The Texas Ranger, and Brazos Guard. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 16, 1849 Page: 2 of 4
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THE TEXAS RANGER.
tDasljington:
TUESDAY MORNING, JAN'Y. 16, 1819.
J. LANCASTER, EDITOR.
The Texas laager.
With the advent of a new, and we hope, a
happy and prosperous year, to our reader?, we
make onr editorial bow to the public of Texas,
And to our kind friend* and patron* in other parts
of the United State , and present them with
the first number of ou r promised paper, asking
for it their favorable regard and attention. It
lnay need apology and recommendation in or-
der to excuse its defects, or gain it that favor
which we venture to solicit; but we will not
trouble our readers with one or the other. Due
alknvauee^ve doubt¿p*, will he made for the
inconvenientes under which we temporarily
labor—inconveniences arising from a want of
many of those means and advantages, which,
in older settled countries, are, of course, much
more abundant aud easily procured than in
many portions of Texas ; and as for praise or
recommendation, we have only to say that we
shall try so to conduct our l«¡*'r, that, like the
eld lady's pudding, it will be " good enough
without it."
It is proper, however, as we have for so long
a period been absent from this, the country of
our adoption, and we beg leave to add, of our
devotion, that we should introduce ourselves to
the community among which we have recent-
ly come to reside, and that having undertaken
an importaut and highly responsible public en
terprize, that we should frankly declare our
purposes and the views by which we are ac-
tuated in attempting that enterprizc.
Personally, therefore, although we cannot
claim to the high distinction of being " one of
the oldest inhabitants," we can claim to have
been here early enough to have seen and
known many of them—our first immigration
to Texas dating back to the period which
14 tried men's souls "—the memorable year of
1836, in the struggle of which year we bore a
part. The name of " Texas Ranger? which
we have adopted as the title of our paper, is,
therefore, not new to us, for thirteen years ago,
when quite a youth, wc officiated in that cha-
racter oureelf. Shakspeare says, " one man in
bis time plays many parts," and we are no ex-
ception to the rale. Having " seen the ele-
phant " in '36, we returned to our private Dur-
wiito.; ami circumstances have, until now, pre-
vented the accomplishment of a long cherished
purpose—that of making our home in this new
and peerless country. At last, however, we
have been enabled to carry this purpose into
effect. We have come, if not like the ancient
patriarch, with our " flocks and our herds," at
least with our types and our presses—we have
brought here our household gods, and erected
our family altar, and here we hope to live out
th« balance which remains to us of our mortal
pilgrimage. |
Of our purposes and views, in regard to our
present undertaking, we have spoken in the
Prospectus, to which wc beg leave to refer our
readers, and embrace the present occasion to
fcxtend our remarks somewhat in detail in con-
nection with the same.
. With Mir annexation to the United States,
ánd the settlement of our Mexican and Indian
difficulties, Commences a new era in the af-
affairs of Texite. From this period she is de-
stined rapidly to* advance in population, wealth,
And the.developefAent of her vast agricultural
And mineral resources, and consequently in the
Improvement of every description, natural and
moral. To aid in th& great work, and to make
known to the inhabitants of other countries,
the advantages of this new region, and to dis-
seminate correct information concerning its
true condition, is one of the great objects we
have in view. Many of the older States of the
Union have already tr surplus population, and
all of Europe is overstocked with inhabitants.
Them too, is a large amount of capital seeking
safe and profitable investment. Texas needs
both capital and population, ^jnnd to^ make
known the trae inducements which she offers
for both, will be our constant' aim and effort.
Texas, being now one of the Union, has be-
come " bone of its bone, ahdr flesh of its
flesh." To advocate the union Of the States,
and its general interests and welffcle, and those
•f Texas, as connected with this great Un;on,
which we devoutly hope- and piafAay be as
eternal as its hills, and thus to dw&ibute onr
to the general good, shall be ^onr tumble
also in oonnectio&vtfth
We hope those in-
by any form of any hntirááv
as it regards her more nets
but in any event we shall foith-
and the rights of
parate Republic, we have no undue personal
bias for or against any individual in the coun-
try, and are consequently not attaehed to any
local party, and have nothing to do with
cliques.
Having located our paper in the centre of
Texas, we shall have no inducements to in-
dulge sectional prejudices or preferences; nor
have any disposition to such indulgence, even
if there were inducements to it. As it regards
our own State, we know no feast nor West,
nor North nor South, but shall always rejoice
in, and aid the advancement and prosperity of
every portion alike. Situated about midway
of the great Brazos valley, we hope to have a
large number of patrons from among the inhab-
itants of this valley, and consequently expect
to devote a proportionate space in our columns
to the encouragement of the navigation of its
noble river, (now so auspiciously commenced
by them,) and to the consequent developement
of its mighty resources. One effort has already
demonstrated its easy navigability to this
point; another, we trust, may soon open it to
the " falls " at Milam, and in less than three
years we trust to see boats from the "Clear
Fork of the Brazos," at our wjjgjves, exchange
ing the production of that newcHstant region,
■for our sugar and various merchandize.
We shall make it our constant purpose to
keep our readers advised of every thing of in-
terest transpiring in the busy world, and regu-
larly " posted up " with the latest news—«jen-
eral and local, political and commercial.
We intend the "Ranger" to be a family
newspaper, and shall be careful to admit noth
ing into its columns which can give offence to
the most scrupulous delicacy.
Believing religion and morality to bfe two of
the main pillars of national prosperity and in-
dividual happiness, we shall advocate their
cause, as well as that of the education of the
rising generation.
Living in a planting community, we shall
devote a suitable portion of our columns to the
interests of agriculture.
We shall scrupulously avoid everything of
a mere personal nature, and sedulously guard
the columns of our paper from all attacks up-
on private character;- and while we shall
strenuously assert and maintain the " liberty
of the Press," we shall as strenuously condemn
and deprecate its licentiousness. The former,
we believe, constitutes one of the greatest
blessings of freedom—the latter, one of its hea-
viest evils.
To our fellow-citizens of the Brazos valley
we say, the "auguries are favorable "—health,
uninterrupted, has smiled, and continues to
smile upon you, and a most abundant harvest
has crowned the labors of the year just closed.
Immigration and capital are pouring in with
a swelling tide upon your shores. Two new
and capacious steamboats, (the Brazos and
Washington J have been sncc -Tft nr
prosperity which she is destined hefceforth to
enjoy. From this time, henceforth instead of
that almost complete stagnation ijtn^jness,
which has hitherto existed, we majjll&w look
for the greatest activity; instead ofjhatdecay
which was everywhere taking plaie around
us, threatening not to leave even tit vestiges
of a town, we may expect the mostjrapid im-
provements in our streets and buddies; situa-
ted, as she is, at the head of navigaion, hav-
ing around her for hundreds of mi lei in every
direction, a country of matchless fejility, un-
rivalled in its adaptation to grazing and agri-
culture, Washington lias especial feason to
congratulate herself upon this event Enjoy-
ing such advantages as these, in a c^nmercial
point of view, with one of the healtriest and
most beautiful locations in the State,we shall
be most wofully disappointed, did sliqnot from
this time increase rapidly in size ane popula-
tion, and become in a short time, if not the
first, at least the second town in the State, in
importance.
But, we arc not so blinded by
to regard with interest on
-*r~
on the virgin boeom of your river to this place,
and promise you an uninterrupted water com-
munication with the Gulf, and increased facil-
ities in carrying your products to market, and
obtaining your necessary supplies. We trust,
therefore, you are in a mood to give the
" Texas Hanger" a kind and hospitable recep-
tion. The character and the name will remind
you of the toils and the sufferings through
which you have passed, and by which your
present and prospective welfare have been
achieved. We hope it may prove an agreea-
ble and acceptable companion wherever it may
come.
To our friends, everywhere, we say, that
although Hays, McCulloch, Bell, and the rest
of the Texas Rangers, have all been mustered
out of service, we have mustered another in,
which, though but a "type" of them, will, as
they have heretofore done, and to the best of its
ability, sternly assert, and firmly defend and
protect the rights and interests of Texas, and
the Union.
We solicit an exchange with our editorial
brethren, and hope our paper may merit their
favorable notice.
Xavigation of the Brazos, & its Steaners.
Wc are extremely happy to have it in our
power, in the first number of our paper, to con-
gratulate the citizens of Washington, and its
vicinity, upon the arrival of the long and anx-
iously expected steamers Brazos and Wash-
ington. They arrived at our wharf on the 3d
inst., and were welcomed by the most enthu-
siastic cheers of a large crowd, who had col-
lected upon the river bank, from the town and
surrounding country upon the announcement
of their approach. They are both beautiful
boats, and admirably adapted to the purpose
for which they were constructed, being of
light draft and strongly built. We were for-
tunate enough to meet with these boats in New
Orleans, and took passage in the Brazos to
this ¡dace; we were highly pleased, both with
the boat and her commander. It would be
useless for us to enlarge upon the consequences
which are to result not only to Washington
and the valley of the Brazos, but to the whole
of middle and western Texas from this event.
It seems already to have ¿fused new life into
the business portion of our population, and to
have begun a happy change in our midst. We
imagine that we can already see the connte-
of onr formers, mechanic*, merchants,
of all, wearing a greater plea&amness
weae wont to do. The knowing
(and if we may be permitted, we
so too,) that the present year has
auspiciously for
the happening of the two
eMs the arrival of steam-
tkne at her wharf,and the
of a printing press
which have ushered it in, will
the most important era in
to them she must ascribe that
ness, as
ntages
the
theatre
for our eiertlpns, forme advancement of litera-
ry, scientific and political information, andwith
the growth of which, consequently, our own
personal interests have, in a measure, became
identified. This is not the only or the princi-
ple reason why we are rejoiced at the coasu-
mation of the scheme of navigating the Brazos.
We take a wider view of things than that lim-
ited by our OAvn self-interest, and in doing so we
can scarcely find words to express our gratifi-
cation at the prospect of good which is to re-
sult to all those who inhabit the rich and beau-
tiful region of country through the middle of
which the Brazos flows. It is they, upon whom
the enterprise mainly depends for complete
success, and to whom its benefits are mainly
to accrue. Their produce must be greatly en-
hanced in value, inasmuch as it is brought
within reach of a much better market than
formerly; the articles of their daily consump-
tion are to be brought to them in futury at a
much less expense of transportation, and from
a cheaper market; the facilities and speed of
travelling and, consequently, emigration to this
portion of the State increased; the communica-
tion with other portions of the Union, rendered
more direct and certain, together with many
other advantages too numerous to mention.
But the question has frequently been asked,
whether the Brazos is, or can be made perma-
nently navigable? And some have even
laughed at what they called the folly of at-
tempting its navigation at any seasons. Those
who are most intimately acquainted with the
river from this place to its mouth, say that it
can be done, and so we have been led to be-
lieve from our slight acquaintance wJkh it,
a n twat, «tme requirga. in any event, m*íi oe
enterprise and a small outlay of capital, a suf-
ficiency of both, which we know to be posses-
sed by the Brazos Association Company. We
cannot fear for a moment for the success of an
enterprise wliich is to effect such an amount
of good to so great an extent of country, when
in the hands of such men as form that Asso-
ciation. They know full well that not only
their interests, but their honor also is involved,
to a great extent, in the success of their un-
dertaking. We ourselves have no fears foi the
result. We look upon the practicability erf the
navigation of our river as being already es-
tablished beyond a doubt, and we look forward
to the time when boats even of the largest
class will be daily arriving at and departing
from this place, bearing off the superabundant
productions of our own thrice-blessed region to
distant markets, and bringing back in return
the fruits of other soils and climates. We be-
lieve that this is but the 11 beginning of the
end," and that the time is not far distant, when
the banks of the Brazos will vie with those of
any southern river, in the fine plantations and
beautiful residences studded upon its banks.
We extract the following accurate descrip-
tion of the Brazos Steamers, from the Galves-
ton News:
The two new steamers, built expressly for
the navigation of the Brazos river, arrived here
on Sunday evening. They are named the
" Brazos " and " Washington," and are small,
but roomy, and very handsome in appearance,
with neat, well finished, comfortable cabins.
The Washington has berths for thirty-three,
and the Brazos for twenty-seven passengers,,
independent of the officers' rooms. They are
keeC^2 feet beam, and 4 feet hold. The
plaflfe on the bottom of each are three inches
thick, of good white oak, running from forty-
five to sixty-six feet in length, and are double
but-bolted and fastened in a superior manner,
which is certified to by the inspector of hulls
at Pittsburgh. They have a diagonal brace
bulk-head, running fore and aft, sufficient to
hold them if both ends were suspended in the
manner of a bridge. The engines are two ten
inch cylinders and four feet stroke, with two
double-fined boilers, 36 inches in diameter and
20 feet long. They have stern wheels, 13 feet
in diameter and 17 feet long, and have run five
miles'per hour against the strongest current in
the Mississippi. They draw but 15 inches
water, light, and will carry three hundred
bales of cotton on every additional foot of im-
mersion. They are clear and roomy to a de-
gree which gives them the greatest facility for
hauling freight with despatch. They present
themselves to the 'people of the Brazos with
high recommendation s from the inspector of
hulls and engines, while they have met with
the entire approbation of the knowing ones
here.
Policies of insurance have been taken up by
Messrs. George Butler and Brother, of this city
and of Ve lasco, on shipments of produce from
any point on the Brazos below the foils at
Washington, to Velasco, Galveston, New Or-
leans, New York and Boston, as well as on
merchandize and specie from New Orleans and
Galveston!, to any point on the Brazos, from
the month to Washington.
The " Brazos" left this port for Washington,
.on Tuesday afternoon, and the " Washington"
left for the same place this morning, both go-
ing by the inside passage to Velasco.
D^= We beg leave to call the attention of
the public to the communication of Messrs.
Tarver Sc Crawford. It will be seen that they
have abandoned the publication of their pro-
posed paper (The Texas State Journal) and
thrown their influence into our hands. We
tender them our sincere thanks for their disin-
terested kindness, assuring them and the pub-
lic, that our best exertions shall be used to
render the "Texas Ranger" a paper worthy
the patronage of all. Lake the proposed
" State Journal," our paper will be conducted
" upon the same liberal and independent basis,"
never sufferinj it to become the pliant tool of
any man or cliques—aiding, as far as our hum-
ble abilities will permit, to advance the inter-
est of this great and growing country.
Mr. Tarver, and others of this place, have
consented to correspond, occasionally, for our
paper, which will be a great acquisition to our
columns, they being gentlemen of talent and
fine writers.
We have struck off one thousand co-
pies of the first number of the "Texas Ranger,"
as a specimen sheet. We do not intend to is-
sue the second number until next Tuesday
week as we have a great many fixtures and
additions to make to our office. In the mean
time, we trust, that persons at a distance who
wish to subscribe will send us their names
without delay.
OjP" We wish it to be understood, that we
do not endorse all communications that may
appear in the columns of the Ranger, as we
shall, doubtless, publish many that do not coin-
cide with our views.
QjP" We have taken the liberty of sending
several copies of the first number of the " Ran-
ger" to each agent, whose names appears on
our our first page ; they were furnished as gen-
tlemen who would take an interest in the cir-
ciüation of our sheet. Should any one, therein
named, be not disposed to act as such, they
will please refer us to some one at their Post-
office, who would accept that trust, and lend
their aid to the " Ranger."
Important to Advertisers.—Merchants
and business men of Galveston, New Orleans,
and other commercial points, would find it
greatly to their advantage to advertise in the
"Ranger." Washington is destined to become
a city of no minor importance—it is bound to
grow with the growth of Texas, and "strength-
en with its strength," and from the very flat-
tering prospects before us, we expect in the
course of twelve months to procure a power
Press, so large will be the circulation of the
"Texas Ranger."
iu our lrienas in North Mississippi,
who have kindly subscribed to the " Ranger,"
we would 6ay, that on the reception of this,
the first number, they will please pay over their
subscription to Wtn. K. Harrison, Esq., of
Houston, who is our authorized agent.
03^ Friend Richardson, of the News, will
accept our thanks for a package of exchange
papers, which we received from the clerk of the
steamboat Washington.
(]^=* Washington presents a most splendid
opening to a good boot and shoe maker. A
master-workman, of industrious habits, could
realize an independence in a few years.
New Orleans Packets.—The passengers
who have lately arrived from New Orleans,
state that hundreds of emigrants from Alabama,
Mississippi, and other States, who were on the
way to Texas, have gone up Red River, be-
cause the charges on the packets between New
Orleans and Galveston were so exhorbitant that
they were unable to come by the Gulf route.
The charge for passage on these steamers is $26
for cabin passage, and the charge for freight $1
per barrel. The distance is but 350 miles, and
the voyage is made in two days. It is well
known that the owners of these steamers have
often made profits of $30,000 in a single season.
The capitalists of Houston and Galveston
should form a company and purchase a vessel
for this trade. The passage could be reduced
to ten dollars, and there is scarcely a doubt that
three times the number of persons would emi-
grate to Texas by this route. The advantages
to Houston and Galveston would be immense.
These cities would soon be thronged with
emigrants on their way to the fertile and beau-
tiful vallies of Western Texas.
0^=* We clip the above from the Houston
both of the same size and model, say 120 feet ¿Telegraph, and fully concur with the sugges-
tion of its editor—that a company should be
formed to "purchase a vessels for this trade."
The injury inflicted on Texas by these Shy-
locks of the New Orleans packets, in retarding
emigration to our lovely and fertile prairies, is
incalculable. They should be held up to pub-
he scorn and contempt by the press of Texas
and new Orleans, as a band of "systematic
swindlers." We have not time at present to
speak on the subject in full, but will do so
hereafter.
05?- The Secretary of State has laid before
Congress a statement of the number of passen-
gers who arrived in the United States in the
year ending 30th December, 1848. The total
number reported for that period is 229,488—a
considerable round number.
Editors on Parade.—The Mayor and Al-
detmen of Boston, in their arrangements for
the water celebration on the 25th inst., assign-
ed the editors of New England a place in the
grand procession. The programme puts them
in the rear of the medical faculty and front of
the lawyers. The committee of arrangements
would hit the correspondence better by putting
the printers firsts the doctors next, and the law-
yers last; at least, this is the order of the Apo-'
calypic procession. There, Famine went be-
ore, and Death and Hell followed after.
U. S. Branch Mint.—The following is the
coinage of the U. S. Mint of New Orleans, for
the month ending 31st October, 1818: Gold
coinage, (2,000 eagle pieces,) §20,000 ; Silver
do., (260,000 half dollar pieces,) $130,000. To-
tal, $150,000.
Toasting in France forins no inconsiderable
fecture in its ideal democracy. We are a deser-
vedly great nation in boasting and " buncombe-
ing," but we are in some danger of being
eclipsed in tlris department, as the following
specimen, which we translate from a French
paper, will show:
" To the strong men—to those who are cou-
rageous and valiant in the cause of humanity—
to those whose names serve as a guide, a sup-
port and an example to all mankind—to all
whom history denominates as heroes. To Bru-
tus, to Cataline, to Jesus Christ, to Julian, the
apostate, to Attila ! To all the thinkers of the
middle ages! To the unfortunate thinkers!
To Jean Jacques Rousseau — to his pupil,
Maximilian Robespierre !" (The toast so far
was received with enormous applause and cries
of bis (encore); the speaker accordingly re-
peated it and added the name of ' Saint Just,'
upon which the applause was redoubled. He
then continued)—" To the democratic republi-
cans of the present generation—to Louis Blanc
—to Raspail—to Barbes (loud cheers)—to Le-
dru Rollin—to Proudhon—to Thore (renewed
acclamations)-—to all the Brutuses of royalty
—to all the Gracchi of property—to the gen-
eral association and the universal federation of
nations."
State op Parties in tiie House of Repre-
sentatives.—The present House of Represen-
tatives in the Tliirtieth Congress, now in ses-
sion, is nominally divided thus—Whigs, 115;
Democrats 113; Abolition, 1, (Tuck of New
Hampshire;) and Native 1, (Levin of Penn-
sylvania.) The Free Soil men, taken from
both political parties, and including Mr. Tuck
of N- H., stand thus:
Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, Dem.
Lord, of New York, Dem.
S. Lawrence, of New York, Dem.
Starkweather, of New York, Dem.
Collins, of New York, Dem.
Palfrey, of Massachusetts, Whig.
Tuck, of New Hampshire, Aboli.
Greeley, of New York, Whig.
Giddings, of Oliio, Whig.
Root, of Ohio, Whig.
Crowell, of Ohio, Whig.
It thus appears that no less than eleven
members of the House of Representatives are
free soil men, and consequently hold the bal-
ance of power.—News.
The Popular Vote.—The popular vote in
all the States, on the Presidential question, is
ascertained to be as follows:
Taylor. Cass. Van Buren. Scattering.
2,355,828 1,216,746 291,927 4033
Taylor over Cass: 139,081
Taylor less than all others, 156,878
The popular Vote is 2,868,534, being an in-
crease of 190,413 sir o« thn lOl*.
Epes, the Murderer.—William Dand-
ridge Epes, was on the 22d inst., hanged at
Dinwiddie Court-house, Virginia, for the mur-
der of F. Adolphus Muir. He was hung at a
quarter-past one o'clock, P. M. He made a
full confession of his guilt, in regard to the
murder of Muir, but denied that he had com-
mitted the other murders attributed to him.
Editors in Luck.—We perceive that sev-
eral editors have been lately presented with
substantial tokens of esteem by their leaders
and friends. The editor of the Louisville
Journal has been presented with a piece of
plate; the editor of the Nashville Union has
been presented with a new suit of clothes; and
Mr. Treat, of the St. Louis Union, has been
presented with a gold watch.
" Where did you come from ?
Knock a nigger down,"
is"now rendered by boarding-school misses,
From whence did you emanate ?
Prostrate the Ethiopian.
One of the darlings recently asked us to hand
her a thimble, in these words :
" Oblige me, sir, by placing on my digit, that
diminutive, agrenitous, truncated cone, convex
on its outer surface, and semi-perforated with
slight symmetrical indentations." We, of
course, complied, but could not help remark-
ing that " that took the rag off the bush," and
were reprimanded in these words : " Do speak
more refinedly ; you should have said, remove
the dilapidated linen from the infantile tree."
We could not stand it any longer, but seizing
the captual protection of our altitndhml ex-
tremity, absquatulated through the semi-hiatus
for egress.
Shocking Catastrophe. — The late Dr.
Chalmers, of Scotland, being interrogated by
an old woman of his congregation as to wluft
he meant by the " catastrophe," of which he
had spoken so much the previous Sabbath, ex-
plained the term to her as meaning " the lat-
ter end of a thing." This satisfied t^ie old
woman, who thought she might now safely in-
troduce so fine a word into her vocabulary. It
so happened that the doctor had to pass the
old woman's house that same evening; and
being buried in deep thought, as he rode along,
he did not observe that a large thorn had been
fastened to his horse's tail until he came oppo-
site the house, and heart! her shouting—" Ah,
doctor, d'ye see that big thorn at y'r horse's
catastrophe." jT*
Wealth is like a serpent, which an enchan-
ter takes by the tail without being bitten, but
which turns roundand gives a mortal wound
to those who aie unacquainted with the art of
charming it.
Recreation.—He that spends his time in
sports, and calls it recreation, is like him whose
garment is all. made of fringes, and his meat
nothing but sanees; they are healthless, charge-
able, and useless.
Communications.
To the Public.
The undersigned avail themselves of this
opportunity to return their sincere thanks to
the subscribers to "The Texas State Jour-
nal." To our friends who have so generously
extended to us their aid aud assistance, we
feel under the deepest obligation of gratitude.
Since the publication of our prospcctus, Mr.
Joseph Lancaster has arrived at this place with
workmen, materials, and an excellent new
press, and fully prepared to go at once into the
publication of a newspaper.
Believing that not more than one newspa-
per, at this point, could be made useful to the
public, or profitable to the Publisher, and hav-
ing gained our primary object, which was to
secure to " the great Brazos Valley " a tongue
whereby she might speak and be heard, wc
have more readily pursued the advice of our
personal friends, and declined publishing " The
Journal."
Mr. Lancaster proposes to conduct his paper
upon the same liberal and independent 1«-
8ÍS as regards politics, which would have
characterized " The Journal," and we have no
hesitation in saying that we believe he will
publish a paper in every respect worthy the
patronage of the whole community,
Mr. Lancaster will take the subscription list
of the Journal, aud furnish the subscribers
thereto with " The Brazos Guard, upon the
same terms, and should any of them wish to
discontinue, they will please notify Mr. Lan-
caster on the reception of the first nunil>cr,
which will be at our expense.
In conclusion, wc would say to our friends
that we solicit of them, in behalf of Mr. Lan-
caster, a continuance of that patronage so
kindly shown to us.
B. E. TARVER,
G. W. CRAWFORD.
Washington, Jan. 10, 1849.
For the Texas Ranger.
The Unanimous Declaration of the Thir-
teen Brazos Counties*
When, in the course of human events, it be-
comes necessary for one people to dissolve the
commercial bonds which have conncoted them
with another, and to assume among the com-
merce of the world, the separate and equal sta-
tion to which the laws of nature, and the
amount of their trade entitles them, a decent
respect for the opinions of mankind requires
they should declare the causes wliich impel
them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, that they are en-
dowed by nature with certain inalienable
rights, that amon£ these are the right t* in
tK>r, the right to a cheap transportation to mar-
ket of the produce of that labor, and that the
market itself should be reasonably honest and
decent.
That to secure these rights, commerce is in-
troduced among men, cities are built, steam-
boats, railroads, and ox-wagons are set a-go-
ing, all deriving their support and profits from
the labor of the producers, that whenever any
market town, or means of transportation, be-
comes destructive of these ends, it is the right
of the peoplo to alter or abolish it, and to in-
stitute a new place of trade, or different mode
of transportation, laying the foundation there-
of, on such principles, and protecting it by such
associations as to them shall seem most likely
to secure their success and prosperity. Pru-
dence, indeed, will dictate that points of trade
and modes of transportation, long established,
should not be changed for light and transcieirt
causes; and accordingly all experience hath
shown, that mankind are more disposed to suf-
fer, while evils are snfferable, than to right
themselves by abolishing forms to which they
are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses, and usur-
pations, such as exorbitant freights, unreasona-
ble wharfage, all pursuing invariably the
same object, evinces a design to take from
them their last dime, it is their right, it is their
duty to withdraw their custom from such a
place, and to provide a new point for their fu-
ture trade. Such has been the patient suf-
ferance of these counties; and such is now the
necessity which constrains them to alter their
former place of trade.
The history of the present city of Houston
is a history of repeated injuries, oppressions
and extortions all tending to make these conn-
ties wholly dependent on the city of Houston.
To prove this, let facts be submitted to a can-
did world.
It has refused its assent to measures the most
wholesome and necessary for the public good.
It has forbidden its governors to adopt mea-
sures of immediate and pressing importance, un-
less suspended in their operation till the money
to carry them out had been first screwed out o(
the planters of the Brazos, and when so ob-
tained, it has utterly neglected to attend to
them.
It has refused to adopt other measures for
the accommodation of large districts of people,
unless those people would first relinquish the
right to navigate their rivers, a right inestima-
ble to them, and formidable to Houston only.
It has established a market at a place unus-
ual, uncomfortable, and distant from any inhab-
itable country, for the sole purpose that its
merchants might have profit thereby.
It has endeavored to prevent the population
of these counties: for that purpose circulating
in its public prints, all manner of ridiculous and
slanderous stories in regard to our lands and
navigable rivers.-
It haS sent old' and rotten steamboats into
the Brazos river, to be sunk, for the benefit of
the underwriters—thinking, in the simplicity
of their hearts, to prevent the navigation of'
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Lancaster, J. The Texas Ranger, and Brazos Guard. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 16, 1849, newspaper, January 16, 1849; Washington, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181514/m1/2/?q=negro: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.