[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2847]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2012

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, throughout history, people who have 
been abused by oppressive dictators have stood up and risked their 
lives in the name of freedom and independence.
  Freedom fighters are the most powerful catalysts for change and their 
potential to alter history is unlimited.
  This country knows the power of revolution better than any other. On 
July 4, 1776, after fighting for independence from Britain, the 
founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.
  But there is another independence day that is not to be forgotten. 
For Texans, July 4th is not the only day to celebrate independence. 
This Friday, March 2, we will celebrate the 176th anniversary of Texas 
Independence.
  Texas, a part of Mexico, had enjoyed the privileges of citizens under 
the Mexican Constitution of 1824.
  Trouble started when Santa Anna became dictator of Mexico and 
abolished the Constitution and took away civil rights.
  This led to the outbreak of revolution in October of 1835, both from 
Tejanos, Texans of Spanish and Mexican descent, and people from the 
United States.
  Santa Anna with his three armies invaded Texas to put down rebellion. 
So on March 1, 54 Texians, including Lorenzo de Zavala, Thomas Rusk, 
Antonio Navarro and Sam Houston, gathered in the small village of 
Washington-on-the-Brazos.
  Inspired by the American Revolution and the United States Declaration 
of Independence, the delegates drafted a Declaration of Independence 
overnight.
  The declaration was signed on March 2 and the Republic of Texas was 
officially established.
  As these determined delegates declared independence, Mexican dictator 
Santa Anna and several thousands of enemy troops closed in on an old 
beat-up Spanish mission that we now call the Alamo.
  But Texas defenders stood defiant, stood determined. They were led by 
my hero, a lawyer by the name of William Barrett Travis who was just 27 
years old.
  The Alamo and its 186 Texans were all that stood between the massive 
army of invaders and the people of Texas.
  The Alamo defenders who entered the Alamo on February 23, were a rag-
tag group of relentless patriots, made up from nearly every state in 
the Union and 13 foreign countries, including Mexico.
  Their ages were 16 through 67, at least 9 were Tejanos, and they were 
all volunteers. They were mavericks, revolutionaries, farmers, 
shopkeepers, and freedom fighters; and they came together to fight for 
something they believed in: freedom.
  These freedom fighters held off an entire army of several thousand 
for 13 days. They would not relent.
  During the bloody siege, Travis penned what would become the most 
famous letter in Texas history.
  He said: ``I am determined to sustain myself for as long as possible 
and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due his honor and that 
of his country.
  ``Victory or death.''
  Unfortunately, Travis' call for help was not answered in time.
  After thirteen days of glory at the Alamo, Commander Travis and his 
men sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom and the Alamo fell 
on March 6, 1836.
  Because heroes like Travis, Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie held out for 
so long, Santa Anna's forces took such great losses they became 
battered, demoralized and diminished.
  Captain Juan Seguin and his company of Tejanos joined General Sam 
Houston who had the time he needed to devise a strategy to rally other 
Texas volunteers and defeat the invaders.
  In the middle of the afternoon on April 21, 1836, General Sam and his 
boys routed a larger Mexican army yelling, ``Remember the Alamo!'' The 
rest is Texas history.
  The war was over, and the Lone Star flag was visible all across the 
broad, bold, brazen plains of Texas.
  Texas remained a nation for 9 years--some Texans wish Texas was still 
its own nation. Texas claimed land that now includes part of New 
Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, even up to the Canadian 
border.
  In 1845, Texas was admitted to the Union by only one vote when a 
Louisiana Senator changed his mind. By its admission into the United 
States, Texas may divide into five States, and the Texas flag is to fly 
even with the U.S. flag and not below it.
  Texas Independence Day is a day of pride and reflection in the Lone 
Star State. This week we remember that Texas was a glorious nation once 
and won freedom and independence because some fierce volunteers fought 
to the death for liberty over tyranny.
  Freedom has a cost. It always does. It always will.
  And as we pause to remember those who gave their lives so that Texas 
could be a free Nation, we must continue to remember those Americans 
that are currently fighting in lands across the seas for our Nation.
  There are freedom fighters all over the world today who are fighting 
the same fight against tyrants. It is history like ours that gives them 
hope for success.
  Celebrate Texas independence today and pay tribute to all our Texas 
heroes like William Barrett Travis.
  His legacy embodies the spirit of Texans that is so admired and 
envied all around the world today.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________