Texas Almanac, 1958-1959 Page: 65
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HISTORY OF TEXAS
more than $1,000,000 and saw this grow
to nearly $8,000,000 in its ten years. La-
mar's military policy greatly increased
the public debt. The paper money issued
by the new government depreciated
quickly and the money of the United
States was more acceptable than that of
Texas.
Though Texas had obtained recognition
by a number of the leading world pow-
ers, no treaty with Mexico was ever
signed, although several attempts were
made by the Texas Government to reach
an agreement. An armistice was signed
in 1844, but this was annulled by Mexico
in 1845 when annexation was effected.
Texas Enters the Union
From the winning of independence
there was a strong sentiment for becom-
ing a part of the United States. The pro-
posal was submitted in the first election,
September, 1836, and won by a wide ma-
jority. In the United States, the South-
ern States favored annexation of Texas,
but the states opposing slavery were gen-
erally in opposition to admission of a new
slave state.
Polk (Democrat) favoring annexation,
defeated Clay (Whig), opposing, in 1844.
Tyler, the incumbent Presfdent, had the
subject introduced preceding Polk's in-
auguration. After several tentative meas-
ures had been discussed in Congress a
resolution for annexation was adopted,
offering Texas a place among the states.
The Texas Congress was called in spe-
cial session by President Jones and, on
June 21 1845, voted for acceptance of the
proposal of the United States Congress.
On July 4, a convention of delegates at
Washington-on-the-Brazos adopted an
ordinance accepting annexation and
thereafter wrote a State Constitution
which the people approved Oct. 13. On
Dec. 29, the Congress of the United States
accepted the new Texas State Constitu-
tion. This date has been declared by the
Supreme Court of the United States as
the legal date of annexation.
Early Statehood
However;, President Jones continued as
President until Feb. 19, 1846, when he
was succeeded by J. Pinckney Henderson
who had been elected the first Governor
of the new state. It was on this inaugu-
ration date that the Lone Star flag was
lowered and the Stars and Stripes raised
over the Capitol at Austin. Texas became
the twenty-eighth state in the union.
The administration of Governor Hen-
derson (Feb. 19, 1846, to Dec. 21, 1847),
and that of Gov. George T. Wood (Dec.
21, 1847, to Dec. 21, 1849), were given,
aside from the interruption by the events
.of the Mexican War, to the organization
of civil government in Texas.
Mexican War
The annexation of Texas immediately
precipitated the Mexican War. Mexico
broke off diplomatic relations with the
United States. Gen. Zachary Taylor was
sent to the area between the Nueces and
the Rio Grande.
The first encounter was at Palo Alto,
near Brownsville, May 8, 1846. The fol-lowing day another engagement was
fought at Resaca de la Palma, a short
distance from the scene of the first en-
counter. Thereafter Mexican forces with-
drew from Texas and no more engage-
ments were fought north of the Rio
Grande. Enlistment in the United States
Army from the new state of Texas was
heavy. The progress of Generals Winfield
Scott and Taylor was rapid and Mexico
City fell Sept. 14, 1847. By the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, Feb. 2, 1848, claim to
Texas including the area below the
Nueces was relinquished and that part of
the present United States west of Texas
and the Louisiana Purchase and south of
Oregon was ceded to the United States
which, however, paid Mexico $15,000,000.
The first of Texas' many boundary
problems was settled during the admini-
stration of Gov. P. Hansbrough Bell (Dec.
21, 1849 to Nov. 23, 1853). Texas after
winning its independence had laid claim
to all territory north and east of the Rio
Grande, from its mouth on the Gulf of
Mexico to its source in southern Colorado,
and it claimed a vaguely defined area
even north of this point.
By a provision of the Compromise of
1850 Texas accepted $10,000,000 for its
claim to all land north and west of the
present boundary lines of the Trans-
Pecos region and Panhandle. It settled
definitely the claim of Texas to half of
what is today New Mexico, as well as cer-
tain portions of Colorado, Wyoming,
Oklahoma and Kansas. The new state
was badly ir, need of the money because
a debt of more than $5,000,000 (large in
that day) hung over it. Bell resigned to
become congressman. He was succeeded
briefly by Lieut. Gov. J. W. Henderson,
who served from Nov. 23, 1853, to Dec.
21 1853.
The Texas permanent school fund, now
one of the greatest endowment funds in
the country, was established during the
two-term administration of Gov. Elisha
M. Pease, (Dec. 21, 1853, to Dec. 21, 1857)
by the appropriation to this purpose o
$2,000,000 of the $10,000,000 received in
the boundary adjustment.
Among the other outstanding features
of Pease s administration were the pass-
ing of the first law granting lands to
railroads to encourage building in Texas,
the so-called Cart War in 1857 between
Texas and Mexican teamsters on the
freight route between San Antonio and
the Gulf ports, and the attainment of
political importance in Texas of the
Know-Nothing Party. For his second
term Pease ran in opposition to the
Know-Nothing Party, defeating its can-
didate, D. C. Dickson.
Increasing bitterness over the question
of slave y and secession clouded the ad-
ministration of Hardin R. Runnels (Dec.
21, 1857; to Dec. 21, 1859). It marked also
the passing of the only serious attempt
that Texas ever made to settle its In-
dian population within its own bounds,
the two- reservations near Fort Belknap
being abandonedZ (See p. 67..)
Runnels was defeated in the elections
of 1859 by Sam Houston. Houston and
Thomas J. Rusk had been named the first.
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Texas Almanac, 1958-1959, book, 1957; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117139/m1/67/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.