Monthly Archives: March 2016

Today in Texas History – March 3

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From the Annals of Diplomacy – In 1837, U.S. President Andrew Jackson appointed Alcée La Branche as the American chargé d’affaires to the Republic of Texas. The act officially recognized Texas as an independent republic.  La Branche was born on his father’s plantation on the Mississippi River near New Orleans in 1806. The family, earlier named Zweig (the German equivalent of French branche) had emigrated from Bamberg, Bavaria to Louisiana in 1721. Alcée  attended the University of Sorreze in France. and after returning home he was elected to the  Louisiana House of Representatives in 1831 and was elected as speaker of the House in 1833.

Texas received him enthusiastically viewing him as friend of annexation.  La Branche, however, was loyal to his country and aggressively defended the United States claim to disputed territory in Red River County (now Bowie, Red River, Franklin, Titus, Morris, and Cass counties). The two countries signed the Convention of Limits, which recognized Texas claims to the contested county and the Sabine River as the eastern boundary of Texas. La Branche also sought to reduce tensions concerning cross-border raids in pursuit of Native Americans.  He believed that the majority of Indian attacks were caused by Texans’ trespassing and surveying Indian lands.

La Branche Street in Houston is named in his honor.

Rob Morrow Elected Travis County GOP Chair – Local Party Officials Bemoan the Chaos their Voters Have Wrought

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Travis County Republicans are beside themselves over the newly elected County Chair Rob Morrow who defeated incumbent James Dickey by more than 6000 votes. Morrow is the co-author of “The Clinton’s War on Women” a book akin to the Bible in many GOP households. So why the wailing and gnashing of teeth?  Perhaps it has to do with the chickens coming home to roost.  In many ways, Morrow accurately represents the present tenor of the Grand Old Party.  You see, Morrow is fond of insulting anyone and everyone in his frequent Tweets – including the sainted Rick Perry.  Morrow

Red sees this as simply the natural progression of the GOP’s turn to ad hominem attacks and political viciousness.  Morrow is perfectly in line with the Ted Cruz/Donald Trump insult comic wing of the GOP. And how can anyone in the party legitimately complain about Morrow making fun of Perry or the entire Bush family when its presidential candidates spend about 75% of their time trashing their opponents.  So exactly how is Morrow out of line with the GOP electorate when he questions Rick Perry’s sexual preferences, or claims that the entire Bush family are criminals who should be locked up, or calls Hillary an “angry bull dyke”, or claims that Marco Rubio is “very likely a gay man who got married.”   And Morrow’s response to the Travis County Republicans who want him out?   “Tell them they can go fuck themselves.”  They can do that or vote for Ted Cruz – it’s pretty much the same thing.  Too bad the GOP doesn’t respect the will of the voters.  But if they won’t respect the President who won twice, why should they respect their new racist homophobe of a party leader.

The Texas Tribune has the rest of the hilarious story of the disintegration of the county party of Gov. Greg Abbot and AG Ken Paxton among other notable lights.   Red was literally ROTFL.

 

Shame on Oklahoma (and Alaska).

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Sen. Ted Cruz (TP-Texas) won the Oklahoma primary with 34.4% of the vote followed by Donald Trump at 28.6%.  At least Texas has an excuse for letting him win the Texas primary (albeit with less than 44% of the vote – compare that to Bernie’s win in Vermont) as we are responsible for putting the irascible junior senator into the national spotlight (or more accurately the blame should be placed on the 631,136 GOP voters representing about 5% of the Texas electorate who decided that David Dewhurst was not conservative enough in the 2012 GOP runoff).  In other words, Ted may be a deceitful dirty trickster, but he is our deceitful dirty trickster.  Oklahoma has no such excuse.  And who knows what goes on in an Alaskan caucus?

Today in Texas History – March 2

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From the Annals of the Revolution – In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.  The previous day, delegates from the seventeen Mexican municipalities of Texas and the settlement of Pecan Point met at Washington-on-the-Brazos to consider independence from Mexico. George C. Childress presented a resolution calling for independence.  Richard Ellis, the president of the convention appointed Childress to head a committee of five  Edward Conrad, James Gaines, Bailey Hardeman, and Collin McKinney to draft a Declaration of Independence from Mexico.  Childress probably already had a draft version of the document with him when he arrived. As the delegates worked, they received regular reports on the ongoing siege on the Alamo by the forces of Santa Anna’s troops.  Childress and the committee drew heavily on the United States Declaration of Independence.   In the early morning hours of March 2, the convention voted unanimously to accept the resolution.

Red’s favorite passage:  “It has, through its emissaries, incited the merciless savage, with the tomahawk and scalping knife, to massacre the inhabitants of our defenseless frontiers.”

Vote!

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It’s Super Tuesday and it may not be excessive hyperbole to suggest that the fate of the nation hangs in the balance.  The presidential primary races may be all but over by the end of the day.  So Red urges everyone – Democrat, Republican, Tea Party, Independent, or Other – to exercise your franchise and vote for the candidates of your choice – even if it includes Sen. Ted Cruz (TP-Texas).  We can’t all be right.

Today in Texas History – March 1

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From the Annals of Geologic Formations –  In 1978, The Nature Conservancy bought Enchanted Rock from the Moss family for $1.3 million.   The purchase kept the property preserved for posterity.  Various plans had been floated for the site including turning it into a real estate development or quarry.  The Moss family wanted the site preserved but the state of Texas lacked the funds or the willpower to purchase the Rock. TNC deeded the property to the State six days after the purchase.  The site was closed to the public for several years and reopened as the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in March of 1984.

The granite pluton batholith near Fredericksburg rises to an elevation of 1825 feet and is formed from some of the oldest rock on the planet.  The Rock has long been a popular spot for hiking, rock climbing and camping.   The weathered dome, standing above the surrounding plain is known to geologists as a monadnock.  Archaeological evidence indicates human visitation at the rock going back at least 11,000 years. The  name “Enchanted Rock” is derived from Native American legend which attributed magical and spiritual powers to the high ground.

Red first visited the then private park in 1967 and has been back dozens of times since then.  It is a must see for all Texans.