The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-03

three and wounding five. The members Of
the guard were tried and acquitted. de-
Tended by John Adams and Josiah Quincy
except that two We're convicted of man
slaughter and punished lightly.
The battle between the Monitor and the
Merrimac occurred on March 9. 1867, which
resulted in Il draw. The Confederates with
drew up the James River and sunk their
ironclad Merrimac.
The battle of Pea Ridge came to an end
on March s. 1862. General Van Dorm. with
the forces of Price and McCul,och. at
tackled General Curtis. with Sigel as his
second in command. in their position on the
heights of Pea Ridge, Benton County Ar
kansas. The battle of Pea Ridge was one
of the most important battles west Of the
Mississippi. The Confederates drove their
opponents from their position on the 18th
of March. whereupon Curtis took up n new
position. and the battle was renewed the
next day, when Van Dorn's men were re-
pulsed.
"Thermopylae had her message of defeat;
the Alamo had none
The Alamo fell on March 6. 1896. The story
of the sublime heroism Of the devoted band
of exams thrills the most calious reader.
In his story of the Alamo, Seth Shepard
says: with sublime courage they with
stood the attack OF twenty times their
number. and in the necessarily short con-
flct with such overwhelming odds-taking
the most reasonable estimate-inficted a
havoc that is marvellous. Grander than all
this. they fought to the last, without one
cry of quarter. Santa Anna, telling the
truth for the first time. perhaps, respecting
the incident of the battle. said in a letter
to Mr.. McArdle. under date Of March 10.
1874: The obstinacy of Travis and his SOL
diers was the cause of the death OF the
whole of them. for not one would surren-
der
For fourteen days a force Of $50 men re-
sisted the attacks of thousands of MeXicans.
Colonel Travis. Bowie, David Crockett, AL
bert Martin and James Butler Bonham
were among the patriots who yielded up
their lives in this old mission which was
made famous by the shedding of blood.
In the last letter written by Travis to the
convention, three days before the fall, he
said: Il feel confident that the determined
spirit and desperate courage heretofore ex-
hibited by my men will not fail them in the
last struggle, and, though they may be sac
rifced to the vengeance of a Gothic enemy,
the victory will cost that enemy SO dear
that 1t will be worse than a defeat. The
blood-red banner waves over the church in
Bexar. and in the camp above US, in token
that the war is one of vengeance against
rebels. These threats have no influence on
my men, but to make all fight with des-
peration, and, with the high-souled courage
which characterized the patriot, who is will
Ing to die in defence of his country's lib
erty and his own honor. God and Texas!
Victory or deathi"
Captain Albert Martin. inspired by the
message of Travis to Benton and the men,
orable dispatch of the next day. raised
thirty-one volunteers at Gonzales, who. an
mated by the same heroic spirit, deter
mined TO succor their brethren in the Ala
mo or die with them. At 3 o'clock on the
morning Of the 1st these brave men cut
their way through the besiesing lines and
entered the fort. never to leave it.
The roll of heroes was completed by the
name of the chivalrous Bonham. He was
the last to enter the doomed walls. Dis
patches for aid, which he was unable to
procure, he resolved to return to the side
of his friend and chieftain. To entreaties to
give up the undertaking, his only reply
was: II will report the result of my mission
to Travis or die in the attempt" After l
o'clock on the morning of March ; he
dashed through the Mexican lines upon a
swift steed. amid a Shove of bullets. and
entered. unframed. the gate. which was
thrown open to receive him. Unable to save,
he returned to die with his comrades.
The fall of the Alamo was the seal of
the declaration of Texan independence and
the guarantee of its maintenance"
Fourth of March-All the Presidents of
the United States directly elected to that
office-excepting three-have been inausu-
rated on the Fourth of March. Here is the
reason why this this Is Inauguration day:
The Constitution of the United States,
framed by the Convention of 1857. fixed the
presidential term at four years. 1t, further
more, provided that the new Government
should so into effect when this Cons:itu-
ton should have been ratified by nine of
the Thirteen States. On September lS. 1isS.
the old Continental Congress, by resolution,
declared that the required nine States had
ratified, fixed the first Wednesday in Janu-
airy. 1859, for the choice of Presidential
electors in the Several States. the first
Wednesday in February for the choice of
President by the electors. and the first
Wednesday in March. 1883, as the day on
the new Government under the Con-
stitution should 20 into effect.
This first Wednesday in March, 1859, was
the fourth day of the month. Thus it is
that the 4th of March is the initial day
and the biennial and quadrennial anniyer-
sary of the Government of the United
States. IL is not only the beginning of 4
new Presidential term every four years. but
of a new Congress every two years.
When the 4th of March came. in 1889.
there was no quorum of Congress in New
York. the temporary seat of Government,
and this lack Of quorum continued for sew
eral weeks. John Adams, the first Vice
President, was not sworn in until April q,
George Washington, the first President, was
not sworn in for his first term until April
go. But the first term of both was counted
as having begun on March 4, and, both
being reelected. were sworn in for their
second terms on March a, 1898. The records
of the Senate show that John Adams, in
1889. is the only Vice-Presidcnt ever sworn
in or inaugurated before his President.
March jim only three Presidential Years
since the foundation of the Government
under the present Constitution has the
4th of March fallen OH a Sunday. This
happened in 1921. when Monroe was inaug-
for his second term on Monday.
March S. Again, in 1S49. James X. Folks |
term expired on Sunday. March 4. and
Taylor was not inaugurated until
noon of Monday, March S. David r. Atcl-
ison of Missouri was then President OF
the Senate; and long after some wag sprang
the Joke that he, by the then existing law,
had been President of the United States
during the ~twenty-four hours from noon to
sunday to noon of Monday. But Atchison
never took the necessary oath of Office,
which even Washington could rot
have been President. Polk was President
during the odd day. 1t is amazing that
that this joke should have found a place in
some histories that are taken seriously.
In 1877. at the end of Grants second
term, the 4th Of March again fell on a
sunday. That was the year of the dis
puted Presidential election. Rutherford B.
IroyaS moo not pt1h1iclv inaugurated until