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