[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 39 (Thursday, March 2, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3366-S3367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           THE 159TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF TEXAS

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I think the relevance of what I am 
going to talk about today will be brought into what has just happened. 
The historic opportunity that we had that was missed actually falls on 
the 159th anniversary of the independence of Texas.
  One of my predecessors in this Chamber, Sam Houston, led the Texas 
army to victory at San Jacinto on March 2, 1836, his birthday.
  Today, Texans everywhere celebrate that historic victory, and now 
that we have joined ranks in the United States, we invite all to join 
us in honoring the victory at San Jacinto.
  Texans also remember on this day the soldiers who did not live to see 
that 
[[Page S3367]] victory, because they died a few days earlier at the 
Battle of the Alamo. One hundred eighty-four brave men held the Alamo 
for 13 days before falling to 6,000 Mexican troops.
  Following a tradition begun by my recent predecessor, John Tower, on 
the birthday of our more distant predecessor, Senator Sam Houston, I 
would like to read a letter sent by the commander of the Alamo, Col. 
William Barret Travis, during the siege. I think it will serve as a 
reminder of how many people spilled blood to make our country what it 
is today:

       To the people of Texas and all Americans in the world--
     Fellow citizens and Compatriots--I am besieged by a thousand 
     or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a 
     continual Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not 
     lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, 
     otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword if the 
     fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, 
     and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall 
     never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name 
     of Liberty, of patriotism and everything dear to the American 
     character to come to our aid with all dispatch. The enemy is 
     receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to 
     three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is 
     neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as 
     possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due 
     his own honor and that of his country. Victory or death. 
     William B. Travis, The Alamo, 2/24/1836.

  Today is a great day in the history of Texas. I am sorry that it is a 
sad day for America. It will be remembered as the day we did not 
declare independence from the debt accumulated over the last 34 years. 
We did not close the back door to become heroes of future generations, 
but while the Alamo is just a memory in our minds, we will be back to 
fight the battle of the balanced budget amendment. We will amend our 
Constitution, and we will do the right thing some day.
  So while I am not able to celebrate the vote that just happened on 
this floor a few minutes ago, perhaps we will remember the lesson of 
the Alamo and perhaps we will remember that it was those who died at 
the Alamo, who thought they had failed to hold that bastion that paved 
the way for the success of the Battle of San Jacinto.
  Mr. President, our Battle of San Jacinto has yet to come on the 
balanced budget amendment, but it will. It will come, and we will do 
what is right for the future generations of our country. The battle has 
just begun. Today was the Alamo and San Jacinto will follow.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  Mr. THURMOND. Will the Senator yield?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Will the Senator yield?
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I yield.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I want to commend the able Senator from 
Texas on what she has had to say about the Alamo. I am very pleased 
that South Carolina played a big part in that historic event. William 
Barret Travis, the commander at the Alamo, was born in Edgefield County 
in South Carolina, the county in which I was born. He was a brave 
soldier. He fought to the end. Every person there was killed.
  James Bonham, another man prominent to the Alamo, was also born in 
Edgefield County, SC. So we are proud that South Carolina has played a 
big part in the history of Texas. They saw they could not win over the 
Mexicans, they were overpowered. James Bonham asked for permission to 
go out in the countryside to search for reinforcements. He had to fight 
through the Mexican lines to get out. He could find no help. He fought 
to get back to the Alamo.
  He came back to the fort and fought to his death. He knew they would 
die because they did not have enough support. Again, I want to commend 
the able Senator from Texas for telling us about the history of the 
Alamo.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, let me just say that the Senator from 
South Carolina, as usual, is right. The people of South Carolina did 
come and die at the Alamo. They were very much an important part of the 
independence of Texas.
  I want to say that there were people from Tennessee, Kentucky, and 
Georgia who also played a major part. I would not be standing here 
today as the Senator from Texas but for the blood of those great men 
who migrated from the East and came over and were a very important part 
of the history of our Nation.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired. The Senator 
from Wisconsin.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mr. Feingold pertaining to the submission of S. Res. 
83 are located in today's Record under ``Submissions of Concurrent and 
Senate Resolutions.'')
  Mr. FEINGOLD. I yield the floor.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, all of Vermont is saddened today by the 
loss of a great leader in agriculture, George Dunsmore.
  George was a strong advocate for Vermont agriculture. He worked 
tirelessly promoting it here and abroad, and fighting for it in the 
legislatures of Montpelier, VT and Washington, DC.
  In addition to serving in the State legislature, he had two tenures 
as Commissioner of Agriculture. Under his leadership the high quality 
image of Vermont food and agricultural products has flourished. George 
always looked for ways to find new markets for Vermont products. He 
knew that it was important for Vermont and New England to look beyond 
our Nation's borders to the export market.
  George understood Vermont agriculture so well because he was a part 
of it. A dairy farmer in Franklin County, he worked both on the farm 
and in Montpelier for many years.
  He also understood how Washington worked. He was a leader in the 
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He also 
served as the agricultural specialist for my good friend Jim Jeffords 
when he was a Member of the House of Representatives.
  George was a strong supporter of the State's dairy industry and the 
Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact. I think it is fitting that Senator 
Jeffords and I introduce this measure, Senate Joint Resolution 28, 
today and do so in memory of him.
  Whether he was defending the purity of Vermont's maple products, 
looking for new markets for our apple growers or fighting for higher 
prices for dairy farmers, George was always a true advocate for 
agriculture.
  My deepest sympathies go to his wife Bette Ann, and their three 
children.


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