German Pioneers in Texas; A Brief History of Their Hardships, Struggles and Achievements Page: 16

                                
-16Gelrmans
with the Mexican cause. He needed them in his
scheme of conquest. They preferred death to dishonor.
There had been no character of census of the popular
tion of Texas when it declared war on Mexico in 1836. The
best estimate would be little more than a wild guess. The
settlements were scattered, and the citizenship, vith the
exception of the Germans, was shifting and uncertain. A
great many settlers coming from different states of the
United States would soon get discouraged with the isolation,
privations and hardships and return to their former
homes. The Germans had neither this opportunity nor inclination.
They had not the means to return to Germany
had they so desired.  It is probably conservative to estimate
the total white population of Texas in 1836 at forty,
possibly forty-five, thousand. Of this number perhaps less
than ten per cent were Germans. Yet we find according
to the muster rolls that more than ten per ceait of Houston's
army was Germans, and practically one man of every fifteen
to meet death when Fannin's men were murdered was
a German.
German Colony History Under Texas Republic.
The congress of Texas continued the liberal land grant
policy of the Mexican government. It fact, the land policy
of the Texas republic was more extravagent than liberal
and more impractical than judicious. This was excusable
for many reasons. The state was having a hard struggle in
the matter of finances. Land was its only source of revenue,
and necessity compelled the giving of much land for a few
dollars. Again the prospect of war with Mexico was always
imminent.    Santa Anna had signed a treaty acknowledging
the independence of Texas.   This treaty the
Mexican government refused to approve, and claimed Texas
as a Mexican state. To be prepared for another Mexican
invasion Texas needed more population and more men available
for military service. But the too liberal land policy of
the republic worked much mischief in the long run. Out ,of
it grew a great deal of graft, although the republic itself