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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Sons of the Republic of Texas is hosting its |
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Texas Independence Day observance at the Washington-on-the-Brazos |
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State Historic Site on March 2, 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to preserving and promoting Texas |
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history, SRT raises awareness of the contributions of early leaders |
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of our state, highlighting such enduring Texas values as freedom, |
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resilience, and self-governance; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas Independence Day celebrates the anniversary |
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of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence at |
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Washington-on-the-Brazos, now widely known as the "birthplace of |
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Texas," at the Convention of 1836; Richard Ellis, president of the |
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convention, appointed a committee on March 1 of that year to draft |
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the declaration; historians generally agree that the chair of the |
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committee, George C. Childress, authored the instrument largely |
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unassisted; it was presented to the convention on March 2; and |
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WHEREAS, Echoing the United States Declaration of |
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Independence, the Texas proclamation addresses the proper function |
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of government and enumerates the many ways in which Mexico failed to |
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"protect the lives, liberty, and property of the people"; a |
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recitation of grievances centers on the violation of promises made |
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to Anglo-American colonists regarding such essentials as public |
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education, trial by jury, and freedom of religion; the edict |
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condemns the rise of military despotism under General Antonio Lopez |
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de Santa Anna, "who having overturned the constitution of his |
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country, now offers us the cruel alternative, either to abandon our |
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homes, acquired by so many privations, or submit to the most |
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intolerable of all tyranny"; and |
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WHEREAS, After the declaration was signed by 59 delegates to |
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the convention, five copies were made and dispatched to the towns of |
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Bexar, Goliad, Nacogdoches, Brazoria, and San Felipe; the printer |
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at San Felipe was instructed to make a further 1,000 copies in |
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handbill form to reach the broader public; and |
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WHEREAS, The residents of House District 12, which includes |
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Washington County, cherish their special connection to the early |
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history of our state and maintain a commitment to preserving our |
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heritage and celebrating the courage and self-sacrifice of those |
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who fought for Texas independence; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 2025 Texas Independence Day |
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celebration at the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site |
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and extend to the Sons of the Republic of Texas sincere best wishes |
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for a meaningful and memorable event; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Sons of the Republic of Texas as an expression of |
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high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |