The Texas rebellion was a conflict led by the Territory of Texas against the federal government of the United States following the abolition of slavery in the Kingdom. The rebellion was the largest and deadliest of the pro-slavery rebellions of the southern states. The conflict subsequently nearly completely eliminated the
Republican Party from major American politics.
The Conflict
Prelude
The United States had been in a process of gradual emancipation for decades. Led by the Libertarian Party, the abolition movement had been hard pressed all the way up to the federal government. The King of America was surrounded by many Dukes and Earls who were sympathetic to the concept of abolition.
Before the admission of the Mexican Purchase into the United States, legislation had outlawed the admission of further slave states into the Union. The territory of Freeman had been established to distribute settlements of freed slaves.
In 1833, an amendment proposed by Earl Henry Clay, Speaker of the House, abolished slavery. It is immediately challenged in the courts and many states refuse to ratify it. These states were in the hopes that the election of 1833 would allow for the blockage of the Amendment. However, the election of Clay as Chancellor of America in 1834 cemented federal support.
Chancellor Clay looked to garner support from the more moderates of the Republicans and Unionists. As a compromise, he agreed to the aquisition of sparely populated territory of northern Mexico. King Augustus II negotiated with Emperor Vicente I of Mexico for the purchase, and federal envoys discussed the specifics. This included the rebellious territory of Texas, who had been fighting against the Mexican government over the issue of slavery.
With this compromise, the amendment barely passes both houses of Congress, with the Assembly having exactly the 2/3 required. As the amendment went to the states to be ratified, the territory of Texas became outraged. Texas declared itself an independent republic, stating the transfer of Texas from Mexico to America was not agreed upon by the ciizens and government of Texas. Many southern states, namely Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana, as well as constituents in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, all flocked to support Texas, with some attempts to join the new republic.
Deployment of federal troops into southern states was immediate after the initial attacks. Chancellor Clay had hoped a peaceful compromise might be found, but the situation quickly spiraled out of hand.
The battles of the rebellion took place entirely in the southern states. All major attempts to invade the north were repelled or failed to be implemented.
The weather of the southern states became a hindrance in the summer time as the northern troops were largely unconditioned for the heat. However, the lack of substantial winter conditions allowed for campaigns during those seasons to be pursued.
The main Texan force was defeated in Arkansas in the Battle of Little Rock in 1840, though the battle took place several miles from the city. From then on, American forces remained mostly uncontested.
Texas rebel leaders were tried and executed, though many international systems, particularly
Oregon, condemned the trials as they argued Texas as a territory could not comit treason. Mirabeua Lamar, Edward Burleson. and many other leaders fled into exile to unknown parts of the world. The rest of the rebels were mostly pardoned, as Chancellor Clay believed it would bring them back into the nation more easily.
The Abolition Amendment became uncontested. The provisional governors of rebelling states voted in favor of ratification.
Historical Significance
Chancellor Clay was subsequently named a
Duke for his leadership.
In 1842, Chancellor Daniel Webster of the
Unionist Party agrees to pay indemnity to former slaveholders on an interpretation of the Taking Clause of the Fifth Amendment. Following this, the region of Texas is divided, creating the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Medina. Webster also used federal forces to protect former slaves and elected black politicians from growing resentment from former owners and anti-abolition comittees.
Chancellor Hale increased the military authority in the rebellious states. He also implemented further stipulations for entry into the nation as states that officials must affirm to the new amendments. These "
Gunpoint Amendments" were later ratified by these new and former rebellious states. This increased resentment in the states among whites, as they felt the amendments were illegally ratified.
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