By: Wentworth S.R. No. 1170 1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-2 WHEREAS, In 1823 Stephen F. Austin employed 10 men to 1-3 serve as Rangers, and again in 1826 Austin called a meeting of 1-4 the representatives of the six militia districts in his colony 1-5 and it was agreed to keep a force of 20 or 30 men at all times 1-6 to operate against Indian and Mexican raiders; and 1-7 WHEREAS, It was not until 1835 that the force was given 1-8 legal status; the Consultation of Anglo-Texans meeting in 1-9 San Felipe de Austin on October 17, 1835, organized a provisional 1-10 government and created a corps of Texas Rangers to range and guard 1-11 the frontiers between the Trinity and Brazos rivers; in November of 1-12 the same year 20 more Rangers were added to protect the area from 1-13 the Colorado River to the Guadalupe River; and 1-14 WHEREAS, This irregular body of men furnished their own 1-15 horses and arms and were unencumbered by any paraphernalia of the 1-16 regular army or militia, being ready to go at a moment's notice; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Different from both local peace officers and 1-18 military men, the Texas Ranger is authorized to operate throughout 1-19 the state and he is not subject to military law and regulation; and 1-20 WHEREAS, The Texas Rangers protected citizens, kept the 1-21 peace, enforced the law, and earned respect across the frontier; 1-22 and 1-23 WHEREAS, During the period of the Republic from 1836 to 2-1 1845, the Texas Rangers were indispensible when the Republic 2-2 lacked the funds to maintain a strong military force to combat 2-3 Mexico and the Plains Indians; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Such leaders as Ben McCullough, Samuel H. Walker, 2-5 W. A. A. "Bigfoot" Wallace, and John Coffee Hays emerged and the 2-6 Texas Rangers became the most famous fighting force of its kind 2-7 ever assembled; and 2-8 WHEREAS, When Texas entered the Union in 1845, war with 2-9 Mexico followed, and Colonel Hays raised a regiment of 500 2-10 Texas Rangers to operate with the American Army; this was the 2-11 only occasion that the Texas Rangers ever operated as a unit 2-12 in the army of the United States; and 2-13 WHEREAS, After the Civil War, the Texas Rangers were vital; 2-14 civil affairs were in chaos after nine years of Reconstruction 2-15 and the legislature turned to the Rangers to restore order and 2-16 the task of putting down lawlessness was finally accomplished; and 2-17 WHEREAS, By 1880 the Texas Rangers had become a 2-18 well-established institution, an institution that has continued 2-19 in an unbroken existence under slightly varying laws down to the 2-20 present day; and 2-21 WHEREAS, Housed in a replica of Fort Fisher, the original 2-22 Texas Ranger fort established in 1837, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame 2-23 in Waco chronicles the famed lawmen who tamed the frontier; and 2-24 WHEREAS, The Former Texas Ranger Association was formed 2-25 in 1949 to honor the memory of those dedicated commissioned 3-1 officers who had so faithfully and superbly carried out their 3-2 duties; and 3-3 WHEREAS, Members of the Former Texas Ranger Association 3-4 gathered in San Antonio, Texas, on May 16, 1993, to honor the 3-5 memory of Dr. P. B. Hill, first Ranger Chaplain and author of 3-6 the Ranger Prayer, and to acknowledge the great contributions made 3-7 by past and present Texas Rangers; and 3-8 WHEREAS, In commemoration of the 170th anniversary of the 3-9 founding of the Texas Rangers and the 45th anniversary of the 3-10 founding of the Former Ranger Association, the Texas Senate is 3-11 proud to commend one of our state's most historic organizations; 3-12 now, therefore, be it 3-13 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-14 73rd Legislature, hereby express profound gratitude to the men 3-15 who serve and have served in the Texas Rangers; and, be it further 3-16 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in 3-17 honor of this magnificent group of lawmen. 3-18 _____________________________________ 3-19 President of the Senate 3-20 I hereby certify that the 3-21 above Resolution was adopted by 3-22 the Senate on May 30, 1993. 3-23 _____________________________________ 3-24 Secretary of the Senate 3-25 _____________________________________ 4-1 Member, Texas Senate