By Alonzo                                             H.R. No. 1111
       74R14099 BNL-F
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Texans and many other Americans will join with our
    1-2  neighbors south of the Rio Grande on May 5, 1996, in celebrating
    1-3  Cinco de Mayo, a holiday commemorating the legendary Mexican
    1-4  victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, for the spirit and
    1-5  sentiment of this holiday echo many time-honored principles that
    1-6  Americans hold dear; and
    1-7        WHEREAS, After chafing under Spanish colonization for several
    1-8  centuries, Mexico threw off the chains of colonial oppression and
    1-9  declared herself a free and independent nation in 1821, but the
   1-10  transition to democracy was a painstaking process, and the mid-19th
   1-11  century saw the young nation saddled with debt and struggling to
   1-12  maintain a stable representative government; and
   1-13        WHEREAS, Meanwhile, the imperial powers of Europe sought to
   1-14  recover some of the rich territory they had lost during
   1-15  independence movements of the late 18th and early 19th centuries;
   1-16  when President Benito Juarez declared a two-year moratorium on
   1-17  Mexico's European debts in 1861, Spain, France, and England joined
   1-18  forces to invade Mexico and force repayment of the debt; and
   1-19        WHEREAS, By 1862, England and Spain had withdrawn their
   1-20  forces, but the remaining French army had begun the march inland
   1-21  toward Mexico City; Ignacio Seguin Zaragoza, a native of Presidio
   1-22  La Bahia near present-day Goliad, Texas, strategically deployed his
   1-23  men in the hills above Puebla, a town southeast of the capital,
   1-24  while he in turn led a vanguard of troops to harass the advancing
    2-1  French forces; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, Once they reached Puebla, the invaders encountered
    2-3  fierce and expertly coordinated resistance from Zaragoza's
    2-4  soldiers; during long hours of pitched battle, the French lost
    2-5  hundreds of men and finally fell back in retreat; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, The victory at Puebla on May 5, 1862,  was a
    2-7  defining moment for the Republic of Mexico, for by conquering one
    2-8  of the world's finest armies, the courageous Mexican forces struck
    2-9  a valiant blow against imperialism and made a lasting contribution
   2-10  to the struggle for democracy; and
   2-11        WHEREAS, Today, the anniversary of that famous battle is
   2-12  celebrated in many U.S. cities as well as Mexico, but Cinco de Mayo
   2-13  celebrations in Texas are unique because they pay tribute to our
   2-14  shared heritage with Mexico; Ignacio Zaragoza, born in Texas while
   2-15  it was still part of the Mexican state of Coahuila, holds a
   2-16  distinctive place in history as a true Tejano, a son of both Texas
   2-17  and Mexico, and his determination to honor and defend "la patria,"
   2-18  the homeland, is as inspiring today as it was more than a century
   2-19  ago; and
   2-20        WHEREAS, Traditionally observed with festive music, dancing,
   2-21  games, colorful arts and crafts, and a wide array of culinary
   2-22  treats, Cinco de Mayo celebrations have truly become part of the
   2-23  rich cultural fabric of the Lone Star State and thus are deserving
   2-24  of special legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it
   2-25        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-26  Legislature hereby commemorate the observance of 1996 Cinco de Mayo
   2-27  festivities around the state.