The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930 Page: 184

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

THE CONSULAR SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF
TEXAS*
I.
ALMA HOWELL BROWN
I. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONSULAR SERVICE
The consular service of the Republic of Texas was the result,
not of a well thought out plan fostered by a single strong execu-
tive, but of a series of suggestions and ideas gathered from various
sources. This condition might be expected of a newly-organized
government, which had its birth in revolution and its growth during
a period of actual or potential warfare when the young Republic
was striving to win its freedom from Mexico and recognition from
the world.
The whole scheme was experimental; there was no strong cen-
tral government; the entire governmental institution had to be
worked out as best it might with limited means and leadership
that had to serve in many capacities; a new field with ever-changing
conditions must be explored; there was neither time nor inclination
to head cautiously and surely; it was easier to change the course
when a better path was discovered; but always, all things had to
give precedence to the successful prosecution of the war; and it
was not strange that the development of the consular service was
a slow process, characterized by a wavering, hesitant, haphazard
policy.
To attain success in her struggle with the Mexican government,
outside aid for the Texans was imperative. The leaders recog-
nized this need from the beginning. In his message to the Coun-
cil, November 11, 1835, Governor Smith said:
You have to call system out of chaos; to start the wheels of
government, clogged and impeded as they are by conflicting in-
terests and discordant material. Without funds; without the muni-
tions of war; with an army in the field contending against a pow-
*This paper was presented to the faculty of the Graduate School of the
University of Texas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Arts.

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