The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940 Page: 6
576 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
4. CRoss CURRENTS OF REVOLUTION
For the story of the cross currents of the Texan Revolution,
this is neither the time nor the place. These began at Monclova,
Coahuila and Texas capital, before the revolution itself, and con-
tinued until after the sacrifice of Fannin and his men. An impor-
tant group of Texans planned, at Monclova, with Vice President
Gomez Farias, of Mexico, and Governor Agustin Viesca, of Coahuila
and Texas, a counter revolt against the despotism of Santa Anna,
to be fought by American soldiers, whom the Texans presently
undertook to find, and armed by the state government of Coahuila
and Texas-that is, a Mexican reaction, rather than a Texan revo-
lution-to be paid for from the proceeds of an authorized specula-
tion in Texas lands.
This plan was unpopular with a large majority of the Texan
settlers, who were strongly opposed both to mixing in the internal
affairs of Mexico and to this character of speculation in Texas lands.
Other cross currents developed from the personal aims and ambi-
tions of Texas' "Fifty would-be great men," as well. Demagogues
urged upon the Texan "army" assembling at Gonzales in October,
1835, that since Texan patriotism and much of Texan virtue was
gathered there, the "army" ought to take over the responsibilities
of the civil government of Texas, as well as to become its fight-
ing arm.
General Stephen F. Austin and General Sam Houston were the
two big men of Texas, in American eyes; and in this estimate,
American public opinion was largely right. Austin and Houston,
working together, could, and would, have avoided practically all
of the costly Texan mistakes. Had General Austin been permitted
to attend the Consultation, this doubtless would have been arranged.
But it had become a desideratum of both the demagogues and the
speculators to keep the two big men of Texas working, and thinking,
apart. General Houston was not immune to the influences of
personal vanity; General Austin could be persuaded, on occasion,
to forego his better judgment to the importunities of his friends.
An agreement that General Austin should be the head of Texas'
new civil government, and General Houston the new Commander-
in-Chief was prevented from being put into effect. General Austin
was sent to the United States, as Commissioner-that is, in hon-
orable exile-and General Houston, after having been deprived
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940, periodical, 1940; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101111/m1/14/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.