Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/98

 Dauntless, incorruptible, the young nation reposed confidence in him. Framing a Constitution, demanding no more than the other Mexican States were allowed, Austin was deputed to convey the Constitution to the City of Mexico. " His very appearance in that city with the prayer of his colony, that the Mexicans would abide by thei!r on Constitution, under whose solemn pledge he had led his people to their new home, was too bitter a sarcasm upon the corrupt tyrants who had trampled down that high compact, and he was plunged into a foul dungeon, where for many months he never saw a beam of sunshine, nor even the hand that fed him."

This inhuman act, defiant of all honor or justice, served only to kindle the flame which was destined to consume Mexican tyranny on Texan soil. A small band of Texans drove four times their number, in 1835, from San Antonio. The Dictator, Santa Anna, resolved to take the field himself. With well-selected and finely appointed troops he advances on San Antonio and retakes it. He summons Travis and his immortal band to surrender the Alamo. With death staring them in the face, either while fighting or by massacre, they refuse to surrender, and die martyrs to liberty, immortal heroes, and in their death insunng victory at San Jacinto and liberty forever. Animated by his savage purpose of extirpating AngloSaxon blood from Texan soil, the despot advances, causing Fannin's immortal heroes to be slaughtered in cold blood at Goliad. Again the fires of liberty are kindled. The despot divides his corps into three divisions, and leads one as by the appointment of a superintending Providence to the destined spot where all hope or possibility of retreat being cut off, the battle of San Jacinto is fought, and Mexican rule on Texan soil forever destroyed.

The moral effect of that battle on the destiny of the American Union has not yet been fully realized. Already it has changed the geographical boundaries of nearly the entire North American continent, and has altered the domestic relations of the Southern States, indirectly if not directly. It has opened the highway for the iron horse from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Each year, since April 21, 1836, is witnessing new developments of history, all strangely linked with the events which gave victory to Houston and his small band of Texans on the field of San Jacinto.