Bill Text: TX HR1411 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the first Texas Constitution on April 17, 2013.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-04-23 - Reported enrolled [HR1411 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR1411-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the first Texas Constitution on April 17, 2013.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-04-23 - Reported enrolled [HR1411 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR1411-Introduced.html
83R20777 MGR-D | ||
By: Rodriguez of Travis | H.R. No. 1411 |
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WHEREAS, Nearly a quarter of a century before the siege of the | ||
Alamo, an army inspired by the fervor of Don Jose Bernardo | ||
Maximiliano Gutierrez de Lara and composed of Tejanos, volunteers | ||
from the United States, and Native American allies made a | ||
courageous bid to liberate Texas from the Spanish empire, leading | ||
to the first Texas Constitution on April 17, 1813; and | ||
WHEREAS, On September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y | ||
Costilla and his followers seized the prison at Dolores, Mexico, | ||
sparking a Mexican rebellion against the Spanish empire; answering | ||
the call to freedom, Don Bernardo traveled to Washington, D.C., in | ||
1811 to inform the U.S. government of the rebels' plans to establish | ||
a republican government in Texas as part of the liberation of | ||
Mexico; and | ||
WHEREAS, In 1812, Don Bernardo and former U.S. Army officer | ||
Augustus Magee led the Army of the North from Natchitoches, | ||
Louisiana, into Texas; this volunteer force quickly defeated the | ||
Spanish Royalist troops at the Battles of Nacogdoches, La Bahia, | ||
Rosillo, and Alazan Creek; and | ||
WHEREAS, Don Bernardo and the republican army took possession | ||
of San Fernando de Bexar, now known as San Antonio, on the night of | ||
April 1 and 2, 1813, and on April 6, 1813, Don Bernardo signed a | ||
proclamation declaring Texas' independence from Spain; on April 17, | ||
1813, acting in his capacity as president of the new provisional | ||
government, Don Bernardo signed the first Texas Constitution; and | ||
WHEREAS, This first bold attempt to win the independence of | ||
Texas came to a tragic end on August 18, 1813, when the Royalist | ||
army under General Joaquin de Arredondo defeated the Texan army at | ||
the Battle of Medina; during the bitterly fought, four-hour-long | ||
contest, more than 800 Tejano patriots lost their lives in their | ||
quest for freedom; and | ||
WHEREAS, The valiant struggle of Don Jose Bernardo | ||
Maximiliano Gutierrez de Lara and the Army of the North to throw off | ||
the Spanish yoke represents a significant chapter in the rich | ||
annals of Texas history, one that is indeed worthy of remembrance on | ||
this special occasion; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas | ||
Legislature hereby commemorate the 200th anniversary of the first | ||
Texas Constitution on April 17, 2013, and call on all Texans to | ||
honor the memory of Don Bernardo and his comrades. |