The Cavalcade of America presented by DuPont. Today is Texas Day for the Cavalcade of America presented by DuPont. And the reason is that on June 6th, the people of Texas opened their centennial exposition in Dallas. This year, the great state of Texas is celebrating 100 years of independence and nearly 6 million Texans are extending their famous brand of hospitality to millions of visitors. Everyone who has the chance to be in the Southwest between now and December 1st should certainly visit the Texas Centennial at Dallas. Among the many interesting things to be seen is the Wonder World of Chemistry, an exhibit of DuPont chemical processes and products which graphically illustrate the DuPont pledge, better things or better living through chemistry. The DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra plays as an overture a special arrangement of three Texas songs, Ride Ranger Ride, Green Grow the Lilacs, and the Rangers song from Rio Rita. The DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra plays as an overture a special arrangement of three Texas songs, Ride Ranger Ride, Green Grow the Lilacs, and the Rangers song from Rio Rita. The DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra plays as an overture a special arrangement of three Texas songs, Ride Ranger Ride, Green Grow the Lilacs, and the Rangers song from Rio Rita. The DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra plays as an overture a special arrangement of three Texas songs, Ride Ranger Ride, Green Grow the Lilacs, and the Rangers song from Rio Rita. The DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra plays as an overture a special arrangement of three Texas songs, Ride Ranger Ride, Green Grow the Lilacs, and the Rangers song from Rio Rita. One hundred years ago, Texas wrested her freedom from Mexico and became a free and independent republic. This evening, the Cavalcade of America salutes the people of Texas and as a tribute to their achievements presents historic scenes of the life of a man who perhaps more than any other deserves the name which a grateful posterity has bestowed upon him, father of Texas, Stephen Austin. But although Stephen Austin is known as the father of Texas, it was his father, Moses Austin, who first dreamed of colonizing Texas with the sturdy American settlers who were pushing westward. On a hot day in the year 1820, he presents a petition to Martinez, the hotty Spanish governor of San Antonio. Your Excellency, all I ask, as you can see by the petition, is the grant of land and permission to settle with 300 American pioneer families. As I said before, you need these settlers to hold Texas. And as I said before, Senor Austin, no, I have no intention of counting your petitions. But Your Excellency... You are wasting my time, Senor. Capitan. Your Excellency. Escort Senor Austin to his lodgings. My orders are that he leave San Antonio at once. Remain with him until he is safely beyond the Texas border. Your Excellency. I'm sorry, Your Excellency. If you change your mind... I never change my mind. Come, Senor, you have heard the orders. This way, please. Yes, yes, I know. My mission is a failure, so I might as well leave. Nothing more for me to do here. You are most unfortunate, Senor Austin. I have spoken to the Governor when he is in a very angry mood. I gave him no cause to be angry. He needs settlers to hold this country. I offered him settlers and good ones, but he refused. But perdone me, Senor. You did not make him angry. It was his cook. Oh, what did the cook do? It was a pig. Oh, the cook made a pig of himself. Oh, no, no, no, no, Senor. The cook was not a pig. He was cooking the pig. So, and he burned him. The pig was to have been served for the Governor's dinner. And when he heard it was burned, he was very angry. Do you mean a burned porker cheated me out of my land grant? Say, you don't reckon the Governor might change his mind by tomorrow? Who knows, Senor, but it will make no matter. For you will be on your way to Los Estados Unidos. But come, Senor Austin, we'll be on our way. Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, wait a minute, here. Who's that distinguished looking man coming down the hall? Ah, that is Barney Bastrop, a close friend of Governor Martin. Bastrop? Why, I know him. I met him when you Spanish were running things up in Louisiana territories. So he's a friend of the Governor's, eh? Hey, Senor. Wait a minute, wait a minute. I'd like to speak to him, but certainly if he's a friend. Ah, Barney Bastrop. These gentlemen would like to... Hey, Captain. Well, what, Senor, we have met before. You are... Austin, Moses Austin. Ah, but certainly, Mr. Austin. Ha, ha, you're my good friend. Oh, I was proud of my not recognizing you at first. It has been many years. Yes, a lot of water has passed over the dam since we met up, Mr. Barney. Yes, there have been many changes. But tell me, how is it you are here in San Antonio? What brings you to the Governor's palace? Well, Baron, to make a long story short, I came to see the Governor about one of those land grants. Oh. I hear they're being handed out to anybody that'll contract to bring in a flock of settlers. But it seems the Governor has indigestion from eating some burned pig. He ordered me out of Texas. Oh, but there must be some mistake, some misunderstanding. Ha, come, come with me and we will talk to Governor Martinez again. I have some influence. I think I can persuade him to recommend a grant for you to the Viceroy of Mexico. You may go, Captain. I will be responsible for Senor Austin. Very good, Senor. Should I announce you to the Governor? That is not necessary. He expects me. Come, Senor Austin. Martinez, my friend. Ah, Baron, come in, come in, come in. Ah, but what's this? Why are you not in your way, Senor Austin? Ah, Baron, Excellency. I met Senor Austin as he was leaving. We are very old friends. I felt there must be some misunderstanding. I will vouch for Senor Austin. Oh, well, that is different. Much different. Anyone who is vouched for by my good friend, the Baron. Well, Excellency, it's just as I tried to explain. If you'll see that I get the land grant, I'll guarantee to bring in American settlers. You need settlers to fight off Comanches, Plains Indians. Yes, yes. We need settlers if we are to hold Texas. I will recommend your grant. This very day I will send a special courier to the Viceroy in Mexico City. With the assurance of Governor Martinez that his petition would be approved, Moses Austin returned to his home in Arkansas, where he planned to recruit his first band of followers. But it was a long and hazardous journey for a man well past the prime of life. Shortly after his return home, he contracts pneumonia. It begins to sink. And knowing death is near and his dream unfulfilled, he begs his doctor to call in his wife and daughter. Doctor. Yes, Moses. You can do no more for me. I know, family. It isn't going to be long now. I'd like to have a few minutes with Mariah and my daughter. Why, sure, Moses. I'll call them in. But you want them to give up yet. I've got big plans, big plans, and they've got to be carried out. You'd best come in, Mrs. Austin. Yes, doctor. You too, Mrs. Austin. Thank you, doctor. Oh, Moses dear, how are you feeling now? I'm getting weaker, Mariah. I won't last much longer. And before I go, I want you to promise me something. Oh, Moses, you can't leave us. Not now. Just when you've got your folks counting on you to lead them into Texas. Well, I'll be with them in spirit, Mariah, but that won't help them much. They've got to have a leader, a real leader. You ought to try to hold on, Moses. Your son Stephen will soon be here from New Orleans. That's why I want to talk to you, Mariah. He's our son, yours and mine. Yes, dear. We've made all our plans to meet in Nogadotri's next month. He's bringing some settlers from New Orleans. Yes, Moses. You, you've got to promise me you'll meet him. Tell him he's got to take my place, carry on for me, take up the grant. Promise me, Mariah, promise me you'll make Steve carry on. I will, Moses. Stephen will carry on. And so on the eve of his great venture, Moses Austin died. Some weeks later, Stephen Austin, at that time a young man of 27, arrives in Nogadotri's. He and his party of settlers have just made camp on the outskirts of the town. He is surprised to see his mother who has just arrived. What's that log in now? Stephen, Stephen. What a mother. What are you doing way down here? Where's Dad? He at the fabric, couldn't come. You don't mean he couldn't get folks to come? No, thank that, Stephen. They're coming. But your dad ain't ever coming. What? Oh, Stephen, it breaks my heart. Mother? You mean, you mean he's dead? Yes, son. Oh, Ma. He was wishing he could see you again, but he knew he never would. So he made me promise to come meet you. He wanted you to carry on. He wanted you to go on to Texas and do what he was planning to do. You will do it, son, won't you? You'll lead the settlers into Texas and take up the grant. It's a mighty big job. I don't know. It's kind of staggering. I'd count on Dad. We all did, but now we got to go on. Do the things he'd set his heart on doing. So he'll do it, Stephen. It's his dying wish. All right. All right, Mother. I promise. I give you my word I won't ever let anything stand in the way. We'll take up the grant. We'll settle in Texas and help make it all the things he dreamed it would be. No, I know you'll do it, and you can, Stephen. Hey, Steve! Here comes some sort of official. I reckon he wants to see you. Oh! Oh! Are you Senor Mozy's Austin? No, I'm Stephen Austin, his son. Well, perhaps you could tell me where I might find your father, Senor. I'm sorry, sir, but I just received word that my father's dead. Oh, a thousand pardons, Senor. I have an urgent message, but perhaps I should not speak now. Has it got something to do with my father's land grant? Unfortunately, yes, Senor. Then you can give me the message. I'm now on my way to take up the grant which the Spanish government gave my father. Oh, then you have not heard of the revolution? What revolution? Mexico's revolt! We have driven out the Spanish! Mexico is a republic! Well, now, maybe that wasn't a bad idea. Spain didn't rule Mexico any too well, according to my father. Yes, that is very true, Senor Austin. But you do not understand why I am here. I come as a friend of your father, to warn you... that the new government may not recognize the grant which the Spanish authorities gave him. Oh, but they must. Mexico needs settlers to hold Texas against the Indians, even more than Spain did. Yes, they will. But in Mexico City, they do not know that. But I've got to have that grant. Hundreds of families have given up everything to come and settle in Texas. Well, that is most unfortunate. But I'm afraid... If I could talk to the officials of the new government, they might approve the grant. See? See, they might. Oh, but they are in Mexico City. It is 800 miles, many weeks by Osback. A long and dangerous journey, Senor Austin. That doesn't matter. I've got to go. I'll start at once. Stephen City was not in vain. His father's grant was confirmed. A vast coastal tract bounded by the Brazos and Colorado rivers. In 1833, 5,000. But conditions in Mexico remained chaotic. And Texas was the pawn of every faction. The land grants were constantly threatened... and finally framed a petition to the Mexican government... requesting that Texas be made a separate state. Stephen Austin was delegated to go to Mexico City. Riding south, he stops for the night at the cabin of one of the settlers. The settler and his... Things ain't looking none too good for us, Mr. Austin. Yes and no. They're pretty much the same all through the settlements. I don't know, Mr. Austin, which is the worst. The Indians or the Mexican Revolution. You can't rightly call them revolutionists, Miranda. One week they're the rebels, and next they're the government. I reckon we get more of them than the folks up Brazos Way. Oh, it's bad up there, too. That's why we called a meeting. That's why I'm on my way to Mexico City now. You're going all the way to Mexico City? Yes. Caring a petition from the people of Texas. Ask them that we be allowed to have our own local government. Collect their own taxes. Set up our own defenses against the Comanches. That's what we need most of all. The Mexicans ain't ever been no match for them pesky Comanches. Did you hear about how they wiped out that whole settlement up to Colorado? Scalped every man, woman and child and run off all the cattle... and burned the place right down to the ground. We heard about it. Things like that just can't go on if we're ever going to hold this colony. If we only had a small band of fighting men, men with good fast horses... we could deal with the Plains Indians ourselves. We're planning on organizing something just like that. But we can't do it unless the Mexican government makes us a separate province. Petitioning ain't going to do no good. You mark my word, Miss Thorsten. We ain't ever going to have no law and order. We ain't ever going to be sure of our homesteads... till we run them Mexicans slam bang across the Rio Grande... and set up a free country for ourselves. We're not strong enough for that. There's only about 35,000 Americans all told. No. We've got to hope for a peaceable settlement. Yeah, but who do you reckon that could be riding here... in such an all-fired hurry at this time of night? Do you reckon it could be our boy Lance? Don't expect so. He went up the river looking for stray cattle. He's got a big of getting back before tomorrow night. He is, Lance. Hey, Paul, get your rifle and come on. What you doing, son? Comanche's got 50 of them. Are they coming this way, Lance? No more. They're swinging north. Heading for the folks on the branch. Howdy, Miss Thorsten. Howdy, Lance. Said we're going to get them rat skins or a surprise this time. That settles it. I'm pushing on to Mexico City. I see now there's no time to waste. We've got to get the right to organize... and protect ourselves before we are wiped out. Weeks later, Stephen Austin reached Mexico with his petition... but could get no definite action. And knowing the desperate need of his compatriots back in Texas... he wrote them, counseling patients... but advising them to go ahead with their plans. This letter was intercepted. And one day Austin is summoned to appear before the military tribunal. Thinking that last he is to get a hearing... he goes to the presidential palace. Sit, Dutchman. Up! Well, Captain, this is an unexpected honor. Military escort? I hardly expected such a reception... after waiting so long to see their excellencies. I'm afraid you mistake the meaning of the presence of my soldiers, Senor. They are an escort. Si. They are more than that. You are your guard. You are a prisoner, Senor Austin. You are under arrest. Under arrest? For why? On what charge? On the charge of treason. On the charge of the incitement of insurrection. You will be most fortunate, Senor... if you are not executed tomorrow morning... when the sun comes up over Mexico City. You must be mistaken, man. I've done nothing reasonable. I'm here in Mexico City to present a petition to their excellencies... on behalf of the citizens of Texas. Over that I know nothing, Senor. My orders are to bring you before the military tribunal. You would be so kind as to place yourself between my men, Senor. Pronto, Senor. Very well, Captain. I think you'll find you're making a grave mistake. We shall soon see who has made the grave mistake. Detachment attention! Forward, march! You might have been tried before a military court? You have been tried, Senor. You will go now to be sentenced. Tried? On what evidence? On evidence of a letter you write to your friends in Texas. A letter which was intercepted by our oral. Is that all? I think you will find it enough. But now you will talk no more, Senor. We approach the chamber of the tribunal. Detachment, halt! We'll go in alone, Senor Ostin. Hmm. I see. And you and your firing squad will wait here? Si, Senor Ostin. Call them escort, guard, firing squad. Call them whatever you like. We will be waiting. Excellencia. Si, Capitán. Senor Ostin at your orders. Senor Ostin, a letter which you sent to Texas has been intercepted. In it we have found that you urge your fellow Americans to set up the independent state. Do you deny this? No, I do not. So, Senor, you admit you confess to treason. No, it's not treason. I've come here with a petition for a... Say no more, Senor. This letter in your own confession convicts you. For this you should be shot. But you are fortunate in having friends in Mexico City who think it unwise. So instead you will go to prison. To the dungeons of Mexico City. Why, this is an outrage. I've done nothing. How long do you intend keeping me there? Who knows, Senor. So much depends on how long you live. For most it is not so long. The cholera is very bad. For over a year Ostin was kept in prison in Mexico City. Finally friends secured his release under bond. Six months later, wrecked in health and prematurely aged by his prison ordeal, he was permitted to return to Texas. Ostin took with him the promises of Mexican officials that something would be done to reform the government. But he was convinced that the sole salvation of Texas lay in separation from Mexico. And on May 2nd, 1836, a convention of Texans meets at a settlement on the Brazos. It is a momentous day for Texas. Present are Stephen Ostin, Sam Houston, and Ronette. And so, and so it is declared, it is declared that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, sovereign, and independent republic. Ostin, Ronette. What is it, General Houston? Come in the back room, I have something to tell you. General Houston, there's much to be done. We've declared independence, and I've been elected provisional president. But we must prepare the Constitution. We don't work money fast, we won't need a Constitution. Here, through this door. Where is it, is it so important, Sam? Gentlemen, I've just received grave news. The Mexican has taken the Alamo. What? The Alamo taken? Travis and his entire garrison have been wiped out. When did it happen, Sam? Are you certain? Yesterday. Two Mexicans rode into town an hour ago and told me. Then every man in town will know. What, there'll be a panic? Oh, I've arrested the two of them as spies. The news mustn't get out until I've recruited men. Santana and his army will come this way. They'll come to finish the job, and we must be ready for them. Well, we'll have to move our headquarters in. Yes. It'll be safer at Harrisburg. We must form a government the nations of the world will recognize. Otherwise, we're nothing more than a band of rebels. Well, that's your job, yours and Austin's. Mine's fighting to keep the freedom we've declared rightfully ours. You recruit your army, Sam. We'll get recognition, and we'll back you up. You ought to go to Washington, Austin. They know you up there. We're Americans, and they'll help us. Yes. Yes, it's one of the first things we've got to have. Recognition of the nations of the world. If Washington will recognize us as a free and independent republic, the others will follow suit. Then you'll go, Austin? Sure, he'll go. Ain't Steve always put Texas ahead of anything else in his whole life? I'm going out there. You can't lead an army until you got one. General Houston! General Houston! Hurry and come in, man. General Houston! The Mexicans are coming, General Houston. They're coming this way. Santa Anna's lost no time. Well, let him come. We'll show him what the free and independent republic of Texas can do. Sam Houston did show what Texas could do. With a hastily recruited and poorly armed force, he defeated and captured Santa Anna. Meanwhile, Austin had not been idle. Largely through his efforts, the recognition of most of the great nations of the world was gained, and Texas became a nation. But the pioneers of Texas were Americans. Their sympathies and their common destiny were bound up with that of the United States. Nine years later, they took their place, beginning a long and illustrious career under the American flag. In the swift years that have passed, the people of Texas have more than fulfilled the dreams of the Austins. The names of her builders are Legion, and she has contributed her full share of the nation's famous men. Heroes of Texas, the cavalcade of America salutes you. Music Visitors to the Texas Centennial Celebration at Dallas, which opened on June 6, will see the forward march of chemical science dramatized in the wonder world of chemistry. A colorful and comprehensive exhibit sponsored by the DuPont Company. There are many interesting and even startling things to see at this exhibit, for chemistry does have its spectacular side. But the real contributions of this science are in its services to daily human needs. Look about you. It is difficult to find a single object that was not either created or improved by chemical research. The clothes you wear, the food you eat, the car you ride in, the home you live in. Chemistry touches them all. Why is it that chemistry is able to continue giving us a steady stream of new and better products? The chief reason is that there have grown up in this country chemical organizations, such as DuPont, able to carry on broad programs of research, and willing to invest large sums of money in turning laboratory discoveries into articles that contribute to your comfort and happiness. DuPont alone spends more than six million dollars on research every year in a constant effort to improve existing products and to develop entirely new ones. How DuPont uses materials from farm and forest, from mine and sea, to create products vital to everyone, is shown medically in the Wonder World of Chemistry Exit. We hope you will be able to join with the people of Texas in their centennial celebration. And if you are in Dallas within the next six months, DuPont cordially invites you to visit this exhibit. There you will get a striking picture of how DuPont is making good its pledge, better things for better living through chemistry. Music Steamboat Builders, stories of John Fitch, Robert Fulton, and a Lepolet Knot will be broadcast next Wednesday evening at the same time when DuPont again presents The Cavalcade of America. Music WABC, New York
