Bill Text: TX HR709 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the first Texas Declaration of Independence on April 6, 2013.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-03-14 - Reported enrolled [HR709 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR709-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 709 | ||
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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 Declaration of Independence on April 6, 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 Nachitoches, | ||
| 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 Declaration of Independence on April 6, 2013, and call on all | ||
| Texans to honor the memory of Don Bernardo and his comrades. | ||
| Rodriguez of Travis | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 709 was adopted by the House on March | ||
| 13, 2013, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
