The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-14
DAY.
How the Day Was CeIebrated--A Postum and later
Supper Mixed With Oratory.


generations"
"Georsiaus In Texas History" was re-
sponded to by Edgar Watkins. Mr. Wat
kins said
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen; The sub
ject assigned to me Is one more suitable
for an essay than for an after-dinner
( speech, To do even partial Justice to the
memory OF the great men, native to Geor-
! gia, who adopted Texas as their home and
who contributed 10 the making OF the
! Lone Star State. would require an Grafton
two hours In length. hope that some
tunity TO ct least show my veneration for
| these men. oven though can but do i'm
/ perfect justice to their fame.
Upon an occasion OF this kind one can
| do little more than catalogue the names OF
those born IN Georgia who came 20 Texas
and houored both their native and thell
adopted State.
II we Judge a man by what he braves
end by what ne suffers for his country.
I none OF the great heroes OF early Texas
deserve moro OF honor. veneratlon and
gratitude than James Bowie, who was
/ horn In Burke county, Georgia. FOLLOW
him, II you will, from the time he was
naturalixed by the State of Coahuila and
Texas, through the San Saba fight with
Indians. while he led the war party who
we're determined to throw off the intolera-
bic yoke OF Mexican tyranny, ut the bat
f.. tie of Conception, the Grass fight, has
| noble defense of the Alamo, and until his
1 murder and mutilation by the worse than
savages under Santa Anna, and II ycn
have in your heart ono drop OF patriotic
blood you Will be filled with admiration
for his chivalry aud bravery and love and
veneration Tor his memory. He was hand
some IN appearance, winning In manner
hu, no one was Drawer In the presence OF
an enemy. He Illustrated tho proverb
that the bravest are the tcnderest. -
To err is human but man never APP
proaches nearer TO divinity than when he
sacrifices his life for n noble cause, Colo
mel j. w Fannin, native of Georgia, was
sacrificed upon the altar OF Texas liberty,
Who can say that the sacrifice was in vnlu
This is not the time TO discuss the contro-
versy between Houston and Governor
Smith on the one side and Fannin and the
council on the other, Suffice II to say
that Colonel Fannin was acting under OF
ders from those whom ne believed had au-
thority 20 direct aim, and il, In favorlnr
the MatamoroS expedition, he was In err
ror. IL was an error common TO him. Gov.
ernor Smith and Sam Houston, Genera
, Houston, under authority from the gov
ernor, either express or implied. had or
= derod Bowie TO proceed 10 Matamoros, anC
tho council We're doing no more than cur
ryins out The idea OF Houston and at
, time when Houston was absent on fur
@ Tough.
Colonel Tannln forosaw hin fate and
met 1t with that courage which sprinri
only from a noble purpose, On March I
1896. he wrote: II am resolved 90 avail
your orders. let the consequence be wha
, 1t may, But say TO you canlidly an,
i without the fear OF Mexican arms. tha
: unless the people forthwith turn out Ii
A mass those now In the Held vii
a be sacrificed and the battles that should b.
a fought here will he fought cast of tn
q Bra1os and probably the FRUITS. :. n
" closes the letter with the pathetic remarl
that there Will be those who win "persd
. venture drop tear over our memory
= Texans be you native or adopted. Il 70
u love bravery and liberty YOU win owe
n honor and cherish the name OF Fannul
g. 'We're flowing from our native hills
10 AS our free rivers how,
! The blessing OF our mcfarland
9 Ii with us as we go.
y. UNFOLDING like the ark OF GOD.
:" The Bible In our van
:, We 30 to test the truth Of God,
:. Against the fraud OF man
Thus may have sung Colonel william
n Ward and the liz brave men comprisin
h he Georgia battalion az they toufn, ye
from The peace and quiet oil theii nail
State TO offer their lives for the cause o
- Texas brethren nghting for that which /
- dearer TO an American than his He. ia
c right of self government, freely gave ttel
, lives a vlcarious Offering for pos itS
T. Language is 100 weak TO operH expires
our love and Vencratlou OF the memli
- OF these noble men who were hhselN mli
dered by q trcachereus Zoe They est
peace for He who died TO save ali ma
kind viii reward those who d'ei TO sa'
o their folow-men.
ia "Tar dearer the grave or the prison.
n uIumined by one patriot name,
ID Than the trophies OF all who have rise
in On lihertys ruins to fame
TX Georglans and Texans everywhere n
c, proud of the name OF Miraoeau u, Lama
le noet soldier and statesman. Winning i
r! himself the command OF the caFaiFy
Ia San Jaclnto, he was afterward ntst W
iy president and second president OF N ~
l. public Of Texas. One night easily NJ
OF subject matter sufficient Tor a comp.e
IA address In the chlvalry, culture and state
u manshIp OF Lamar; but had he done mott
- ing else than what he DID IN iaylhs u
!" foundation OF the educational syst N
y, Texas he would have deserved the las
~ ing gratitude Of Texans In MS mesa
l. 10 congress OF December 20. 1888 he can
attention TO tUo UNcsnbiiS "a nPp' "F' ''''
he from the public domain land for sener
es education and for the purpose OF endowli
A. n university. This recommendation w
err partially adopted at once and has bee
If wholly adopted since. Thus did this pr
,e found scholar and wise statesman qua
re antee the preservation OF that liberty
to Texans which ho and others had won =
D them,
re James Willie, born IN wilkes count
D. Georgia, deserves more than passing mei
ut ton. To him was left practically the
at tire preparation OF the Penal Code
"a Texas. nor was this an easy task. !
We did not follow the common law In the pre-
ne aration OF this code. but his work sho'
B. much originality and craftsmanship =
e. iawmaker, though less widely known I'M
s. the warrior, is none the less potent la
o eit tor in the making OF a State. He did d
u work well and his name deserves MI
pc placo among the worlds great men.
nc The life OF lawyer and Judge iaci
d. the brilliant fame Of soldier, but y
T., lawyer and the judge are necessary cof
ne comitants II not prerequisites 70 lr'
10 government without an honest ana an
III judiciary there is either anarchy or dei
-, potism. The soldier may win liberty, .,
he for its preservation we must rely on y