SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 340 WHEREAS, March 2 marks the anniversary of that historic day in 1836 when residents of Texas officially declared their independence from Mexico, thereby giving birth to the independent republic that would stand on its own for more than nine years before becoming the 28th state of the Union; and WHEREAS, The proud Texans who issued the call for independence were members of the Convention of 1836, which met at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 1 of that fateful year; as they gathered, the valiant defenders of the Alamo were facing off against the troops of Mexican ruler Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and the Texas revolutionaries had reached a crucial point in their campaign for greater political freedom; and WHEREAS, Stating the views of the delegates in no uncertain terms, the Texas Declaration of Independence listed their grievances against the Mexican government and announced their bold conclusion: "that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations"; and WHEREAS, Winning that independence on the battlefield would take another six weeks and the lives of many brave Texans, but with this remarkable proclamation the 59 signatories of the Texas Declaration of Independence had enunciated a vision of liberty, independence, and just government and charted a dramatic new course for the land they called home; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby commemorate Texas Independence Day 2017 and pay tribute to the immense contributions of those individuals who helped found the Republic of Texas. Bettencourt, Rodríguez Birdwell Huffines Schwertner Birdwell Huffines Schwertner Birdwell Huffines Schwertner Buckingham Huffman Seliger Buckingham Huffman Seliger Buckingham Huffman Seliger Burton Hughes Taylor of Collin Burton Hughes Taylor of Collin Burton Hughes Taylor of Collin Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Galveston Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Galveston Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Galveston Creighton Lucio Uresti Creighton Lucio Uresti Creighton Lucio Uresti Estes Menéndez Watson Estes Menéndez Watson Estes Menéndez Watson Garcia Miles West Garcia Miles West Garcia Miles West Hall Nelson Whitmire Hall Nelson Whitmire Hall Nelson Whitmire Hancock Nichols Zaffirini Hancock Nichols Zaffirini Hancock Nichols Zaffirini Hinojosa Perry Hinojosa Perry Hinojosa Perry Patrick, President of the Senate ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 1, 2017. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate Birdwell Huffines Schwertner Buckingham Huffman Seliger Burton Hughes Taylor of Collin Campbell Kolkhorst Taylor of Galveston Creighton Lucio Uresti Estes Menéndez Watson Garcia Miles West Hall Nelson Whitmire Hancock Nichols Zaffirini Hinojosa Perry