The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937 Page: 215
348 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The First Newspaper of Texas: Gaceta De Texas
ingenious propaganda, and the second newspaper, a bold defama-
tion of a heroic Mexican revolutionist, were printed as part of a
political campaign to place Toledo in command of Texas affairs.
According to Shaler's explanation to Monroe, Toledo's leadership
would promote the best interests of the United States, would
more likely assure Mexican independence, and would prevent a
French direction being given to the revolution,"8 because French
intrigue was succeeding in B6xar with Gutierrez . . . intrigue
which Shaler declared was "destructive of the objects of the
volunteers . . . and pregnant with every species of danger to them
and to the interest of our country.""9 This explanation he gave
on the ninth of June. Three days later in his report to Monroe
concerning the newspapers, he stated that he was confident that
Toledo would soon be invited by unanimous will of the people to
assume chief command in Texas. To further assure Monroe, he
wrote,
"I have taken every step in my power to save [the Texas Re-
public and] to sound and propagate alarm among the Americans
both here and there [B6xar] and I doubt not but the plan will be
entirely disconcerted and that the pretended Government of igno-
rance, imbecility, and fraud will be destroyed."'70
Thus it may be concluded that the first newspaper written on
Texas soil, the first newspaper to have its type set within the
bounds of Texas, the first newspaper devoted solely to Texas affairs
and addressed to Texans, and the first newspaper to be prepared
within Spain's colonies in North America without censorship of
the press, was the creation of dubious diplomacy on the part of
the United States in order to save the newly born Texas Republic
and thereby assure Mexican independence.
Paschal Senior High School,
Fort Worth, Texas.
"6Garza the Mexican biographer of Gutierrez states that among the
special instructions given Shaler, one was to impede at all cost communi-
cation between Gutierrez and French agents, as the United States knew
of the powerful offers made to Gutierrez while in Washington. Dos Her-
manos Hdroes, 63.
0Shaler to Monroe, Natchitoches, June 9, 1813, MS., State Dept.
70Shaler to Monroe, Natchitoches, June 12, 1813, MS., State Dept.215
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937, periodical, 1937; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101099/m1/237/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.