The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-24
SAN FELIPE De AUSTIN.
The First Colony Of Texas Wants the Re.
mains Of Its Founder.
4 MEMORIAL TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE
That the Body of stephen y. Austin
lie Inferred ut san
Felipe.

Etilpcs
To the Editor of The Post.
San Felipe. Texas, April iS.--Noting the
special message of Governor Savers and
the letter Of Hon. Guy NJ. Bryan Inspiring
1t In Yesterdays Post, with reference 20
the removal OF the remains of stephen II.
Austin, permit mo TO ask that you will
print the accompanying memorial that
suggested the matter to the Hon. Guy NJ.
Bryan, and to which he courteously refers
In his letter to the governor
AS the nearest living relative of Austin.
OF course, Hon. Guy NJ Bryan's preference
in the premises will and should be sacred
ly respected; but the people OF San Felipe
very much regret that he should have in
Dictated the capital of the State. rather
than the capital OF the colony founded by
Austin as the place most TT for his final
resting place. The state capital of Texas
is already monument to the memory OF
Austin. a plain tomb for his body and
his devoted sister, who so loved the heroic
brother, placed In front OF the Texas cap
itol building would teach no lesson OF our
romantic history, save. possibly. TO some
of our legislators at their biennial gather
ing. No place of itself, nor monument,
can add to stephen +. Austins reverence
held In the hearts of our Texas people
The legend of the epitaph Of the shaft or
tablet wherever IL may be, or however IL
may read, will say, like that OF Euripides:
This monument doth not make thee great,
oh, Euripides, thou makest this monu-
ment great" JR.G.
The following is the memorial to the
legislature of Texas, which has been
printed in the House Journal at the re-
quest of Hon. Dudley Wooteu
TO the Honorable Legislature of Texas.
The undersigned mayor and board Of
aldermen of the town of San Felipe, Austin
county, state of Texas, respectfully repre-
sent to your honorable body:
j. That in 1921 Stephen T. Austin
planted the first colony of Texas, and in
July, 1923, declared San Felipe de Austin
the capital thereof
3 Here was published the first news
paper in Texas.
g. Here was taught the first school. and
here was conducted the first Sunday school
in Texas.
g. Here, in 1882. was held the first con-
vention of pioneer patriots to petition the
governor of Coahulla and Texas to take
steps for carrying out the provision of the
constitution with regard TO public free
schools, declared to be necessary to the
life OF a free republic
5. Here every foot of ground is sacred
Texas historic soil
9, The body of Stephen f. Austin, the
Father of Texas" the man who planted
the seeds of a civilization that have grown
into fruitage at once a wonder aud a
blessing TO thh empire of the Southwest,
lies buried at Peach Point 1t is safe
10 say that few of our people know where
the place is or what the legend of his
epitaph,
I. A sense Of poetic justice, sacred duty
and State pride demand that the ashes of
what Is left of him he put under the sol
here. The place of his choice in life
should be his resting place in death. His
name was given TO 1t In 1923. Let his body
be given to it in this year Of grace. 1899.
s. These premises considered, your
memoralists respectfully propose, with
the consent Of the descendant relatives of
stephen +. Austin that The municipal cor
poration OF San Felipe viii bear all the
expense of the disinterment OF his body.
and viii revercntly bury IL In ground here.
dedicated forever to the State OF Texas for
that purpose provided that your honor
able legislature will make appropriation
for a proper monument to be built over II
when this shall have been done
o To the contamination OF this purpose,
IT. Is further respectfully suggested, II
this proposition meets with your favor,
that you appoint a special committee 70
confer with us and with the Daughters
Of the Republic whose cooperation we
may confidently anticipate, with full pow
crs to materalize and crystalize the pur-
p~se herein crudely yet most urgently
| prayed for.
| 10. No loyal Texan can object to sucl
an apprsp rlation as your discretion maS
deem proper to be made. Almost in tn,
shadow Of the monument at Washington
/ this commemoration OF Texas independ
I ence might have been but vision of hops
I had net the fertile brain and patriotic
( hsart Of Austin, helped by his faithful
/ stalwart colonists at San Felipe, made
The I'd Of March and the 2ist Of Apri
calendar days On cur page Of records.
I Thu lessons of Texas history may MOI
I all be learned from the books, AS VIC ad-
I vance in civilization we ought not to re.
! trograde In patriotism. Such monument
! TO stephen F. Austin placed by tho CRATE.
ful state which he almost literally rough.
hewed into shape guided by q divine
haud--such monument ever his bone,
buried at San Felipe dc Austin would bt
/ lessen taught by State pride and love
\ and halowed by this hero Of romance anC
man without reproach. Nest respectfully
submidtted
John Phillips, Mayor
Justus S. Davidson, Alderman.
r. r. Davis Alderman.
| Henry Dittert Alderman.
VIM. GerDand Alderman.
W. G. Clett Alderman.
w r. Kerr Alderman.
W. ]. Frederick, Alderman.
W. e. Gray, Alderman.
]. H. Brownlee.
Secretary San Felipe Corporation
March 2S 1899. &.
The letter of Hon, Guy NJ. Bryan on m
subject was as follows:
Governor j. d. sayers.
City OF Austin. Texas April ~ 1899.
Dear Sir l have read the communicate
of the mayor and aldermen of San Felip
de Austin, TO the legislature of Texas, t
make an appropriation TO place monu
ment over the remains OF Stephen f. Aus
/ tin at San Felipe. saying that II the appro
nriatiou should he made that the official