The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 244

                                
Texas Historical Association Quarterly.

by the abolitionists for the purpose of injuring and calumniating
Texas," he published, besides many "small essays," a pamphlet
signed "Jefferson," which, he says, "puts the matter in a proper
light and which has done great good."'
Partly, no doubt, as a result of Wharton's activity, Walker of
Mississippi submitted, January 11, the following joint resolution:
Resolved, that the state of Texas having established and main-
tained an independent Government, capable of performing those
duties, foreign and domestic, which appertain to independent Gov-
ernments, and it appearing that there is no longer any reasonable
prospect of the successful prosecution of the war by Mexico against
said State, it is expedient and proper, and in perfect conformity
with the laws of nations, and the practice of this Government in
like cases, that the independent political existence of said state be
acknowledged by the Government of the United States.2
There, however, the matter stopped, and Wharton feared that
Congress, too, as well as the president, would refuse to take the
initiative. Jackson, to be sure, seemed thoroughly convinced that
Texas was able to maintain her independence, and, in order to fur-
ther matters, he suggested that Ellis, the late charge, be interviewed
by the committee on foreign relations, declaring that he "would
convince them in five minutes of the utter impossibility of a new
invasion."'  But Congress refused to act without another message
from the president, and this, according to Wharton, Jackson was
not disposed to give, 1st. because he deems it unnecessary, 2dly. he
says that the call for it by Congress is with a view to screen them-
selves from proper responsibility, and he is unwilling to gratify
them."   "Although the question has been frequently and warmly
urged by our friends," Wharton wrote "the committee on foreign
affairs have refused to report, and Congress of course has not acted
up to this period, for they will not act without a report from the
committee."4   There was a stumbling-block somewhere-some in-
fluence in Congress that was successfully preventing all discussion
of the Texas question.
1Wharton to Austin, January 15, 1837, Garrison, Dip. Cor. Tex., I, 176.
"Debates in Cong., 24 Cong., 2 Sess., 360; Wharton to Austin, January
15, 1837, Garrison, Dip. Cor. Tex., I, 176.
'Wharton to Houston, February 2, 1837, ibid., 179.
'Ibid.

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