The original documents are located in Box 24, folder “4/19-22/76 - Texas (9)” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Digitized from Box 24 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library . , THE WHITE HOUSE ' . , . THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON i~~"' ~ ~;,uc. = 'au.A~~__ir.:t ~~ K~,'1 qs3t_ ,. f.ott. A ~A<l:o <:.lAEck. C01'1£ OAI ...." --~~~-,__---~------ T ~ o.A-'!i. 'A- ~: <"O I 0-4, UJJ14* \~ l.\ OU.ft- h '4.Vd IE ~ w~- 'o-y ~ ~~ T h4<J~ ~"~ 'j~ ~IU t ~o~O\.. '8Ac./( D~ n. • we. l>,z fA..141-cUtAI c,. ~ ( ~ Ko.. 9~3 e ';.t';'HJ-1- tf 1 '4.~ 14 It '[)~ L""" \- ~ • 300 EAST TRAVIS • P. 0 . BOX 2411 o SAN ANTONIO. TEXAS 78298 • AREA CODE 512 / 227-4392 wtA, t ~b )- r 4 {()-v { ~k.f l T L(. Cl\-V- lv i.-..,l (, ~ \...w'4~ ~ 300 EAST TRAVIS • P. 0 . BOX 2411 • SAN ANTONIO. TEXAS 78298 • AREA CODE 512 / 227-4392 "Tl· - - ~ l ..L LL Remarks by Mrs. Ford San Jacinto Day Ceremonies .April 21, 1976 I am deeply honored to become a citizen of Texas on this historic day. How much courage and inspiration we can take from those first Texans who won their independence and used it to build such a great State. Something about the characte~ of Texas captures the zest for freedom---that has kept America strong and growing for two hundred years. Independence really is a description of a way of life. And Texas is a state whose people live independence by doing, achieving and building for the future. I salute you as heirs of a fighting faith for freedom 1 born here at San Jacinto, nurtured by those who served on this proud battleship, and alive in the hearts and lives of all Americans. You have a history proud to remember and proud to celebrate. MRS. FORD 15 REIVV\RKS SAN JACINTO DAY CEREMONIES April 21, 1976 I AM DEEPLY HONORED I. TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF TEXAS ON THIS HISTORIC DAY. HOW MUCH COURAGE AND INSPIRATION WE CAN TAKE FROM THOSE Fl RST TEXANS WHO WON THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND USED IT TO BUILD SUCH A GREAT STATE. SQMfTHING ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF TEXAS 2. CAPTURES THE ZEST FOR FREEDOM~-- THAT HAS KEPT AMERJCA STRONG AND GROWJNG FOR TWO HUNDRED YEARS. - . l I -1-NrlEPENDENCE REALLY IS A DESCRIPTION 3. I OF A WAY OF LIFE. AND TEXAS IS A STATE . WHOSE PEOPLE LIVE INDEPENDENCE . BY DOING, ACHIEVING AND BUILDING FOR. THE FUTURE. - --·! "" -- .. -· .... _ 4. -••L.Vll.. IVU A".) Htl~S OF A Fl GHTI NG FA ITH FOR FREEDOM, BORN HERE AT SAN JACINTO, NURTURED BY THOSE WHO SERVED ON THIS PROUD BATTLESHIP, AND ALIVE IN THE HEARTS AND LIVES , OF All AMERICANS. 5. ·-·---·YOU HAVE A HISTORY PROUD TO REMEMBER ANO PROUD TO CELEBRATE. APRIL 21 APRIL TWENTIETH GIFT OF THE HAGUE PEACE PALA CE · There were rosy views of international peace when the first Peace Conference at The Hague adjourned in 1899. Shortly after its adjourn­ ment Professor von Martens, the Russian minister at Berlin, visited Andrew D. White, the American minister, at the legation, and said that" there ought to be a palace of justice at The Hague for th~ use ~f . the Arbitration Tribunal, and that there ought to be some American million­ aire willing to build it. Mr. White replied that the only American millionaire he knew with vision broad enough to see the importance of it was Andrew Carnegie. He thereupon wrote to Mr. Carnegie and got little satisfaction from the reply. The correspondence continued for a long time. Finally Mr. White by invitation, visited Mr. Carnegie at his castle in Scotland, but found no opportunity to broach the subject until the last day of the visit when Mr. Carnegie agreed to finance the project. On April 20, 1903, he gave $1,500,000 to be used in building a suitable structure for The Hague Court and for a library of international law. It was more than ten years later, however, that the peace palace was dedi­ cated. It is a splendid building, standing in its own grounds in the capital city of the Netherlands, the contribution of an American citizen to the cause of international peace. I APRIL TWEN1Y-FIRST SAN JACINTO DAY I The anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, is a holiday in Texas. It was by this battle that the Texans forced . I Mexico to recognize their independence. When the Mexican revolution, which resulted in driving Spain out of the country, began in 1810 the Texans, assisted by forces from the United States, decid_ed to set up a government of their own. They proclaimed the country a republic with Nacogdoches as the capital. It did not last long for the Spanish forces broke up the new government. Moses Austin obtained from the Mexican Government the right to found a colony in Texas in 1821. He died soon afterward and his work was carried on by his son Sterhen. The colony settled in the Brazos and Trinity valleys. By 1826 the American settlers, resenting the misrule of the Mexicans, proclaimed the eastern part of the state an independent republic, but it survived only a short time. There was another _revolt ~gainst Mexican rule in 1832, follo";ed by the calling of a convention which elected Stephen Austin presidenc, but the authority of Mexico over the country continued. Austin was sent to i\kxico to 229 APRIL 21 demand reforms, but he was unable to get a hearin,i; from those in authority and was made a prisoner. Armed revolt broke out in 1835 and in December the Texans captured San Antonio. A provisional government was formed with Henry Smith as governor and Sam Houston as major general of the armies. On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna, in command of a Mexican army, attacked the Alamo, a Franciscan mission at San Antonio, in which a company of Texans and Americans, including Colonel David Crockett, had taken refuge. The siege lasted until March 6, when a breach was made in the walls and what was left of the defend­ ing force was massacred. On March 2 the Texans again issued a declara­ tion of independence and when Santa Anna had finished his work at the Alamo he marched eastward, and on April 21 met the Texas army under Houston at San Jacinto near Houston. Santa Anna was defeated and taken prisoner and was forced to sign a treaty by the provisions of which he pledged himself to do what he could to get the independence of Texas recognized with boundaries extending as far south as the Rio Grande. A constitution was drafted which was ratified in September. General Houston was made the first president of the new republic and Houston was made the capital. .i? The battlefield has been set aside as a state park. The anniversary is observed throughout the state with special exer.cises in the public schools and by elaborate pageants in the various cities. The people of Houston, aware of the importance of the victory, celebrated it in 1837, the first of a long series of celebrations there. An account of this first celebration by one who was present was printed in the H esperian or Western Maga­ zine of Columbus, Ohio, in 1838. The program, according to him, in. eluded the erection of a liberty pole upon which was to float the lone star flag of the republic. There was a speech by a distinguished orator and there was a dance in the evening. As there were not more than sixty or seventy women in Houston, young and old, married and single, it was necessary to scour the surrounding country to get partners for the men at the dance. The writer says: After prayer the speaker ascended the rostrum. [The record does not tell who the speaker was.) It was so arranged that the speech should not only be delivered upon the day, but upon the very hour in which the battle was fought so that the speaker might be animated with the reflection that just one year from the very moment he was speaking he was engaged in the battle. During ilie remarks, which continued for an hour, the cheeks of the President [General Houston] colored for a moment as the speaker dropped an expression which seemed to imply doubt as to what portion of the honor of the day he was entitled. It may not be known to the world that the soldiers and officers are unwilling to divide with their general the laurels of San Jacinto." The speaker acquitted himself to his entire satisfaction. The multitude now adjourned to meet in the ev~ing. Night came and with it the merry dancers; the president, dressed in a rich silk velvet suit, moved among the throng with a gallantry and grace which haw· always distinguished him when he chose to assume them.