Annual Report of the American Historical Association

Except for the years in which the United States has been actually at war, there is no decade of our history more abundantly filled with intense and instructive national experiences than that during which Texas was an independent republic. Then it was that the incompatible relations between slavery and nationality for the Union became clearly manifest; and then that sectionalizing tendencies began to weaken the impulse of expansion and develop that irreconcilable antagonism between North and South which culminated at length in civil strife. It is but natural that such a period should have become the subject of a large mass of partisan literature, and that it should have been greatly and persistently misunderstood and misrepresented. In dealing with it, therefore, the historian will place special emphasis on the sources and will welcome any really valuable addition to the available list. The editor hopes that such an addition will be found in this volume.

The efforts of Texas to establish diplomatic relations with the United States began with the appointment by the Consultation, on November 12, 1835, of three commissioners to that country. These were Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton, who received their instructions from Governor Henry Smith, in pursuance of a decree of the Council of the Provisional Government passed and approved on December 5. According to these instructions, which were dated December 8, the work of the commissioners on behalf of Texas in the United States was to include the stimulation of public sentiment and the procuring of such private aid for the revolutionists in supplies and money as they could. They were also to sound the Government as to its attitude toward Texas, its opinion of the proper course for the Texans, and the possibility of annexation or of recognition.

The commissioners entered upon their task at New Orleans early in the year 1836. Thence they proceeded by way of Nashville and Louisville to Washington, where they arrived before the end of March. For lack of proper credentials and official information from Texas they were unable to accomplish anything toward the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Government, and a few weeks later they were superseded.

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Meanwhile the convention had met at Washington, on the Brazos, had declared Texas independent, had adopted a constitution with a provision for a government ad interim to last until the regular election, to be held in September, and had chosen David G. Burnet president.

The commissioners to the United States had appointed several agents, some local, and others with special functions of varying character. The Provisional Government sent out other special agents; and the Government ad interim, immediately after its organization, added still others. On March 19 President Burnet commissioned George C. Childress and Robert Hamilton to act in conjunction with the three commissioners already in the United States; and on April 1 he gave a similar commission to Samuel P. Carson, who had just been forced by ill health to retire from the secretaryship of state in Burnet's cabinet. The three new commissioners or agents went to the United States and remained there for a time in their official capacity; but on May 26, Burnet appointed James Collinsworth and P. W. Grayson to supersede all the other commissioners, and on June 10 he issued a proclamation revoking the authority of all claiming to be agents of the yet unrecognized republic except the firm of Thomas Toby and Brother, of New Orleans. Collinsworth and Grayson reached Washington on July 8. The former remained there till August 4, and the latter till October 11.

In September the elections were held in Texas and the Government regularly organized, with Sam Houston as president and Stephen F. Austin as secretary of state. William H. Wharton was appointed chargé to Washington. From the time of his arrival there in December, 1836, the Texan legation was maintained continuously until its existence was ended by annexation. Of course no commissioner nor chargé of Texas was formally received till recognition came in March, 1837; but meanwhile they were all allowed free informal communication with the United States authorities.

It is to be regretted that the presentation of the correspondence printed in this volume could not be made complete. The only materials that have been used there for are those which could be found in the archives of Texas. They consist mainly of the despatches that passed between the Texan Government and its commissioners and chargés d'affaires at Washington and of the notes exchanged by that Government and the United States chargés in Texas. The more important notes belonging to the correspondence between the Texan chargés and the Department of State at Washington are also included, but the correspondence of the United States Government with its chargés in Texas of course is not. This can be had only

This proclamation of course did not affect the two recently appointed commissioners.

Books

Annual Report of the American Historical Association, Volume 2