USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 10
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 10
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 10
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 10
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 10
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 10
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LOCATION OF THE CAPITAL
January, 14, 1839, Congress appointed five commissioners to select a site for the capital of the republic. The commissioners
A comparatively long interval of peace "with Mexico was occasioned by internal strifes in the latter country. The northern " Fed- ! were Albert C. Horton, Lewis P. Cook, Isaac
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
W. Burton, William Menifee and J. Camp- bell, who made choice of the location where Austin now stands. Although at that date the new town, which was immediately laid ont, was situated on the extreme frontier of the settlements, the commissioners showed their wisdom in their selection. They aimed at establishing a permanent capital, which would occupy a central position when Texas had become a thickly populated country ; and though, the government would be near the Indians, Austin as the seat would draw set- tlers more rapidly westward.
During the month of November, 1840, the congress assembled there, surrounded by the wilderness. The seat of government for the Republic of Texas, like that of mnost other new governments, was subject to frequent change. The following is the order, with the dates:
1. San Felipe, November, 1835.
2. Washington, March, 1836.
3. Harrisburg, same month.
4. Galveston, April 16, 1836.
5. Velasco, May, 1836.
6. Columbia, October, 1836.
7. Honston, May, 1837.
8. Anstin, October, 1839.
9. Houston, in 1842 a short time.
10. Washington, November, 1842.
11. Anstin. 1845 to the present time.
The new State capitol has a length of 566 feet 6 inci es. inclusive of porticos; width, 288 feet 10 inches at widest point; height, 311 feet from grade line to top of statute on dome. It contains 258 rooms, and is second only in size to the capitol at Washington, and is the seventh largest building in the world.
The State executive offices are located on the first floor, as follows: Governor, sec- retary of State, comptroller, treasurer, super-
intendent of public instruction, adintant- general, attorney-general, commissioner of agriculture, insurance, statistics and history, superintendent of public buildings and grounds and State geologist; also the police department and offices of the electrician and janitor.
The senate chamber and hall of honse of representatives, State library and reading- rooms, reception and consultation rooms of the governor, president of the senate, speaker of the house and the legislative committee rooms are located on the second floor.
The supreme court, court of appeals, law library, galleries of the house of representa- tives and senate chamber. and reporters' gal- leries, and marshal's, clerks' and other offices of the judicial department are located on the third floor.
The fourth floor consists of twenty-three unassigned rooms.
All the conveniences necessary to a com- plete modern structure have been incorpor- ated in the building.
The following brief description of the capitol is copied from the "Official Guide to the Texas Capitol," by Charles N. McLaugh- lin:
" The building is located on a command- ing elevation, near the center of the city of Austin, in the square originally selected for the capitol of the Republic of Texas. It is shaped like a Greek cross, with projecting center and flanks, having a rotunda and dome at the intersection of the main corri- dors. The exterior walls are built of Texas red granite, from the inexhaustible quarries of Burnet county. This granite is pro- nonnced by experts to be equal to any in the world, both in beauty and imperishability. The stately ideas of ancient builders have been blended with the useful of the modern,
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
and the whole conception and aim seems to have been to meet the practical demands of a progressive and cultured people. Wherever it was practicable Texas material has been used in the building, and the fact that nearly all the material used is nativo, is an illustra- tion of the wonderful and varied resources of Texas. Besides the granite a vast amount of other material, including stone, lime, wood, brick, etc., and many other articles, were secured in Texas, so that it may be said thie State house is built for Texas land, out of Texas material."
RECOGNITION BY FOREIGN POWERS.
During the first presidency of Mr. Hous- ton, General J. P. Henderson was sent to London and Paris to obtain an acknowl- edginent from those countries of Texan inde- pendence; and from the first the British government was favorably disposed, on ac- count of Texas being an agricultural country and the people inclined to free trade, thus opening new channels for English commerce. France, indeed, recognized the independence of Texas in 1839, but this friendly relation was soon interrupted by a ridiculous affair until some time in 1842. Holland and Bel- gium recognized it in 1840, and England in 1841. Bnt all the efforts made to obtain a like recognition from Mexico failed. In this connection the following passage from Ban- croft's history will be appropriate:
" In 1839 the Texan government, enter- taining some expectation that Mexico would be inclined to listen to proposals for peace, sent Bernard E. Bee as diplomatic agent to that government. Bee arrived at Vera Cruz in May, where he remained ten ` days, pending the decision of the government with regard to his reception. He was court-
eously treated by General Victoria, Governor of Vera Cruz, during his stay in that city. The Mexican authorities finally decided not to receive him, and he embarked for Havana. Texas, however, had a secret agent in the Mexican capital, who, in 1840, under the auspices of Packenliam, the English minister in that city, succeeded in submitting to the goverment the basis of a treaty of peace. Packenham, moreover, offered to act as me- diator. The treaty and the offer were alike rejected by Mexico. In 1841 the British goverment, without waiting for the ex- change of ratifications of the mediation con- vention, officially instructed Packenliam to bring before the Mexican authorities the proffer of Great Britain to mediate between that power and Texas; and Mr. Burnley, provided with a letter of introduction to him from Lord Palmerston, proceeded to Mexico as negotiator on the part of Texas. James Webb also was sent from Texas as commis- sioner to open and conduct the negotiations; but he was not received, and immediately returned. Mexico paid no more heed to the British nation than she had done to her diplomatic agent. She unhesitatingly de- clined any such mediation, refused to enter- tain the question of peace unless Texas re signed her claim to independent sovereignty, and prepared for war."
PRESIDENTS LAMAR'S AND 110 USTON'S ADMINIS- TRATIONS.
The presidential election of September, 1841, resulted in the choice of Sam Houston again, by a vote of 7,915 votes against 3,616 for David G. Burnett. Edward Burleson was elected vice-president, against Mennican Hunt, with a much smaller majority.
When congress met in November, Lamar
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
opened his message with congratulations upon the prosperity of the country, but advised hostilities with Mexico, stating that he had already sent the Texan navy to co-operate with the government of Yucatan, which had lately declared her independence of Mexico. Lamar's administration was a bad one. He was too military and sanguine. During his administration the question of annexation to the United States lay quiescent. The Gov- ernment at Washington consistently main- tained that so long as Texas was at war with Mexico and the United States at peace with her, annexation would be a breach of treaty with her and involve our Government in war with her; and, on account of public criticism and the labors of his office, he obtained per- mission for absence from his office during the last year of the term, while the govern- ment was administered by the vice-president, David G. Burnett.
President Houston, on the opening of his second term, did not hesitate to announce that his administration would be guided by a policy directly opposite to that of his pred- ecessor, advocating a kinder and more patient course with regard both to Mexico and the Indians. Financially, he made a number of recommendations to improve the treasury and the credit of the Republic. As long as Texas was able to borrow she had been bor- rowing, and as long as her paper was of any value at all she issued it and lived on the proceeds, no matter how ruinous the rate. On the recommendation of President Hous- On March 5, General Rafael Vasquez ap- peared before San Antonio de Bejar at the head of 500 men. The Texan force there, being small, evacnated when the surrender of the town was demanded. Vasquez eu- tered the place, hoisted the Mexican flag and departed. About the same time small forces ton congress adopted a policy of retrench- inent, abolishing many unimportant offices and cutting down the salaries of the govern- ment officers to less than half. A system of economy was likewise practiced in all the departments of the government. During the administration of Lamar the treasurer paid of Mexicans occupied Refugio and Goliad,
out $4,855,215, while during a like terin. Houston's second, only $493,175, the prin- cipal difference being caused by the infla- tion of low credit.
THE MEXICAN WAR.
As an argument for annexation to the United States, it was stated that Mexico had for six years failed to reconquer Texas or even sent an army within her borders, and that the war therefore inight be considered ended, although no formal recognition of the independence of Texas had been made by the mother country. IIer prolonged inactivity might be considered an acknowledgment that reconquest was impossible.
Mexico, however, in order to make good her claim, prepared at the close of 1841 to invade Texas. On January 9, 1842, General Arista issued a proclamation from his head- quarters at Monterey that the Mexican nation would never consent to the separation of the territory, and that it was owing only to the civil wars in Mexico that no effort had re- cently been made to subjugate Texas. He declared that his country was determined to recover her rights through the only means left her, namely, persuasion or war; that hos- tilities would be directed against only those who sustained and fought to maintain the Texan nationality; and he called upon the people to reflect and consider their own in- terests, and return to their allegiance.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
and also soon retired. Aroused, the Texans bristled up for another engagement, and Houston, on the 10th of March, issued a proclamation calling upon all citizens sub- ject to military duty to hold themselves in readiness to repair to the scene of action in the event of a formidable invasion. On the 21st he addressed a letter to Santa Anna, again in power, which was published far and wide. In it were criticisins incited by inju- dicious correspondence between him (Santa Anna) and Bernard E. Bee and General Hamilton. Santa Anna declared that Mex- ico would not cease her efforts until she had planted her standard upon the Sabine. Hous- ton replied promptly and boldly, that Texas would never yield, writing a very eloquent letter to the old treacherous Mexican. He declared blockaded all the Mexican ports on the eastern coast from Tabasco, including the month of the Rio Grande and the Brazos Santiago. The Texan navy at this time con- sisted of four vessels, the other vessels that had been purchased by authority of the con- gress having been wrecked. These vessels were transferred to the United States the next year, upon annexation.
By the way, it may be observed that when Vasquez occupied San Antonio much alarm was felt for the safety of Austin and the gov- ernment archives. The president removed his cabinet to Houston, where congress held its special session of June 27, 1842, and this aggravated the indignation of the people of Austin. A vigilance committee was formed, the records were packed in boxes and a guard placed over them. Besides, a force was sent out to guard the roads, to see that no wagon passed with the archives. December 10, 1842, Houston instructed Captain Thomas I. Sinith to raise a company secretly and bring the most necessary books and documents to " pose the land frauds, declaring that his de.
Washington, where congress was to convene in regular session that month. Smith avoided the regular patrols by a circuitous route, en- tered Austin December 30, at night, and suc- ceeded in loading three wagons with records. This act was a surprise to the inhabitants of Austin. Smith hastened back, after having been fired upon without effect by Captain Mark B. Lewis, who, having rallied a volun- teer company and procured a cannon from the arsenal, fired at the intruders. Smith en- camped at Kinney's fort ou Brushy creek, and on the following morning discovered. that Lewis, with his cannon pointed, had taken a position in front. After some par- ley, Smith agreed to take the wagons back to Austin. This affair has been called the Archive war. No further attempt was made to remove the records. The Austin people retained them until 1845, when, on occasion of the annexation convention being sum- moned to meet in July, they delivered them over to the administration of Anson Jones, on condition that the convention should assemble at Austin.
THE WAR OF THE " MODERATORS " AND "REG- ULATORS."
This breeze took place during the second administration of President Houston, in 1842. Early in this century the " neutral ground " became the asylum of adventurers aud desperate men. Land commissioners, especially in Shelby county, found a protit- able business in issning "headright" certifi- cates. During this year one Charles W. Jackson, a fugitive from justice, arrived in Shelby county from Louisiana, and offered himself as a candidate for the Texan con- gress. Being defeatel, he undertook to ex-
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
feat was owing to the opposition of the party connected with them. He notified the gen- eral land office of the illegal proceedings liad there, and a man named Joseph Goodbread intimated that his life was in danger if he did not desist. Jackson shot him dead on the spot. Ile was called to trial, thic court was thronged by armed men, and the judge failed to appear. The Louisianian then organized his party, under the name of " Regulators." Their operations were somewhat irregular, and donotless many honest men lost their lands, etc, by their work. The " Modera- tors" were therefore organized in opposi- tion. and a kind of warfare was carried on for three years, when the two factions drew up in actual battle array in front of each other; but the President had General Smith, with a force of about 500 men, put a stop to the threatening strife. However, many a mur- der was afterward committed in quarrels growing out of the issues.
THE GREAT WAR CLOUD AGAIN.
In 1842 the Texan congress resolved on war with Mexico, but President Houston ve- toed the bill authorizing the undertaking, as it was then beyond their means. Violent men were angered by the president's action. Directly, in July, General Davis on the Nueces was attacked by Canales with 700 men, 500 of whom were cavalry; but with only 192 men he repulsed then. Two months later General Woll took possession of Antonio, after some resistance on the part of the Anglo-Texans. After some discussion the Texans, fifty-two in number, surrendered on condition that they should be treated as prisoners of war.
When it became known in Gonzales that Bejar was again occupied by the Mexicans,
a force of about 220 men, under Colonel Matthew Caldwell, assembled in the Salado bottom, abont six miles east of town, and they sent Captain John C. Ilayes forward to draw out the enemy, and was successful. Woll came up with the remainder of his forces, and maintained a tight for an hour. Meantime a company of fifty-three Texans, from Fayette county, under the command of Nicholas Dawson, hastened to the assistance of Caldwell; but the cnemy proved too strong, putting most of the Texans to death, only two making their cseape; fifteen were taken prisoners, and started on foot toward the city of Mexico.
Then, September 16, Houston called for volunteers to cross the Rio Grande. About 1,200 men were soon collected in the vicinity of Bejar, but poorly equipped and provisioned, and there was also considerable discontent as to choice of officers, many preferring General Burleson to Somerville, whom Houston had appointed. The latter indeed proved to be a poor general, and soon returned to Bejar, while the most of his men, abont 550 in num- ber, determined to do something to redeem the expedition from disgrace, choosing Colonel William S. Fisher as their commander. But after a tight of a day or so in the vicinity of Mier, they had to surrender to the Mexican General Ampudia and Colonel Canales. Thie Texan prisoners, about 260 in number, suc- cceded at the hacienda del Salado in making their escape, with some loss of life, and after seizing some ammunition, guns, etc., started on their way home, but inade the mistake of changing their ronte to that through the mountainous region, which proved disastrons, and, weakened by hunger and exposure, they were easily rc-captured. Seventeen of these were massacred at Salado by order of Santa Anna! One of these, James L. Shepherd by
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
name, was at the first shot struck in the face by the ball, but not seriously wounded, and he fell forward and feigned death. At night he crawled to the mountains, but compelled by hunger, after wandering for several weeks, surrendered himself and was taken to Sal- tillo, recognized and shot in the public square! Much important matter is condensed in the following paragraphs, from H. H. Bancroft, quoted before:
"On the subject of the release of these prisoners, mueh correspondence was carried on between the governments of Texas and those of the United States and Great Britain, through their representatives. The expedi- tion under Fisher was conducted without the sanction of the Texan government, and in di- rect defiance of General Somerville's order to inarch home. By the United States and Great Britain it was regarded as a maraud- ing incursion, and those powers remonstrated with Texas when it sought their interposition in behalf of the prisoners. The defense of the Texan government, however, was based on reasonable grounds. Admitting, said the executive, that they went without orders and were thereby placed beyond the protection of the rules of war, yet the Mexican officers, by proposing terms of capitulation to the men relieved them from the responsibility which they liad incurred.
" The opposition papers of the time charged the president with endeavoring to prejudice Santa Anna against the prisoners by admitting that the movement across the Rio Grande had been made on their own responsibility. On January 10, 1846, General Green published an address to the people of Texas, in which he holds Houston responsible for the decima- tion of the prisoners, on the ground that he begged the mercy of the Mexican government for them, . though they had entered Mexico
contrary to law and authority.' Green, in his journal, expressed himself very bitterly against Houston, and brought forward charges against him which the latter considered so serious that he denounced them as calumnies before the United States Senate, in 1854, when he was a member of that body. Hous- ton dealt as severely with Green, and consid - ered that his book should receive the attention of the chairman of the committee of the library of Congress, and be condemned. Hons. ton's speech elicited a reply frem Green, who, in scathing terms, assailed his opponent."
In all probability Honston, in the first place, unwittingly admitted that the Mier ex- pe dition was unanthorized, not thinking that any serious consequences could come from it, but that the statement would indeed elicit greater consideration for the honor of the Texan government. At the same time the Texan soldiery were too zealous, and rushed forward with too small numbers and too little equipment for so formidable an undertaking as a war with Mexico. On this subject, we think that neither Houston nor the soldiery were criminal, bnt made mistakes.
What were left of the Texan prisoners, 107 in number, were finally liberated by Santa Anna, September 16, 1844, in commemora- tion of Mexico's national day.
In 1842, another unsuccessful expedition was made by 180 Texans, under Colonel Jacob Snively, and authorized by the presi- dent, against a Mexican caravan crossing territory far to the north claimed by Texas.
During the year 1843, and the most part of 1844, Texas enjoyed an armistice from Mexican hostilities, pending consultation with the great powers, concerning a final settle- inent of diffienlties, and the slavery question, to a slight degree, entered into the contro. versy. England was willing to mediate alone,
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rather than with the aid of the United States and France, and her motives were supposed to be selfish.
TEXAS ANNEXED TO THE UNITED STATES.
The Texas presidential election of Septem- ber, 1844, resulted in a victory for the anti- annexationists, being a choice of Anson Jones for president, who was known to be opposed to annexation. Kenneth L. Anderson was chosen vice-president. Edward Burleson was the defeated candidate for the presidency. Houston, in his farewell message, gave a very cheerful view of political affairs. But, being yet weak, Texas was in fact only a shuttle- cock for the stronger powers. Honston, by his pacific policy, had brought the Indians to terms of peace, and by his economical ad- ministration had improved the financial con- dition of the republic, while in agricultural and commercial respects Texas began to thrive. In his inaugural address President Jones said that his policy would be the main- tenance of the public credit; the reduction of the expenses of government; the abolishinent of paper issues; the revision of the tariff law; the establishment of public schools; the speedy attainment of peace with Mexico, and just and friendly relations with the Indians; the introduction of the penitentiary system; and the encouragement of internal improve- ment. Not a word did he say with reference to annexation.
But annexation loomed up so rapidly that Jones' administration was destined to be short. February 28, 1845, only three months after his inauguration, the United States Congress passed a joint resolution in favor of incorporating Texas into the Union. May 5th, President Jones proclaimed an election of delegates to a convention to consider the adop-
tion of the proposition of the United States, and, meeting at Austin, July 4, they recom- mnended annexation, and submitted to a pop- nlar vote the proposition of the United States Congress, along with a proposed State con- stitation, which, on October 13, were ratified by a vote almost unanimous! February 19, 1846, President Jones surrendered the ex- ecutive authority to the newly elected Gov. ernor, J. Pinckney Henderson, who was in- angurated February 16, 1846. Thus the lone star of Texas became one of a glorious con- stellation.
TO ARMS.
Of course, this act of annexation meant war with Mexico on a larger scale than ever. In Texas, at this time, there were probably abont 75,000 inhabitants, about 4,000 of whom were Mexicans. The nationality of the new State was very composite. As to the criminal element, there was no more of that than in any frontier settlements, which gen- erally have a class of ruffians that disappear on the approach of more settled civilization.
When the resolution of Congress in favor of annexation was published, March 7, 1845, General Almonte, the Mexican minister at Washington, demanded his passports. War with Mexico, indeed, the Government had been preparing for, and General Zachary Taylor was ordered to move from the Sabine with a strong force to Corpus Christi, at the mouth of the Nueces, at the end of June, 1845. In the meantime the Mexicans, too, had been preparing for the contest, establisli- ing their first base at Matamoras. We have not space here to give a full account of the " Mexican war," bnt let ns be content with a tabular view of the principal battles, etc., which, in general, is more satisfactory for reference than an extended account:
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
At the battle on the Rio Grande, above Matamoras, April 26, 1846, Captain Thorn- ton, with sixty-three men, was captured by General Ampudia, after a loss of sixteen lives.
Palo Alto, May 8, General Taylor and Major Ringgold, with 2,300 men, were en- gaged with Arista, who had abont 6,000. American loss, 4 killed and 40 wounded; Mexican, 100 killed and wonnded.
Resaca de la Palma, May 9, General Taylor and Captain May, with 2,000, were engaged with General La Vega, who had abont 5,000. American loss, 120 killed and wounded; Mexican, 500 killed and wounded.
Monterey, September 21 to 24, Generals Worth, Quitman and Taylor, with a force of 6,600, opposed General Ampndia, with 10,000. American loss, 120 killed and 368 wounded; Mexican, the city of Monterey itself.
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