From 1842 to 1844 the Texan Congress held its meetings at Washington on
the Brazos—the spot where, a few short years before, the declaration of
independence had been adopted.
The nation born amid the gloom and uncertainty of that stormy time now
stood forth proud in the consciousness of growing strength, free and
full of hope for the coming years.
An armistice was signed with Mexico (1843) which left the Republic at
peace. The Indians under the wise rule of the “Big White Chief,”
Houston, made but few outbreaks. Year by year more fields were fenced
in, more orchards and gardens were planted, more dooryards were set with
vine and rose-tree.
Immigrants poured in. Many came from “the States”; but others crossed
the wide seas to find homes in that fertile Texas whose story of
struggle and triumph was in everybody’s mouth. Henry Castro, a French
gentleman, who was consul-general for Texas at Paris, obtained in 1842
large grants of land from the Republic, and brought over five hundred
families from France. These settled on the Medina River west of San
Antonio. Another important colony came from Germany under the leadership
of the Prince de Solms, and founded the thrifty town of New Braunfels on
the Guadalupe.
The roads were white with westward-traveling wagons which stopped to
pass the time of day, as it were, with all the little towns along the
way. In those hospitable days small barrels of tar stood as a matter of
course on the sidewalks. Long-handled dippers floated in the tar, so
that the passing wagoner might help himself and ease his creaking
wheels.
As for the wayside houses, their doors were always open to the wayworn
mover and his family. The women and girls peering out from under the
wagon cover, the boys trudging sturdily along by the driver’s side, the
dog trotting in the shadow of the feed trough,—all these were to the
free-handed pioneers as welcome as kinsmen.
[Illustration: Old Capitol at Austin (1839).]
The newcomers were often struck with amazement at the curious contrasts
they saw on the frontier. “You are welcomed,” writes one traveler, “by a
figure in a blue flannel shirt and pendant beard, quoting the Latin
poets.... You will see fine pictures on log walls; you will drink coffee
from tin cups on Dresden china saucers. Seated on a barrel, you will
hear a Beethoven symphony played on a rosewood piano. The bookcase may
be half full of books and half full of potatoes.”
But while the western border thus filling up with settlers was quiet and
unmolested, there was serious trouble over on the eastern line. A band
composed mostly of rough desperadoes from the old Neutral Ground roamed
along the Sabine River, shooting and killing innocent citizens under the
pretext of punishing theft, negro-stealing, and other offenses. They
called themselves the Regulators. An opposition band, made up of men as
reckless as themselves, undertook in turn to punish them, and to
administer justice generally. These were known as the Moderators.
Between the Moderators and Regulators, Shelby, Harrison, and the
neighboring counties were kept in a state of terror. Honest men were
afraid to venture out of their own homes; for no one could guess when or
upon whom the so-called justice of these bands would fall. Bloody
“courts” were held in the swamps, one day by the Regulators, the next,
and perhaps on the same spot, by the Moderators, both equally cruel and
lawless. Wild stories were told of certain leaders in either gang whose
victims were always shot in the left eye; of others again whose weapon
was not the rifle, but poison.
At one time more than a thousand men were engaged in this feud. In the
summer of 1844 the Regulators and Moderators assembled under arms in
fortified camps. An active campaign was carried on for some weeks,
during which more than fifty persons were killed or wounded. Finally
President Houston ordered out five hundred militia under General James
Smith, and the two factions were disbanded. But it was a long time
before the feud died out entirely.
In the fall of 1844 Anson Jones was elected President of the Republic.
His Secretary of State was Doctor Ashbel Smith.
Dr. Smith, who was a learned and able man, came to Texas from
Connecticut just after the Revolution, and was made surgeon-general of
the army. During Houston’s administration, he represented the Republic
at the courts of England and France. At this time all over Europe there
was keen interest in Texan affairs.
Notwithstanding the glory of the young Republic, its people still wished
to be annexed to the United States. They felt themselves too weak to
contend against Mexico in case of another war, and too poor to keep up
the army and navy, and provide for the expense of a separate government.
But the United States again refused to receive them. Upon this, France
and England offered through Minister Smith to compel Mexico to
acknowledge the independence of Texas, provided Texas would agree not to
unite with any other country.
This offer caused a sudden change of feeling in the United States. Her
jealousy of foreign interference was aroused; and in the spring of 1845
the United States Congress passed resolutions admitting Texas into the
Union.
President Jones then submitted the question to the people. A convention
met at Austin in July, 1845, to frame a constitution for the State of
Texas. In October the final vote was taken. It was almost unanimous for
annexation.
In February, 1846, President Jones gave up his authority to J. Pinckney
Henderson who had been elected governor of the new state. This
impressive ceremony took place at Austin, where the capital had been
finally established. President Jones in his farewell address said:
“The Lone Star of Texas, which ten years since arose amid clouds, over
fields of carnage, and obscurely seen for a while, ... has passed on and
become fixed in that glorious constellation which all freemen and lovers
of freedom must reverence and adore,—the American Union. Blending its
rays with its sister States, long may it continue to shine.... May the
Union be perpetual; and may it be the means of conferring benefits and
blessings upon all the people of the States, is my prayer. The first act
in the great drama is performed. The Republic of Texas is no more.”[32]
Many eyes must have grown dim as the closing sentence of this address
was pronounced. Memories must have crowded thick and fast upon those
veterans who listened, hearing at the same time in a dream the call of
bugles and the roll of drums, the ring of sabers, and the echo of those
daring voices which called into being the Republic of Texas!
Sam Houston and Thomas J. Rusk were elected United States senators.
Rusk, who was a native of South Carolina, was one of the signers of the
Texan declaration of independence. He was Secretary of War under
President Burnet, and fought gallantly in the ranks at the battle of San
Jacinto. After General Houston’s resignation he was made
commander-in-chief of the army. Rusk had taken an active part in the war
against the Cherokee Indians. Later he had been chief justice of the
Republic. He had devoted himself for many years with great unselfishness
to the interests of the Republic. He continued to serve the State with
the same fidelity.
He died by his own hand in 1857. Grief at the death of his wife was the
cause of this fatal act.