The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957 Page: 524
616 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
States as territory later to be divided into states. As Jones had
anticipated, the senators at Washington rejected it (16 to 35) on
the eve of the presidential campaign of 1844. The future of Texas
was a major issue in the United States, and James K. Polk, an
annexationist, was elected President over Henry Clay, who op-
posed immediate annexation.
In the presidential election in Texas of that year, annexation
was not an issue. Secretary Jones, the successful candidate, made
no campaign speeches; his opponent, General Edward Burleson,
discussed other issues. When President Jones was inaugurated on
December g, 1844, he recommended legislation that would be
needed whether Texas remained independent or became a state
in the Union; about annexation he said nothing. Into his cabinet
he brought Ashbel Smith and Ebenezer Allen, neither of whom
was an avowed annexationist; W. B. Ochiltree, who favored it;
and William G. Cooke, who "did not trouble his head about the
matter."
After Polk's election but before his inauguration, President
Tyler induced Congress to offer Texas annexation by joint reso-
lution, instead of by treaty. The Texan Congress indicated it
would accept the invitation even before United States Congress-
men voted to extend it. The Texan president continued his silence.
Unofficial news of passage of the joint resolution reached 'Texas on
March 2o; official news came nine days later. In that nine-day
interval, diplomats of England and France promised President
Jones they would obtain from Mexico recognition of Texas inde-
pendence, if President Jones would delay action on the United
States offer for ninety days.
While President Jones postponed consideration of annexation,
delayed assembling congress, delayed calling a convention-and
hoped the Texans would consider calmly the alternatives he was
about to get for them-a sort of frenzy seized the populace. Rumor
had it that Jones had been "bought with British gold," that Texas
was to become a British protectorate. Effigies of the president
were burned and some Texans wanted to remove him forcibly
from office. He managed to remain silent until he had in his hand
the treaty signed by Mexican officials, acknowledging Texan in-
dependence.524
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957, periodical, 1957; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101163/m1/564/?rotate=270: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.