Christmas! Christmas!!
Once more this ancient festival has dawned upon our land, and all hearts seem as merry as when, two years ago, peace and prosperity reigned throughout the length and breadth of the country. But in reality the times are sadly changed in places, and although we are freed here from the pressures of the enemy, there are places in our beloved Confederacy where Christmas will be shorn of half its holy memories, and the heart closed against the softer emotions that usually obtain at such a time. Deserted homes and darkened firesides, where the yule-log was wont to blaze, the silent festive halls and blackened ruins now usurp "the blithesome and gay" scenes of old Christmas, and many a little pair of stockings, instead of hanging for Kriss Kringle's present, perhaps now but barely cover the little red and frost bitten feet of their owners, and the mistletoe bough hangs untouched and unhonored in its parent stem, moaning in the cold air of winter, o'er the hard hearts of men. Christmas with us is as happy as usual, and while we are enjoying its pleasures at home and meet around the flowing bowl of egg-nogg, crowned with its snowy diadem, let us reflect upon our soldiers, and if we have anything to give, let us give it to the needy and may be suffering men, who have volunteered to fight our battles, and are now exposed to the bleak clime of a more northern latitude, where the soft and gentle amenities of a home and Christmas times will be banished in the midst of our joys, let us not forget the absent soldier who in his heart has said a hundred times, "I wish I were at home to spend my Christmas." Each one should send a Christmas gift to the far-off soldier, and show how dearly he is remembered.
Christmas is a holy time, and will be rendered doubly so, if we improve it by doing our duty. A happy Christmas to our readers and friends, and a joyful return of the absent soldier to his family, is our wish and prayer.
DALLAS HERALD, December 25, 1861, p. 2, c. 3
A great deal is said in our exchanges about "speculators," "extortioners," "blood-suckers," "vampires," "shylocks," &c.—about the people rising en masse and regulating the prices of merchandise and many other things, with which we have nothing to do. If the prices do not suit them, they need not buy,--and as far as Texans are concerned, they can eat jerked beef and corn-dodgers, a very wholesome diet, drink milk, sassafras tea, or mustang wine, wear homespun clothes, and as our winters are short, wait patiently till summer, then lie in the shade and eat water-melons. A few years ago, the pioneers of this State had no more luxuries than they have now,--in fact, not half so many, and yet there was but little grumbling and a great deal more reliance on self. If the merchants ask a heavy per centage on their goods, the people need not give it, unless they choose to do so, and as to "hard times," it is all stuff, compared with what our forefathers suffered, and what any brave people can suffer, in defense of their homes and their liberties.
When a people can get nothing to eat and really "nothing to wear," then they may talk and grumble about hard times. As Mrs. Partington says, "nothing despises us as much," as to hear complaints of "hard times" in Texas, when the crops have been good, and thousands of cattle roam the prairies. Hard times are only the nightmares that affect the lazy or the sluggish.
DALLAS HERALD, December 25, 1861, p. 2, c. 3
The Huntsville Item says "let your light shine, but don't give four bits a pound for candles."
DALLAS HERALD, December 25, 1861, p. 4, c. 1
Southern Aid Society.
We, the ladies of Collin county, desiring to lend all the aid in our power to assist the people of the South in establishing their independence, and the securement of their rights, and to the attainment of this end, we form ourselves into a Society, to be known as the "Southern Aid Society." The object being to assist in making out-fits for the Volunteers, who are going to fight the battles of our country; and for the government of this Society, we adopt the following
Constitution.
SEC. 1. This Society shall consist of the following officers, to-wit: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.
SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Society when present, to call the Society together whenever deemed proper and necessary; To appoint all committees and to have a general supervisory control over said Society.
SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the Vice President to attend all regular and called meetings of the Society, if convenient, and in the absence of the President to discharge the duties usually devolving on the President.
SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all donations from the hands of the Secretary,--to keep a correct account of the same,--to disburse them as directed by the President and Society, and render an account at the first regular meeting of every month, of the state of the financial condition and effects of this Society, and to deliver all articles of clothing to whomsoever the Society may designate for distribution, and deliver all books and effects to her successor.
SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep a minute of the proceedings of this Society, receive all donations, keep a correct account of the same, together with the names of donors, and to deliver all articles to the Treasurer; and to make a report of the amounts placed in the hands of the Treasurer, at the first meeting in each month, and to deliver all books and papers to her successor.
SEC. 6. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to solicit contributions, to conduct all the correspondence of the Society, to read all communications received by her, at the next meeting after the receipt of the same, and to report all information that may, from time to time, be communicated to her beneficial to the Society, and deliver over all books, papers, and communications in her possession to her successor.
SEC. 6 [sic]. All officers of this Society, shall be elected on the last Monday in October, 1861, and every three months thereafter, and shall continue in office until their successors are elected; and all elections shall be by ballot, and a majority of all the votes cast be necessary to be a choice.
SEC. 8. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of seven members.
SEC. 9. This Constitution may be altered or amended by a vote of two-thirds of all the members of the Society.
By-Laws.
SEC. 1. Every lady subscribing their names to the Constitution and these By-Laws, and paying the sum of twenty-five cents, shall be deemed members of the Society.
SEC. 2. The first regular meeting of this Society, shall be held on the 28th day of October 1861, and shall meet regularly on the last Monday in every month.—and continue in session from day to day until the business shall have been disposed of.—And all called meetings shall be designated by the President.
SEC. 3. This Society shall assemble at its regular meetings at 3 o'clock P.M.
SEC. 4. The President shall upon entering on the duties of her office, appoint the following Standing Committees, to-wit: A committee of Garment Cutting, and such other committees as the Society may order, all of whom shall render a report to the Society whenever called upon.
SEC. 5. The President shall put all motions to the Society, and the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays; a majority in all cases shall rule.
SEC. 6. Any committee failing to attend to the duties assigned them, or failing to attend the meetings of the Society without an excuse, acceptable to the Society, shall be fined the sum of ten cents.
Rules of Order.
1st—Calling of the Roll.
2nd—Reading of the minutes.
3rd—Reading communications and Reports.
4th—Motions and Resolutions.
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Dallas Herald, Newspaper Research, 1861-1865. http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts/dallas_herald.htm