Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 34, Ed. 1, Saturday, April 14, 1855 Page: 4 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
HWPiW.W"i -V
1
lilfesa"
TEXAS STATE GAZETTE.
APRIL Id
WA
iu
tf
r
Edited br JOAIIV MAUSHAMi and V .S. OlMHIAilI.
CITY OFAUSTIN SATURDAY APJR1L 14 1S55.
State Democratic Convention 21st of April at Huntsvllle.
kEWj Among onrncTf ndTortliemonti will be seen theDcntatCnrdof Dr. James A. Bulner
$ has permanently located In our city.
J
" 4
THE TflAS STATE GAZETTE.
WtxrGlmxir-Buyers will do well to consult our advertising columns this week. Some fine
.4 stocks are offered Tor sale.
Bocjctt iiunn Whirajcts. Wo refer our readers to Col. Itobard's card. Ho Is known to us a"
reliable and wdrtliy man and will attend carefully to all business committed to his care.
f2F0Those In want of Dnpicrreotypes are referred to the Kdrerttsemcnt of Mr. llrush which
will bo found tn atrotbor column. He will lake great plcasuro In exhibiting his specimens.
a I I M
537" Wo Invite the attention of our readers to the ndrertleemcnt of Mr. Pclrcc Dagucrrcan
which will be fountlln another column. Mr. l'clrct'has permanently located In our city and
is a young man deserving of patronage. His specimens are rare and beautiful. Gallon him.
1 y ST We were happy tho othcryday to greet our worthy friend and predecessor MnJ W. It.
' Scurry lie is now enjoying tho sweets of a country life and n " big plantation." It every-
thlfjg upon It Is as fresh and fertile as himself and his wit why then wb must say It will be a
4lgnt that will do tho eyes good to dwell upon.
TfjoIUUoad qrhls
We linve liad ample occasion to see and to be satisfied tlint the
'land bonus system will not of itself build long lines of railroad. The
'Pacific Railroad has had but one real bidder notwithstanding all the
publicity given to it by the'published advertisements of the Governor
and 'that bidder failed to comply with the law.
Tho question now is what policy will the State resort to next?
Tho great danger to be apprehended is a disposition to run into wild
excess. It was seen at the last session of the legislature in the enact-
ment of laws creating railroad corporations who .never will make
a 'road in our natural lives. And if wo are not very careful we
.hall find a tendency at the next legislature to impose upon the State
the "germs of a gigantic debt that will tower up and spread over us
like a deadly. Upas to destroy all future industry and enterprize by
involving 'us in irredeemable debt. Tho constitution of the State
very well guards against this danger by providing that " the aggre-
gate amount of debtfl contracted by tho legislotnre shall never exceed
tho sum of 0110 hundred thousand dollars except in case of war to
repel invasions or suppress insurrections" The constitution also pro-
vides that " tho State shall not be part owner of the stock or property
teslonging to auy corporation.'' The fear to bo apprehended is the re-
moval of these safeguards and tho substitution of privileges to the leg-
islature which moy be used to carry out the most extravagant theo-
ries of State aid. We would have no fears of a vote of the people
upon distinct amendments to the constitution but if it shall be resolved
t(j hold a convention to amend the constitution it will require the
Vjtmb'st vigilance to avoid excesses which if once adopted by the
convention must either be sanctioned by the people or force upon
ihjfm tho serious alternative of rejecting the amended constitution ;
tlnYwe know would be a most difficult matter to do: It has rarely
opener occurred in the history pf any pf our states.
J Wd are determined to meet this railroad crisis in the right spirit.
We will not placo 'obstacles unnecessarily in the way of the State
lending her aid in building railroads bat we must have a distinct and
fall understanding as to the plau of operations and we will contend
that the people must know how far their means are to be taxed and
how they are to be applied This must be declared in plain and un-
v equivocal terniB in the Constitution. A limit to the use of the public
- wedit must be sacredly preserved in that instrument.
V ' It .would bo useless for the Stato to issue bonds no a source of State
ft
Wd without in tho first place providing for the payment of the inter-
esUjy a resort to taxation. A sinking fund to pay off the principal
I Ktdst also be treated. Tho query then arises. Can all pa-ts of the
JBtate meet on any common grounds so as to adopt certain specified
routes pj road nnd concentrate all our resources upon these routes
md-ppon these alone without frittering away our resources in nt-
itetnptingr to accommodate every section with local roads and thus
Jbuildingup a system without foundation only to fall to the ground ot its
own weight ; and then without accomplishing anything bury with
ttidl public energy and enterprise for numbers of years thereafter ?
t -We are for railroads. We regard our country as almost entirely
depnhdant upon them for its prosperity. But we have had too much-
experience to suffer ourselves to be led away by delusive speculations
involving expenditures far beyond our means to pay and our duty to
" the publje will require us to scrutinize and scan closely tho many
Rejects that may be brought forward for adoption. We promise to
i our whole duty without fear or favor.
Tke War in tfee Crimea.
rtyM'''8 tho opinion of may of the journalists in the United States that
; "Jjfci Russian war is bound to go on and that the new Emperor is so
)Y Pledged to carry out the war policy of his father that there can
&i&yniwPprehenBion of the future policy. For our part we cuu
T 'pjJ3wHovg how a system of continued defensive operations on the
aide ff Russia may finally wear out the patience of the people of
Francoand England and iuduce a settlement not at all disagreeable
to the stomach of the new Czar. At present tho greatest harmony
2L ita aniP?2 mVbrothers and new generals nnd additional forces are
SllpV'nS t0Wnrd tho 6eat ofwar' Russia is far from being whipped yet.
WL The Rights of Citizens.
SSfeUlell'Senco 0f tho ma8se8 is a cardinal principle in tho domo-
rd. We are for a thorough reform in the abuses of citizen-
6hiP' j a great privilege to be an American citizen and its char-
acter mUBUbe eldvated. We must progress.
V Ih W dre Lt0 8eo an efiort mado in Congress to prevent tho im-
F.rtatl0Ii f Wer and feon fogners to our country. Wo are
. ' '4ng o receive at all times tho oppressed and persecuted of every
'?ftet blU we mu8t gard against abuses.
MrTbere is another evil wiitni. i 1 .....
jftigrmSl r 1 '". iua lung ucuu.au injury 10 our couuirv
S a relfuBl9 PJSpoto the use of the English jutiguago. No
'.S?nb0trU8lt'th thcelective fcaneWs?wbo is Ignorant of
Tno Insults of Spain.
The refusal of Congress to suspend our neutrality laws and to sus-
tain ihe President in his negotiations with n firm hand is the cause
o'nll the recent difficulties. And had Cuba free laborers instead of a
servile population wc never sho'uld have witnessed the coldness and
indifierence of Congress to the wrongs visited upon us by Spain.
That island would lon;j ago have been a part of the free soil of the
United States.
The crisis is now at hnnd however when a blow must sooner or
later be struck cud whatever mny be the result we hope that Span'
ih dominion may bo driven out from this gem of the ocean never
more to tyrannise over its white race.
In a few months we have hnd to recotd severaf outrages upon our
commerce nnd still tho list increases. We are now told that our vice
consul at Sagua la Grande Mr. Thompson one of the most respect-
able merchants of the island was compelled to witness the emblems
of the arms of (he United Slates ruthlessly torn down from their
place in his office by' Spanish officials.
Wo also learn that the Steamship Daniel Webster Capt. T. D
Lnca while passing Capa San Antonio was brought too with a
shotted gun from a Spanish sloop of war and her papers demanded
nnd overhauled under protest of the captain and the only reason
given by the Spaniards was that they served nil U. S. Steamships
the snme way.
We are for iuttalliation and we will hail the day when a United
Slates man of war shall overhaul these cowardly dogs at their work
and sink their ships into the depths of the. ocean. The time is past
for peaceful negotiations and if Congress Avill do its duty without
the qualmish fear of offending fanatic nnd blear-eyed freesoilism we
shall repulse these blows of Spanish officials to the taking of the Is-
land itself if necessary. We have had enough of insults in all con-
s science to justify us in sweeping Spanish power forever out of exis
tence upon the coasts of our Union.
ignorant 1
panderillir to foreimiersiin nnv fihnrm
1 character should ba above t!iati ' .7'
Indian Affairs.
We have before us ninety-five reports from as many officers in the
service of the Indian Department. 'The tribes of the red man thus
lepresented are many thousands in number and scattered over a fron-
tier country thousands of miles in extent. Wonderful indeed is it
that with a people destitute of a knowledge or just appreciation of
the conveniional forms and laws of society and led chiefly by their
feelings and instincts; continually exposed to hunger and famine ; a
people by their remote situation and ignorance of our true disposition
towards them necessarily liable to be involved constantly in broils
and fends with us wondsrful we say is it that such a people should
be kept in as peaceful condition as toe find them and that there are
not many more instances of outrage and bloodshed committed upon
our distant settlers.
The insignificance of onr army for enforcing our demands upon the
Indians nnd the seeming improbability of Congress affording by law
anything like an efficient increase is tantamount to inviting the ag-
gressions of the Indians and regarding as out of the pale of protection
the white inhabitants of the frontier. At every point from California
to New Mexico; from New Mexico to Texas; from Texas to Kan-
sas to Utah-to Nebraska to Oregon and to Washington territory;
nnd from Washington to Minnesota; from Minnesota to Maine and
from Maine to Mexico at every point the United States troops have
to be scattered and when the little army of some ten thousand
men are thus divided out the several posts are scarcely able to
"defend themselves let alone give protection to our settlers. When
special agent Hill called upon Maj.E. Steen the commanding officer
at Fort Belknap for a force sufficient to escort him to certain tribes
in the Wichita Mountains who were supposed to have stolen the pro"
perty of our citizens lie was informed that the whole number of his
command were inadequate to the task nnd the pursuit had to be
given up for the time being on that account. Mr. Whitfield of the
Platte agency tells us that ' the great majority of Indians In his
agency have no respect for the government ; they think that Uncle
Sam isn weak old fellow and oould be easily overcome and they
have" adds the ageut " good reasons for coming to that conchtsion."
We are informed by the same Agent but we know it also from our
own observation that " the forts nt present located in the Indian
country are most emphatically poor affairs. They can givb no puo.
tection to any person beyond the reach of their own guns. Infan
try in the Indian country so far as protecting the roads is concerned
are about the same U6e as so many stumps would he. Immigrants are
compelled to protect themselves" and buy their way wills sugar and
coffee."
This we say is melancholy evidence of the present wretched con-
dition of our frontier defences and we must admit that without any
knowledge of his views but from a wish to catch at any thing that
may givu our inhabitants protection we have noted with much solic-
itude the remark of the commissioner of Indian affairs in his report
" A force better adapted to the Indian service than any jioio
employed could it is believed be readily organized."
While this is un honest admission that the present military system
is not adapted to the Indian service a fact nnmistakeably shown upon
our frontier wo hope it may lead to some definite policy by Congress.
Tho army of the United States oven with tho present addition can-
not do more than keep their weapons nnd their quarters clean. We
need a special Indian forceone that may not be subject to the con-
stant changes of the Military department- a force raised in our fron-
tier country and having interests iu it such as family friends or prop-
erty &o. Such a force constantly employed in watchingthe Indians
and enforcing their observance of our laws of property and of person.
nl protection would by their knowledge of Indian character habits
by un acquaintance with their haunts their trans tneir timing places
and the geography of the country effectually put a stop to the con-
stunt outrages and barbarities to which our frontier settlers arc now
exposed.
We have adverted to this policy before in connection with the
Colonization plan .udopted by the U. S. Government and we think
we have clearly 6howu thut.by a combination of an effective mount-
ed foice and the colonization system we migh. confidently look for-
ward to a frontier where' peace and sesurity could bo fully enjoyed
by the hite Bottler.
Daricn Exploring Expedition.
The present administration has signalised itself by the number of
interesting and valuable expeditions on laud which it has successfully-
carried out. On water the Japan Ecpeaiiion will long be remem-
bered for its fortunate consummation and the mngnificent results
which surely will be realized in the future. England failed to obtain
the privileges by treaty from Japan awarded to the United States
notwithstanding that importunities were made by her agents at about
the time we were iu negotiation with Japan. On land we have the
several explorations for a suitable railroad passage to the Pacific;
Ilerndon nnd Gibbon's voyages of discovery on the Amnzon and its
tributaries and Major Emory's tour of the Messilla Valley. But
probably among the most hazardous and unrivalled stands the Daricn
Exploring Expedi.ion. The heart is sometimes sickened with tha
tlirilHii" scenes described in the simple narrative of Kettlowell and
others; but there is one thing upon which we dwell with feelings of
admiration.'nnd that is the devotion of the officers to their men in al1
their vicissitudes and their readiness to make every sacrifice to relieve
the suffering. The conduct of Lt. Strain of Passed Midshipman
Truxton and Mr. Maury will long live in our memory cherished with
feelings of national pride that such noble characters adorn this branch
of our service. We cannot overlook too the reciprocal attachment
of the men to their otlicers nnd theircourage in the most trying scenes
even unto death. It is sufficient glory for the heroic adventurers to
say that notwithstanding the atlempt of England France and New
Grenada thh expedition is the first for the last sixty-seven years
which has passed over the Isthmus of Daricn from Caledonia Bay to
Darien. The object of the expedition was to ascertain the practica-
bility of a ship canal and was therefore of great importance for its
relation to the commerce of our own country and of the world. In
another column we give our readers several graphic extracts from a
memoir now being published by Headley in Harper's Magazine.
Peters Colony Land opened to settlement.
This Colony embraced a vast territory of Country in the Northern
part of Texas running in a line with Red River and extending
down some miles below the town of Dallas on the South-east corner
and the upper sources of Pecan Bayou on the South West. The
Counties of Cook Grayson Denton Collin jTurrant and Dallas
have been formed out of parts of if There are tobs round in this
territory the beautiful and fertile vallies of the upper Trinity the
Middle and West Fork ; the upper Brazos and Red Foik and Walnut
Bayou. The region is well watered and has been estimated to contain
eight thousand square miles.
The recent decision of the Supreme Court given in another
column opens up many millions of acres of this land to occupation and
settlement. The commissions had been restrained from issuing
patents to locators by an injunction granted in the suit of Williw
Stewart et al and much embarassment was the consequence to
locators. Since the removal of the injunction the commissioner has
been issuing patents to the amount of several hundred thousand acres.
In two cases where the parties had given heavy bonds to secure
patents the relief now granted has been very opportune and saved
the necessary loss of thousands of dollars. The ColonWrs are not
touched in their titles. There has been no controversy about these.
They are valid. At the same time all obstructions are cleared away
to the settlement of the unoccupied lands and the pioneer may nor
secure his home without an? fears of a law suit to try titles. The
attorney general is entitled to much credit for his energy and promp-
titudp in prosecuting this suit.
Yellow Fever. That dreadful scourge yellow fever is beginning
to show itself. The U. S. frigate Columbia flag ship of the Horns
Squadron which arrived at Norfolk on the 18th inst. had fifty cases
of yellow fever on board. The schooner Flavilla arrived at Phila-
delphia from Port an Prince reports that the bark George JD. Smoust
bound for New York had lost three men by fever; the brig Star of
Boston had lost two men by yellow ever and black vomit; and the
scooner Empire Spring loot one man and another sick of the same
disease. The brig Erie from the same port reports that the sailing
master of the U. S. sloop-of-war Falmouth had died of yellow fevec
Capt Johnson and two of the crew of the schooner D. G. Brooks
for New York had also died of the same disease. An arrival at New-
York from Porto Cabello reports the fever very bad there.
-
Daily Line ritoM THEGuLr. We see it stated that a daily line of
four-horse coaches has been established from Indianola to Austin and
San Antunio. The stages for Austin leave Indianola every Monday
Wednesday and Friday and take the route by Lavaca Victoria Gon-
zales and Lockhaft. The stages for San Antonio leave Indianola
every Sunday Tuesday and Thursday by way of Lavaca Victoria
Yorktown and Sulpnr Spring ; and on Monday. Wednesday and Fri-
day via Victoria Gonzales and Seguin. These trips are made in
forty-hours. There are also tri-weekly lines between San Antonio
and Austin and between Austin and Waco Village connecting with
Compton's stages to Shreveport Dallas and Clarksville.
Tun Next United States Senate. The Legislatures of Pennsyl-
vania Indiana Missouri and California have each been unable to elect
a United States Senator this year and have in effect referred the mat-
ter to their successors. The vacancies thus existing were filled iu the
recent Congress by two Nebraska and two auti-Nebraska Senators.
Besides these there are two vacancies from New Hampshire which
will be filled by anti-Nebraska men and one in Alabama which will
be tilled by a Nebraska man The new Senate will stand about two
to one in favor of the Nebraska law.
GnEAT Finn at Memphis. Estimated Loss 100000. We learn
from an extra issued from the Memphis Whig office that Memphis on
Saturday morning 25th ult. was visited by one of the largest and
most disastrous fires that has occrred In that city for several years re-
ducing almost the entire block between Monroe street and the alley
north of it to ashes and involving a loss of properly amounting proba.
hly to over $100000. It appears that the Appeal newspaper office
two livery stables and several stores were destroyed also that 43
horses were consumed. The extra says :
$
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Oldham, W. S. & Marshall, John. Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 34, Ed. 1, Saturday, April 14, 1855, newspaper, April 14, 1855; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81181/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.