The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 103, July 1999 - April, 2000 Page: 395

Book Reviews

1836. Its independence attracted many settlers including Arkansans. Many peo-
ple believed that the success of Texas lowered land values in Arkansas, and land
disputes existed between the two states. Regardless of ill sentiment, many
Arkansans favored the annexation of Texas as a means to strengthen slavery.
Though slavery became a central issue in Arkansas, it did not provide the impe-
tus for secession. Instead, the author asserts that most Arkansans were reluctant
to leave the Union, and became united behind the Confederacy only after the
fighting at Fort Sumter.
While Bolton has done an excellent job of capturing Arkansas during this
period, a lack of new analysis plagues this monograph. Bolton bases much of his
analysis on dated and refuted historical scholarship. While this monograph,
without footnotes, is geared toward and excellent for the general reader, schol-
ars will want to bypass this for specialized works on Arkansas.
Austin Community College CLAYTON E. JEWETT
South Wind Come. By Tina Juirez. (Houston: Arte Publico Press, 1998. Pp. 286.
ISBN 1-55885-231-X. $14.95, paper.)
Fans of author TinaJuirez who were intrigued with the revolutionary Carmen
Rangel in Call No Man Master will be just as spellbound with Carmen's grand-
daughter, Teresa, in South Wind Come. This fast-moving narrative is set in Texas
during the explosive time in history for both Texas and Mexico. The sequence
of Teresa's adventures follow the historical account of both countries during the
American Civil War and the struggle for a Mexican democratic society under the
leadership of Benito Juirez.
This historical fiction will soon make the reader realize that Tina Juirez is a
skilled, insightful author who sends a powerful message. She allows many histori-
cal figures and events in history, as well as fictitious occurrences, to drive home
the dominant theme of this novel-the immorality of slavery. The narration is
from the point of view of the main character, Teresa. She allows her personal
life to be dominated by her family's strong desire to help runaway slaves reach a
safe place in Mexico even though she realizes they are breaking the law by doing
so. In one passage she easily blends the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and
the Scriptures to explain that man is born free, but soon man finds himself in
the chains of injustice and the inhumanity of man. Using a scene featuring Don
Benito she uses his dialogue with Teresa and Jorge to emphasize that Christ
taught us to call no one on earth father; for your father is in heaven. Don Benito
continues by pointing out that Christ told his disciples, "neither be called mas-
ter. If I think I am the master of other men, I am living a lie. I am failing to rec-
ognize the truth that all men are equal that truly we have the same father. Those
who own slaves and believe themselves to be the masters of other cease not to be
greater slaves than the people they govern" (p. 169).
The author characterizes other historical figures such as Sam Houston, U. S.
Grant, and Robert E. Lee to show how our nation was torn apart by the practice
of slavery. Sam Houston's beliefs concerning the treatment of Indians and slaves
are also used as support for Juirez's theme. Sam Houston lost more than one
election and/or political position because he stood up for the humane treatment

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