The Junior Historian, Volume 25, Number 1, September 1964 Page: 3
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THE JUNIOR HISTORIAN
annexation to the United States but it was
curtly rejected by President Van Buren.
He reasoned that it was unconstitutional
to annex a foreign power, and that it was
necessary to avoid giving offense to Mex-
ico. He explained his reasoning stating
that the United States had never annexed
an independent state and that he doubted
whether he had authority under the con-
stitution to do such a thing. As for the
question of relations with Mexico, he am-
plified his position by pointing out that
Texas was still nominally at war with
Mexico and that annexation then would
make the United States a party in the
war. Furthermore, England might enter
the war on Mexico's side. Van Buren,
therefore, was not interested in rushing
into any annexation negotiations, and he
would be President until 1841.
A sectional note was introduced in
September of the same year, following
the rejection of Texas' request for annex-
ation, when Massachusetts Representa-
tive John Q. Adams proposed a resolu-
tion in the House stating that "the power
of annexing the people of any independ-
ent foreign state to this Union is a power
not delegated by the Constitution of the
United States to their Congress or to any
department of their government, but re-
served to the people." In other words, it
was his abolitionist view that an amend-
ment to the Constitution would be re-
quired to annex Texas.
In the summer of 1838, during the
months of June and July, Adams spoke
for an hour daily, with few exceptions,
until adjournment. His speeches covered
a wide range of topics, including the opin-
ion that annexation was a sordid plot to
further slavery and increase the power of
the South in the Senate. Adams later
claimed that it was his speeches which
deferred annexation, but there were many
problems other than slavery which sus-
pended the question.
The Texas government did not imme-
diately cancel its offer of annexation, but
in 1838 President Houston instructed his
minister in Washington to withdraw it;the Texas senate approved this action in
1839. Houston's successor was Mirabeau
B. Lamar, who had served as a cavalry
leader at San Jacinto and as vice presi-
dent under Houston. Lamar had great
visions of Texas as an independent na-
tion and continued to oppose annexation.
On the subject he said:
I have never been able myself to perceive
the policy of the desired connexion, or discover
in it any advantage ... which could possibly
result to Texas. But on the contrary a long
train of consequences of the most appalling
character and magnitude have never failed to
present themselves whenever I have entertained
the subject. . . The step, once taken, would
produce a lasting regret, and ultimately prove
as disastrous to our liberty and hopes as the
triumphant sword of the enemy.
The people of Texas, however, did not
share his views entirely and it was, as
Eugene C. Barker summarized, "to be at
Washington on the Potomac rather than
Austin on the Colorado that the fate of
annexation was to be settled." But for the
following few years there was little men-
tion of the question.In December, 1841, after President
Van Buren had been succeeded in office,
the subject of Texas seemed to be reviv-
ing. Renewed hostilities between the re-
public and Mexico put Texas in the news.
There were reports of recognition by
European states and the possibilities of
subsequent agreements, all of which cre-
ated interest and some apprehension. In
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Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 25, Number 1, September 1964, periodical, September 1964; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391335/m1/5/?q=%221964~%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas State Historical Association.