[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 37 (Thursday, March 1, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Texas Independence Day

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, this morning, I would like to start off 
speaking about a very important day in the history of my State, a day 
that inspires pride in the hearts of all those who were born in Texas. 
I am here to commemorate Texas Independence Day, which will be 
celebrated tomorrow.
  On March 2, 1836, Texas adopted its Declaration of Independence from 
Mexico. It is worth reading, and I would recommend it to anyone. This 
happened in the context of a struggle that is perhaps best remembered 
by the Battle of the Alamo, which laid some of the groundwork for 
Texans' eventual victory.
  On February 24 of that year, with his position under siege, an 
important figure named William Barret Travis wrote a letter, which I 
would like to read. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army, and 
during the battle, his fellow soldiers were outnumbered nearly 10 to 1 
by the forces of the Mexican dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Here 
in the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats have had the honor of 
reading the fabled Travis letter since 1961, when then-Texas Senator 
John Tower started that tradition. The letter was addressed ``To the 
People of Texas & All Americans in the World.'' Travis wrote:

       I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under 
     Santa Anna--I have sustained a continual Bombardment & 
     cannonade for 24 hours & 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, & 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 & everything dear to the American character, to 
     come to our aid, with all dispatch--The enemy is receiving 
     reinforcements daily & 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 & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due 
     to his own honor & that of his country--Victory or Death.

  Signed, ``William Barret Travis.''
  What a letter it is. It is a reminder for all of us that the 189 
defenders of the Alamo lost their lives, but they did not die in vain. 
In fact, Texans wouldn't be around today if it weren't for them.
  The Battle of the Alamo bought precious time for the Texas 
revolutionaries, allowing General Sam Houston to maneuver his army into 
a position for the decisive victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. I 
would just note that I am honored to occupy the same Senate seat first 
occupied by Sam Houston when he became a U.S. Senator after Texas 
became annexed to the United States in 1845.
  With that victory at the Battle of San Jacinto, Texas became a 
sovereign nation--the Republic of Texas--for 9 years. For 9 years, it 
thrived as a separate nation, and then in 1845 it was annexed to the 
United States as the 28th State.
  Many Texas patriots who fought in the revolution went on to serve in 
the U.S. Congress--Sam Houston being one of them. Every single day, I 
am honored to have the opportunity to serve 28 million Texans--a chance 
I wouldn't have had without the sacrifices made by the brave men like 
William Barrett Travis 182 years ago.