The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-10-15
Story oi Southern State.
Judge Kitrers Address alabama" the Dallas Fair


Dallas last Monday:
The manifold attractions OF the fair
realm comprised within what are now the
limits o. our mother State drew thither as
early as three centuries ago both savage
and civilized adventures and explorers.
There is legend OF poetic beauty which
has been handed down from generation to
generation, that in the distant and misty
past an Indian warrior who had long
striyen with his hereditary foes, when the
tide of battle turned against him, fed with
the remnant OF his tribe toward the beau-
fiful land which lay far toward the setting
sun.
In the course OF his journey he came
upon realm where quiet wales lay IN
peaceful beauty between towering noun
tains, and wandered mid forests where
grateful shades brought peace TO troubled
minds and rest to wearied limbs; heard
the gentle murmur OF rills which rippled to
the rivers and watched the majestic flow of
rivers TO the sea, caught the roar of the
mountain torrent and listened with de-
light 20 the songs OF numberless birds
whose rich notes made resonant with
music the echoing woods, sazed with de-
light upon the rich quarries Of game which
promised at once cheering sport and
signing OF the winds through the boughs
OF the monarchs of the forest, and In the
resounding notes of the storm as ii roared
and echoed amid the mountains. he seemed
20 hear the voice OF the Grent Spirit bid
ding him stay his steps aud plant his tepee
on the soil OF the land of wondrous beauty
into which he had been led. and the chief,
obedieDt to that voice, threw himself upon
the rich carpet of vivid green which ma
ture had spread over that fertile and
virgin land and exclaimed "Alaosma,
Alabama here we rest here we rest.
That untutored savage who saw God in
tempests, heard him in the wind" per
chance fondly dreamed that long would
be the duration of his dominion, and that
he would rule that fair realm In undis-
puted sway, and that neither to him nor
TO his people would ever come the necessity
OF resuming his journey toward the rolling
plains beyond the father OF waters
But soon there pressed upon him the |
bold and adventurous Spaniard. Across
the mountain and through the forest and
over the fertile valleys the cross bowmen |
and arquebusiers OF De Soto marched in
,old array as their daunfless leader pressed |
on lnred on by the ignis tatuus OF an Ell
Dorado, which he sought in vain until his
worn and wearied body found repose and
final sepuiture beneath the turbid waters
OF the Mississippi
The plumes Of crested cavaliers danced
and nodded IN the gentle Southern brccges,
their Respondent srnor flashed in the light
o. the Southern sun; the soft. sweet songs
d Spain ctivered 10 rich but gentle ca
dence amid the aisles Of the mighty forest
and cleaning swords lighted the way over
which with restless ardor the bold wan
cerers pressed upon their fruitless search
Tor that which they We're doomed never 10
discover
Others OF their race followed In their
Footsteps and soon the ardent and grasping
Frenchman Invaded too that goodly land,
and between Spaniard and Gaul sovereignty
and possession shifted. while the red man
yielded the land wherein he had thought
70 rest and took up again his inevitable
Journey toward the western horizon.
But such land as Alabama was not In
the economy OF that providence which d.
reefs the current OF human destiny intend
ca 70 be possessed or controlled by Span
,afd, Gaui or red man, but these three who
nhd there contcnded for supremacy went
on and down before the restless advance
% that ayant courier or civilization and
enlightenment In every age the all con-
quering and liberty loving Saxon
ihat apostle OF freedom and the rights of
man with the instinct inherited from an
ancestry which had compelled concessions
" vas, importance at The hands OF mon i
tne advance OF constitutional government
s'gnaiized his coming into his new and
AIT possession by the establishment in
!sli OF a territory, which eyentuated In
1els into the sovereign State of Alabama !
% oe,u,eohs star as ever yet has gem ,
msa the jeweled brow of fair Columbia, !
me men who established and organized
.nat state, like those who laid the foun- I
va. OF lhis glorious State of our adop-
M rrtt
were men OF intellect, courage and con.
p. ssructVe ana executive capacity, because /
.ne man OF timidiiy, indecisiop' and rh, 4
Y uencient IN intellectual, physical nud
mo. courage is rarely found among those .
~ne mark out the way for human prog
ments. so'sfn-
/, Is only those heroic spirits who love {
noerly' whose souls are afiame with deyo-
ION 10 the principles of free government |
M VINO nave the intelligence 30 perceive
~ the skill and courage TO carry o,yt I
.Nose pans and policies necessary 10 found ,
tno establish government OF liberty and
= = lev, who are found among the pioneers I
When Alabama became State NJ tho
Union African slavery was already planted
nero as domestic institution and a tixed
'ystem OF labor. Long established in her
sister Southern States from which tho
population of Alabama had migrated.
slaves had been brought with thcm in com
non with other chattels. The climate was
congenial to the negro, and the
character Of labor at which hc was en-
p!oyed was exactly adapted TO the measure
D MS Intelligence, lie was not a product
ndigenous to the soil. He had been trans
alanted from New England. Experionce
aaa demonstrated that he was not profit
,nie as laborer In thai frigd CLINE and
hose who had bought him with rum sold
aim Tor gold, and when he had changed
masters. aud the later master had by rea-
son o. hts purchase waxed rich, and the
ana wherein be dwelt Powered ana blos-
iomed like the rose, the seller was stricken
with regret and narrowed by seep remorse.
because he had not bargained for better
Price. To sell u slave into continual
slavery was deemed BY him cute fnan-
'iAi transaction. but the Keeping as III
nave, the slAyc So sold became at once Ia
ais eye = grieyons and objectionable Of
3 NeE Englsnd and the negro, did not
nefmont]e, The thermometer II zero and
} qoykey 10 comfort were irrcconcilahIel
andS impossible conditions. He instinc-
lively yearned for land where the sum
e1z' sun cripsoned the perslmmon. where
- tqrthpeme posspmr rlpened ia tho