Happy Independance Day Texas

[Jimbuna]

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

I thought that Americans have not yet kicked Texans out of the Union.

[Herr-Berbunch]

1836? A few hours still to go then.

[mookiemookie]

My favorite story about Texas independence:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gonzales

[Onkel Neal]

I love Texas. It's a great state, a great concept. Not perfect, not by a long shot, but there is a place and a need in this world for a Texas, and I am so glad to be part of it.

Sometimes it's the history, sometimes it's the places, sometimes the myth and shameless braggadocio and swagger in the face of common sense (but never carried too far).

Sometimes it's the people. Sam Houston earned his legend.

Although Houston was a slave owner and opposed abolition, he opposed the secession of Texas from the Union.

An elected convention voted to secede from the United States on February 1, 1861, and Texas joined the Confederate States of America on March 2, 1861. Houston refused to recognize its legality, but the Texas legislature upheld the legitimacy of secession. The political forces that brought about Texas's secession were powerful enough to replace the state's Unionist governor.

Houston chose not to resist, stating, "I love Texas too well to bring civil strife and bloodshed upon her. To avert this calamity, I shall make no endeavor to maintain my authority as Chief Executive of this State, except by the peaceful exercise of my functions ... " He was evicted from his office on March 16, 1861, for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, writing,

"Fellow-Citizens, in the name of your rights and liberties, which I believe have been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the nationality of Texas, which has been betrayed by the Convention, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the Constitution of Texas, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of my own conscience and manhood, which this Convention would degrade by dragging me before it, to pander to the malice of my enemies, I refuse to take this oath. I deny the power of this Convention to speak for Texas....I protest....against all the acts and doings of this convention and I declare them null and void."

God bless Texas

[Jimbuna]

Of all the photos I took on our visit to the USS Texas I never took one with the San Jacinto monument nearby

I borrowed this one off the web and added two sparates.







Why did someone have to go and tell Dan he was on the poop deck?

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

My favorite story about Texas independence:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gonzales

I had a great painting of this event that I bought at the San Jacinto monument.