Republic of Texas–United States relations
Texas |
United States |
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Republic of Texas–United States relations refers to the historical
U.S. involvement in Texan independence
Following Mexico's independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, the population of Texas included only 4,000 Tejanos.[1] The new Mexican government, eager to populate the region, encouraged foreigners, including residents of the United States, to help settle the region; by 1830 the number of American settlers in Texas topped 30,000.[2] In 1835, Texas joined the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, and Yucatán in rebellion against the central government in response to President Santa Anna suspending the Constitution of 1824, disbanding Congress, and making himself the center of power in Mexico. The United States decided[why?] to support the revolution by providing arms and supplies to the Texas rebels, eventually leading to independence and the founding of the Republic of Texas[3] in 1836.
Bilateral relations
The United States recognized Texan independence on March 3, 1836, when U.S. President Andrew Jackson nominated
Prior to Texan independence, a consulate was established at Galveston, and Joseph Washington Eliot Wallace was confirmed as consul on March 29, 1830. Additional consulates existed at the following locations:
- Goliad: Earliest Date: January 9, 1835. No extant latest date.
- Matagorda: Earliest Date: June 26, 1838. No extant latest date.
- Sabine: Earliest Date: March 21, 1843. Latest date: December 29, 1845
- Velasco (Freeport) Earliest Date: October 12, 1837. No extant latest date.
Although Texas entered the United States as a state on December 29, 1845, relations formally ended during the transfer of Texan sovereignty to the United States on February 19, 1846. Despite this, Andrew J. Donelson, the last U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, left his post on or shortly after August 9, 1845.
Treaties
On April 11, 1838, the U.S. concluded a Claims Convention with the Republic of Texas. This agreement was signed by Alcée La Branche, the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires near the Republic of Texas and R.A. Irion, the Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas, and served to set Texan indemnity to the United States for injuries suffered by U.S. Citizens by Texan authorities as well as indemnity to compensate U.S. merchants for the capture, seizure, and confiscation of two U.S. vessels.
On April 25, 1838, the U.S. and the Republic of Texas signed a convention to mark the boundary between the two states.
U.S. annexation of Texas
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Relations between Texas and the US were strong; however, Texas had become unstable and unfit to fully defend or sustain itself, prompting the US to consider annexation. A vast majority of
Issues
One of the issues at play in the interactions between the United States and the Republic of Texas was the eventual annexation of Texas by the U.S. There were two main difficulties with the issue of Texas joining the United States at the time: first, incorporating Texas into the Union might provoke Mexico; and second, Texas wished to join as a slave state.
On August 23, 1843, Mexican Foreign Minister Bocanegra informed U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Mexico,
Another issue raised by the debate over Texan annexation was that of slavery. Since the early nineteenth century, Texas was a producer of cotton. It was also dependent upon slave labor to produce its cotton. The question of whether or not the United States should annex Texas came at a time of increased tensions between the Northern and Southern states of the Union over the legality and morality of slavery; thus, the possibility of admitting Texas as another slave state proved to be contentious.
See also
- Republic of Texas–Mexico relations
- Texas Revolution
- History of Texas
- Mexican–American War
- Texas Annexation
- Mexico–United States relations
References
- ^ "Tejanos". Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2011-07-14.
- ^ "Causes of the Texas Revolution".
- ^ "Mexico Texas Independence War 1835-1836". Archived from the original on 2012-06-03. Retrieved 2011-07-14.
- ^ "Texas Legation Records - Texas State Library | TSLAC".
- ^ "US-Mexico War". www.mtholyoke.edu. Archived from the original on 2008-12-08.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Office of the Historian. A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Texas. United States Department of State. Retrieved 22 August 2014.