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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, March 2, 2017, marks the 181st anniversary of the |
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| 6 | 7 | | adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the moment in |
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| 7 | 8 | | 1836 when proud Texans proclaimed an independent republic and took |
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| 8 | 9 | | the first steps down a road that would lead, nine years later, to |
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| 9 | 10 | | Texas' joining the Union as the 28th state; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The delegates to the Convention of 1836 assembled on |
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| 11 | 12 | | March 1 at Washington-on-the-Brazos, meeting in an unfinished |
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| 12 | 13 | | building in bitterly cold weather; even as they set about forging a |
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| 13 | 14 | | new nation, the defenders of the Alamo were preparing to face the |
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| 14 | 15 | | final assault by the troops of General Antonio López de Santa Anna; |
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| 15 | 16 | | and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Adopted on March 2, the Declaration of Independence |
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| 17 | 18 | | listed many grievances against the government of Mexico, citing, |
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| 18 | 19 | | among other things, its despotism, violence, and abridgement of |
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| 19 | 20 | | civil liberties; the document concluded by boldly declaring "that |
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| 20 | 21 | | the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and |
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| 21 | 22 | | independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights |
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| 22 | 23 | | and attributes which properly belong to independent nations"; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Five copies of the declaration were immediately |
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| 24 | 25 | | dispatched to Béxar, Goliad, Nacogdoches, Brazoria, and San Felipe, |
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| 25 | 26 | | and another 1,000 copies were distributed as printed handbills; on |
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| 26 | 27 | | March 6, the men of the Alamo made their heroic last stand, and |
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| 27 | 28 | | nearly seven weeks after that, General Sam Houston and his 900 |
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| 28 | 29 | | troops, with the cry of "Remember the Alamo!" on their lips, |
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| 29 | 30 | | defeated Santa Anna's army at San Jacinto, bringing an end to |
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| 30 | 31 | | Mexican rule in Texas; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, One of the pivotal dates in Texas history, March 2 |
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| 32 | 33 | | continues to be celebrated annually by Texans across the length and |
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| 33 | 34 | | breadth of the state; on this occasion, Texas Independence Day, |
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| 34 | 35 | | they reflect upon the freedoms they enjoy and honor the courage and |
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| 35 | 36 | | sacrifice of the men and women who, against the odds, brought these |
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| 36 | 37 | | blessings to pass; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby commemorate Texas Independence Day 2017 and pay |
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| 39 | 40 | | tribute to the memory of those individuals who founded the Republic |
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| 40 | 41 | | of Texas. |
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