The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 10, July 1906 - April, 1907 Page: 228
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228 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
ment's reservation. Here was an opportunity of making or marring
a naturally beautiful location. Mr. Waller possessed the good
taste as well as sound judgment to make the best of it; he selected
the land lying between the "two beautiful streams" referred to by
the commissioners. The broad streets, the excellent location of the
capitol space, the names of the streets extending north and south
-who would change them now?
As the time for the first sale of lots (August 1) approached, the
Morning Star attempted to defeat it entirely by republishing every
argument that had hitherto been put forward against 'the new site.
For instance, it stated that
there is no reason to believe that the location will be a permanent
one; but as this was made by management, combined with self-
interest, and as these components will exist in the next legislature,
there is not the slightest guarantee that that body may not find it
to its interest to move again. There can be but two reasons why
congress should have stricken out the word 'permanent,' each
equally affecting the investment of money in lots in the new seat of
government; and these are, either they knew they were incompetent,
or that if they had the right they could by leaving out the word,
move the Capitol at pleasure, and thus make a series of specula-
tions. The latter none would attribute to 'them:' the former, then,
must be the true one. Whatever was the cause, the location is not
permanent, and the investment of money in lots in the city is not
a safe one.3
Contrasted with the foregoing is the following from the Mata-
gorda Bulletin for July 18, 1839:
The time is fast approaching when the public sale of Tots at the
City of Austin . . . is to take place. . . . We under-
stand that already numbers of persons are flocking to that point,
It is generally supposed that the act provides for its"permanent" loca-
tion which is an error. That word was stricken out in the passage of the
bill through the Senate, and can not be found in the body of it. Through
an error -of the clerk, it still remains in the caption.-Morning Star, April
20, 1839.
"The legislature has shown on so many occasions such a vascillating
spirit, and too often a, disregard of the plighted faith of the nation, that
the confidence of many persons in our integrity is much impaired, and as
the location of the seat of government is only a matter of speculation, the
ensuing congress having equal power with the preceding one, may take it
into their hands to cancel the act of that body, and make still another
location.-Morning Star, June 26, 1839.
$Morning Star, July 27, 1839; cf, ibid., April 20, June 20, 26, 27, July
5, 8, 77, and 30.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 10, July 1906 - April, 1907, periodical, 1907; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101040/m1/255/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.