Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-26

already has a membership of more than
| six score and is said to be growing rapidly.
! 1t is comprised of a high class of the citi-
! zens of the District, and last night their
| wives, daughters and sweethearts came
| with them to attend the festivities The an
| niversary of the battle falls on April 81,
| but that day being Good Friday, the cele-
-bration was postponed until last evening.
A program of eloquence was interspersed
with songs, instrumental music, a recita-
ton and a flag dance" and closed with
general dancing and refreshments, served
by the ladies of the organization. The
hall was decOrat ted with the national fla
and the flag of the republic of Texas, the
floral embellishments being very tastefully
arranged about the room. The chair was
occupied by w. II. Mcneil, acting president
| of the society, and the principal speaker of
| the evening was Seth Shepard, chief JUS
tice of the Court Of Appeals of the Dis
| trict of Columbia.
Mr.. Mcneil made the address of welcome
and told of the great things done by the
early pioneers of the state of Texas, which
at that time under the flag of Spain.
He reviewed the history of the territory
from the first that is known of it, centuries
before the beginning of the history of the
United States as an Independent nation,
and followed up its career until the time
when it threw off all allegiance to others
and became part of the federal Union.
Under Six Governments.
Texas" he said, has been under the
dominion of six governments She has
flown the flags of France, Spain, Mexico,
Texas the southern confederacy and the
United States, and today she stands as
one. of the grandest of the constellation of
stars in that banner which we all recognize
as the grandeSt That nieS under the DIue
dome of heaven.
That love of home which cOnstrains US
to revert with tear-dimmed eyes to the old
doorstep from which we looked, years ago,
/ l. nd
streams or surveyed the heavens in which
the stars seemed to twinkle more merrlly
than elsewhere, is the fundamental principle
from which springs the national spirit
genuine patriotism.
In this city. beneath the political sane
tuary of the republic, We citizens of Texas
deemed it appropriate TO keep allVe our
state pride and perpetuate the love OF our
home land.
THE history of Texas is romantic in the
extreme-every line punctuated with the
blood of a hero. 1t is animate with the
voices of sages, radiant with the light OF
craftsmanship and sacred with the graves
of patriots.
"Texas has given to the world some grand
characters; she has made some names that
are imperishable the field of war and IN
the halls of egslation she has produced
some shining lights in the judiciary, and
as a particularly shining and rugged type
of the Texan we have Seth Shepard, VINO
had his choice of the toga of the senator or
the ermine of the judge. He chose the
latter, and that he has ably fulfilled all
that was expected of this son of Texas his
record in the great court over which he
presides gives ample evidence"
Received an Ovation.
Judge Shepard was received with an ova-
ton and told the company of the reasons
why Texans should have a pride In their
state. He reviewed its history and told ex-
plicitly of the battle of San Jacinto, which
was the topic of his remarks.
I'VE are proud of Texas" he said, be
cause of her great territory, because of her
great achievements and because of her great
sons who have been the instruments Of her
advancement Our state has glorious his
tory, romantic history, unique history
in the galaxy of states of this Union. We
have a right to share in the glories of the
American revolution because Texas, too,
had a revolution, and the Texas revolution
is all our own. 1t paved the way for In
dividual government by people who re-
fused to accept the tyrannous domination
| of another people, just as the colonists OF
| New England refused to bow beneath the
| yoke of the tyrannical George of Britain.
Texas was settled a century before the
| Pilgrims landed on the historic Plymouth
Rock. and we may trace her history from
| the coming of Coronado. through La Sale
! and De Leon to the domination of Mexico,
| the overthrow of that despotic power and
| the ESTABLISHMENT of an Independent re-
| public with a single star as it's emblem
|
! was given to the southern confederacy,
and finally the overthrow Of that condition
| and the acceptance of representation in
| the national family in which we stand to-
| day and of which we have vital part.
Spain dominated Texas for more than a
| hundred years. and the history of the terri
tory is one of discomfort with the condi-
/ lions which eliminated with the battle of
| San Jacinto, April II, 1886 From that day
| the star of the empire of Texas has been
| constantly rising until today it scars in
| the zenith, commanding the admiration and
| the love of her sons and daughters.
| THE pioneers of Texas came not to wrest
| the territory from Mexico, but were driven
| to that end by the tyranny of that coun-
| try. They were peaceable people, but
| were of that race which has never yet ac-
| knowledged a superior and which will not
| submit to tyrannous dictation Such a
| man as Sam Houston was needed in Texas
| at that time, and he came. The end came
| with him. and today his name Is cherished
| In the Lone Star state as that of the one
| grand factor in the freedom of a people
| from the yoke Of despotic government