Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I think the relevance of what I am going to talk about today will be brought into what has just happened. The historic…”

“I think the relevance of what I am going to talk about today will be brought into what has just happened. The historic opportunity that we had that was missed actually falls on the 159th anniversary of the independence of Texas. One of my predecessors in this Chamber, Sam Houston, led the Texas army to victory at San Jacinto on March 2, 1836, his birthday. Today, Texans everywhere celebrate that historic victory, and now that we have joined ranks in the United States, we invite all to join us in honoring the victory at San Jacinto. Texans also remember on this day the soldiers who did not live to see that victory, because they died a few days earlier at the Battle of the Alamo. One hundred eighty-four brave men held the Alamo for 13 days before falling to 6,000 Mexican troops. Following a tradition begun by my recent predecessor, John Tower, on the birthday of our more distant predecessor, Senator Sam Houston, I would like to read a letter sent by the commander of the Alamo, Col. William Barret Travis, during the siege. I think it will serve as a reminder of how many people spilled blood to make our country what it is today: To the people of Texas and all Americans in the world-- Fellow citizens and Compatriots--I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man.…”