The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914 Page: 253
454 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas and the Boundary Issue, 1822-1829
respondence of Van Buren is a report of Anthony Butler. It is
not dated but seems to have been presented about August 11, 1829,
since a letter from Jackson of the following day says, "I am pleased
with the document you sent me respecting Texas, and will be
happy to see you and Col. Butler whenever it may suit your con-
venience." That this was not the origin of the project is evident
from Butler's opening his report with the statement, "In nego-
tiating for Texas a variety of considerations present themselves,"
and his reference later to the "anticipated negotiation." IIe dis-
cusses at considerable length the soil, climate, resources, and water
ways of Texas and the value of the province to the United States.
"The considerations which present themselves" he discusses under
seven heads. In Van Buren's instructions he embodied nearly
every suggestion which Butler here makes. In addition to his
arguments Butler adds a gentle appeal to personal ambition by
suggesting that the people of the south and west are so vitally
interested in 'the matter "as to secure for that man who may
accomplish the recovery of Texas their thanks, their confidence,
and their gratitude," which, he adds, is likely hereafter to amount
to something more than complimentary toasts or newspaper eulo-
gisms. Jackson's letter referred 'to above shows that they had
been studying with some care Poinsett's explanations of the reasons
why the offer to purchase Texas in 1827 had failed, for he says that
the constitutional question can be solved; two million added to the
one million offered will amend the Mexican constitution. Another
document which seems to have had a marked influence in shaping
the final instructions is an unsigned and undated "Project for the
acquisition of [the] province of Texas" which sets forth the motive
for the negotiation by saying, "To counteract the evils growing
out of the surrender of that part of Louisiana west of the Sabine
and east of the Rio del Norte or Grand River, it is proposed to
open a negotiation for the retrocession of the same to the United
States." It gives several suggestions as to how Poinsett might
approach the Mexican government and says the present threatened
invasion of Mexico by Spain and the deranged condition of the
finances "makes the time a very propitious one for the ascertain-
ment of her views in regard to this territory as Mr. P. can give his
enquiries the character of individual solicitude for her welfare and253
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914, periodical, 1914; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101061/m1/257/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.