The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-09

&c
SOURCES OF TEXAS HISTORY. !:
Many Errors that Must BE Corrected-Correct
Statement in Regard to the Lively.

the efforts Of our historians; far from it;
they have made the beginning and 1t is
for succeeding generations. by research
and patient labor, to correct and remodel
where error is found aud proportion is
faulty.
A few illustrations will make my mean
ing clearer. Most of the errors In the
books mentioned above may perhaps be
ascribed to three sources-frst, the accept
ance by the writer of rumor or common
report, and of the uncorroborated state
ments of persons present or participating
in the events narrated; second, the use or
unreliable authorities, and, third, the
prejudice or preconceived opinions of the
writer.
AS an instance of the first source OF error
] refer TO the story of the Lively as IL
appears in all our histories. You know
we are told that the little schooner was
loaded by Austin in New Orleans Win
supplies for his colone;s, that eighteen
emigrants embarked on board and thai
vessel and passengers were never heard OF
again. This is substantially what is re-
lated by our historians without, believe
an exception. If one of them had but
taken the trouble to look through the pa
pers of Stephen +. Austin, he would nave
found that tho above story is fiction, pure
and simple; he would have found many
references to the Lively and even voium
nous journal kept by one OF her passeh
gers; he would have found that the pas,
sengers were all landed a. the mouth oil
the Brazos; that they finally went up the
river to the falls and there tried to raise
crop. but falling, most OF them returned
discouraged to the United States. AS the
schooner failed TO meet Austin at the
mouth of the Colorado where he awaited
her, and as most of her passengers Iei'
Texas within a year, 1t was soon commonly
believed among the colonists that all ON
board had been lost. This story was So
generally believed by the early settlers
that the historian thought himself war
ranted in accepting II, and In this way II
has crept into our books Others of the
same character could be pointed out; and
we are left with an unpleasant feeling tnal
investigation at any moment may, ahd
no doubt will discover errors.
Another common source OF error ID wen
iIInetrated hv the dramatic story of 81.
Denis. In this case our historians nave
really obscured a most important inciafnt
by surrounding its hero with glahloui "
romance. To the reader OF the leXas n's-
tories St Deuis is the brilliant frehcnnlan
,yho cnened a contraband trade with MeXl-
co. who won the love OF the aaushtIr "
tba commaudant of San Juan bauusth'
and In spite of the opposition and perse-
cullen of his rival, the governor OF Goa
huiIa. succeeded In bearing away the IAN
nrize II makes a pretty story, but uhior
tunately there is no foundation for mosl
NJ If. All that part which has to do WIZ
the rivalry between ST. Denis and the gov,
ernor of Coahuiia-in other words, mos
NJ he romance OF the story-must be SCI
down as the creation of the imagination
ASK the historian for his authority ior tnis
interesting morsel and he will refer YOU
M farther back than to Charles Gayarre
who probably created the story TO ehiipei
his lectures on 1.-The Poetry. or tne arS
nance of the History OF Louisiana ,....
objectionable part OF 1t Is tha' our WIS