In this case, liberal immigration laws.
Sam Houston won independence for Texas, and George Bush will give it back. History comes full circle.
Travis, Crockett, and Bowie considered their lives less important than the freedom of their people. As Otto Scott said, “Ours are the same tests and crises that our fathers and forefathers encountered.” Our people face the threat of extinction today, and unless we count our lives as less important than the lives of our children, our people will perish. Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Commandancy of the Alamo
Bexar, Feby. 24th, 1836
To the People of Texas & 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 & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man—The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls—I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all despatch—The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death.
William Barret Travis Lt. Col. comdt.
He got into power by the due process of election because the Mexican government wanted to express their sovereignty through a constitutional government. When he was elected, he turned around and abolished the very constitution that gave him power and began calling himself the Napoleon of the West. He said the Mexican people did not deserve a constitutional government i.e. 'too stupid to have self-governance' and began using his power to quash any resistance to his dicatatorship.
By abolishing this constitution, he nullified the various agreements the Mexican government had made NOT ONLY WITH THE ANGLO SETTLERS THEY HAD INVITED - but with the Tejano families that lived in Texas at the time and supported his government. Look up the Battle of Turtle Creek and the Treaty of Turtle Creek - Book of Texas History Online.
He never gave quarter to the Anglo settlers. Look up the Battle of Goliad.
He never gave quarter at the Alamo.
He used his army to chase families across the Texas wilderness, burning and pillaging everything along the way. This was known as the Runaway Scrape.
Against the advice of his other Generals, who kept trying to argue for more reasonable means of dealing with the Texians, he barreled ahead with only one canon to chase down Houston all the way to San Jacinto (who had two canons) - leaving behind his regiments. Look up the Battle of San Jacinto.
He surrendered to Houston, who let him go, and Santa Ana went back to Mexico and LIED about what happened and tried to recoup his forces.
SANTA ANA WAS EXILED FROM MEXICO.
Santa Ana hid out for a while then made his way to New York - where he managed to coddle his way into the sympathetic hearts of the NY elite there (yes, they existed then too! Poor wittle dictator - let us give you some money!!)
Santa Ana went back to Mexico, regained power...GOT EXILED AGAIN.
Santa Ana was an absolute horror to his country. Because of him and others in the government, clear delineation of the border of Mexico was never achieved, and we had to send troops back down to Port Isabel/Brownsville in order to kick their a$$es back into Mexico (Battle of Resaca de la Palma)
The more I read about this, the less charitable I am towards these people. Have never seen such a passive aggressive lazy a$$ed decietful envious and grasping group of people. Anglos were invited to the Texas area because none of the Mexican natives could be persuaded to colonise the area and fight off the Comanche/Apache/Karankawa that inhabited the area (no offense to the Comanche/Apache/Karankawa intended- they were brave warriors and fought tooth and nail - unlike the current crop of MesoAmerican Indian groups that would rather siphon off someone elses success than actually fight for their own - and they say we STOLE from them?!)...nor could they be interested in cultivating the area.
AM SICK of the perpetual lies...
Well, from a military point of view, it WAS a great Mexican victory. In fact I believe the assault on the Alamo was for a long time held up in military circles as the textbook example of how to storm a fortified position.
We once knew the meaning of treason.
BTTT
In the end, Santa Anna's only friend was fellow Mason Sam Houston, who spared his life after JLdeSA gave Sam the Masonic handshake of distress.