, 1902-05-07
TEN OWN FOURTH
MARCH 2 A LEGAL HOLIDAY IN LONE
STAR STATE.
separation From Mexico Went surm -uv
Into Eject on That Day-Strong Doc
umsnt Drawn Up As "A Declaration or
Independence.

Few Americans are aware that in
n OF the greatest states OF the Union
the second day of March is a legal
hollday. Some would he mystiiied il
toId, furthermore, that this Is the date
oil the Declaration OF independence OF
II part of the American nation. Such
however. are the facts. The state is
Texas. What the Fourth of July is in
the history Of the thirteen original
colonies. the second OF March is in the
history Of Texas.
The opening of the year 1886 found
IeNas in quite an anomalous condi-
ton. h was engaged in active fight
ing against Mexico. and yet seemed to
have no other idea than that OF re
naming a portion of Mexico. In No
vember of the preceding year IA gather
ing known as the general consultation
had been held at San Felipe. The name
consultation was applied to this be-
cause the Mexicans were prejudiced
against conventions" This one fact
shows how anxious the Texans were
to retain the favor of Mexico. Provi-
sion was made for another council. to
meet the LIST OF March OF the neXt year.
On Feb. | an election was held. and
th"t gathering.
These assembled March | in the pic
iuresque old town OF Washington. on
the Rrazos. The text day they unan-
imoIsly adopted a declaration of in
dependence. 1t was written by George
{. Childress, and is considered a strong
document. The opening lines are as
follows:
When a Government has ceased to
protect the lives. liberty and property
of the people. from whom its legiti-
mate powers are derived
1t then proceeds to state concisely
and vigorously sixteen separate points
in which the government of Mexico
had failed in its duty to Texas. 1t then
states that these and other griev-
ances were patiently borne until they
reached the point at which forbear-
ance ceased to be a virtue" 1t declare
that the Texans then took up arms in
defense of the national Constitution
that is. the Constitution of Mexico
but that now the necessity of self
preservation DEGREES an eternal politi
cal separation" 1t closes by commit
ting the issue to the decision of tn,
Supreme ATbiter of the destinies O
nations
The first name signed is that OF
Richard Ellis. the president OF .ho
gathering. Then follow the names OF
fifty-oue Others who were present
Sam Houston was one of these. Last
come the ame OF six others who
were elected delegates. bu; were moi
present. n signed later. Nearly all OF
the tifty-eisht names are now perpctu-
ated as the names of counties on the
map OF Texas.
After all, however. one can not help
feeling that this declaration OF indie
Dendence vas largely a matter OF form.
Practically speaking the connection
with the mother country had already
been severed. There had beer some
months OF actual fighting. The battles
of Conception, GoIiad and Gonzales
had already been fought. a Antonio
had already been captured by the
Texans and recaptured by the Mexi-
At the very time the convention
was in session Travis, Bowie. Crockett
and Their brave followers were making
their last heroic stand at the Alamo.
On Sunday, March 6, the last letter
written by Travis vas received. When
the president rea the message one
member sprang to his feet and moved
that the members OF the convention
arm themselves and march immediate
ly / o The Alamo to relieve Travis.
Sam Houston opposed this. He claimed
that the .irst duty of the convention
was TO establish a government and a
constitution. He offered to collect
troops himself and march to the relief.
This he did. but all too late. On the
night of the very day when they were
discussing it-Sunday. March 6. 1896
the final attack was made. All the
world knows the result. The Alamo
fell. but its glorious fall made forever
impossible the failure of Texan indie
pendence. so peacefully declared in the
quiet town Of Washington only a few
days before.