Welcome to Call to Decision 

 American Minute with Bill Federer

 October 22

 OCTOBER 22, 1836, General Sam Houston was sworn in as the first
 President of the Republic of Texas.

 As a teenager, after his father died, Houston ran off to live with
 the Cherokee Indians on the Tennessee River, being adopted by Chief
 Oolooteka and given the name "Raven."

 Three years later, Houston returned to town, opened a school, joined
 the army and fought in the War of 1812, being noticed by General
 Andrew Jackson.

 In 1818, wearing Indian dress, Sam Houston led a delegation of
 Cherokee to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Monroe.

 Elected to Congress in 1823, Sam Houston became Governor of Tennessee
 in 1827.

 After a failed marriage, Sam Houston moved to Texas, where he was
 made Commander to fight Santa Anna.

 The Texas Declaration of Independence stated:

 "When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty, and
 property of the people...and...becomes an instrument in the hands of
 evil rulers for their oppression....it is a...sacred obligation to
 their posterity to abolish such government, and create another in its
 stead."

 The Texas Declaration ended:

 "Conscious of the rectitude of our intentions, we fearlessly and
 confidently commit the issue to the decision of the Supreme Arbiter
 of the Destinies of Nations."