The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-04
TEXAS CELEBRATED
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Thursday Was an Important
Date in History of the
Lone Star State.

Austin, Tex, March 4.-"Iudepen-
dence Day" was celebrated throughout
the state of Texas with unusual cere-
mony, owing to the fact that the day
marked the Diamond Jubilee of the in
dependence OF Texas. the seventy-fifth
anniversary of March ,, 1886. when the
Texas Declaration of Independence
was signed at Washington-on-the Bra
EOS. In commemoration of the day,
watch is d state holiday in Texas, all
the courts and public offices through
out the state remained closed. In all
schools commemorative exercises
were held and many patriotic and 9th
er societies and organizations observ-
ed the day with appropriate historical
celebrations. Flags were displayed
upon all public buildings and many
business houses and private residences
were handsomely decorated. One of
the special features of the celebrations
was the raising of the Lone Star Flag
of Texas. Particularly elaborate eX-
ercises We're held at his grave in the
! little cemetery of Huntsville, where a
! fine monument in his honor will be
unveiled next month.
| The Texas Declaration of Indepen-
dence was measure called into eN'
| istence as a protest against Mexican
misrule and oppression. BY authority
Of resolution adopted December 10
1885, by the provincial government OF
Texas, which existed from November
/ 1885 to March. 1896, delegates clothed
with plenary powers were elected on
February /, 1886, to meet in conven
ton at Washington-on-the-B raZos, on
March II. The provisional govern
ment was composed of Henry NTH
| governor: James w. Robinson, vice
governor; and council At the period
of the meeting of the convention the
council had Quarreled with and depOs
ed the governor and Robinson was act
| ing as governor.
On the afternoon of the first day
George c. Childress offered resolu
| ton that the president appoint a com
mittee of five to draft a Declaration
of independence, which was adopted
and the following committee was ap
pointed: George c. Childress, James
Gaines, Edward Conrad. Collin Nc
Kinney and Bailey Hardeman. On the
following day, March ?. a committee
was appointed to draft constitution
for the then contemplated Republic
of Texas. The Declaration of indie
pendence was reported back to the
crossed and signed by the delegate:
to the convention.
The adoption of the Declaration o
Independence was bold and hazard
Gus step. The Republic of Texas wa:
founded without money or credit ant
under the most adverse conditions
Texas, at that time, had a white popu
lation of less than 10000 and the lat
ter were greatly outnumbered by thu
Indians, which were of fierce ant
warlike disposition and committed
numerous Outrages against the whit
settlers. In their fight against tn
Spanish Mexican element the Angl
Saxon part of the population of Texa
was greatly handicapped by lack of re
sources, but the men were good fight
ers and had an able leader in San
Houston.
On July 90, 1886, David G. Burnet
the first president Of the new reput
lie. issued his proclamation for tn
first general election of president
vice president and members of con
gress under the new constitution
which was to be voted upon. At tn
election the constitution was adopte
and Sam Houston elected first cor
stitutional president of the republic
The newly elected congress met in tn
town of Co!umbia,s on the banks o
the BrazOs river on October 3, 1873
and organized itself by the election Q
, Jesse Crime as president pro temper
of the senate and Branch r. Archie
as speaker of the house of representa-
tiveS.
During the following eight or min
: years Texas was almost constantly in
volved in war with Mexico. In tn
, session of the Congress of the Unite
States following the election Of Jane
, X. Polk to the presidency, resolution
for the annexation of Texas were in
troduced. passing the house F'ebruar
%, 1915, and the senate on March
They were approved by President Pol
the same day. President Jones G
Texas called a convention which rat
fled the act and prepared that fl
nous organic law known as the COZ
stitution OF 1916 On the 9th day Q
December, 1915, Texas became stat
in the American Union, and her admis
war between the United States an
, Mexico. The first governor of tn
State of Texas was J. Pinckney Hell
derson.