpatcI
garbled extracts Of il TO every paper IN tnf
State that advocated secession, which, II
turn would give il, with the comments
its unprincipled editors, to the excited
public
FORCING SPEECHES.
T Sometimes they would manufacture ant
publish speeches for Houston and othe
patriots which they never delivered, ant
these were scattered broadcast TO the
mob. representing them as being at Length
thoroughly convinced that secession was
the only means by which the Southern
people could maintain their Liberties and
their institutions
If lac made q Urion speech in Austin Oh
Waco denouncing the Secession leaders,
and charging them with seeking TO over
throw the last NcStIge OF personal liberty
and constitutional Government, avowine
the most vindictive hostility TO all men
protesting Secession principles and pro-
Tossing undying devotion to the Union al
all hazards, no sooner would the words
fall from his lips than his discourse would
be carbled 10 suit the cause OF Secession
and scattered all through the country.
On one occasion, ] remember, after
forged speeches had been published Over
and over and attributed TO Houston, his
friends in Waco wrote letter and re-
quested him 10 come out and deliver an
other address and contradict them; but
the old patriot answered despondingly
that 1T was useless; he had tired 1t, and
Is fast as he contradicted one lie they
would publish another, and he would
prefer TO keep silent.
But despite frauds, despite lying and
forging, the Germans in the vicinity o
San Antonio and the settlers in the
northern section OF the State remained
true TO the Union, and as the Secession
lists had determined to secure uniformity
force was resorted to, and bayonets sup
planted arguments and deception.
MILITARY DESPoTIsM.
The first attempt was upon the Ger
mans and the headquarters of the south
western military district was removed e
San Antonio and 1O, 900 or II 600 despera-
does were sent thither TO overawe all who
remained loyal TO the old Government
and this process was found to succeed
admirably, for in the presence of such a
force, unnamed, unorganiZed citizens are
usually constrained 10 keep silence. This
houses Of all the settlers were searched
and when arms were found they were
confscated. most perfect military
despotism was thus established over a
dIsarmed populace.
IL was important TO the insurgents that
the people Of northern Texas should be
subiugated, and the work was intrusted
TO the notorious Ben. McCulloch, who
made ms headquarters at Dallas, and haC
at his command some 500 men, and this
iorce was soon increased by the arrival o
Telniorcements TO 0,000, and having useC
his army IN coercing Union citizens int,
secession till he was satisfied, he march
ed ii TO Fort Smith, Ark.
Outside OF the districts patrolled by tn,
armies the work of converting Unionist,
by force was adopted by irresponsible,
bodies OF citizens. Vigilance committee.
were organized in every town and village
ana their motto was No mercy 10 traitors
meaning those who were true to thei
country and the old flag.
In waco, one OF these committees wait
ed upon several old and esteemed citi
zens, giving them their choice either {,
cease their opposition to the rebellion O
leave the country. They publicly pro
CANNED their determination to hang ever,
"Lincoinite" in the country who refused
al