Thoughts on the proposed annexation of Texas to the United States Page: 6 of 55
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ON THE PROPOSED
forget the origin of the settlement of Texas. It began in land
speculation; it was marked in its course by abominable frauds,
and one of the great causes of dissatisfaction was the absolute
prohibition of Mexico of slavery within its limits.
The first settlers of Texas, for the mere love of gain, abandoned
a free repffblic for a colonial destiny. Protestants, they transferred
themselves to catholic rule, and renounced the birth-right
of their ancestors, the dear tie of country, and all the valuable
privileges of civilized American freedom, for the doubtful and
desperate chances of a settlement on the Texan prairies under
Spanish dominion.
Texas itself, has been, from its commencement, one great speculation,
and in the long list of bubble companies of the day, the
" Galvesfon Bay, and Texas Land Company," enjoys a distinguished
pre-eminence. Our cities have been inundated with Texas
scrip, and the eager desire of those who wish their titles confirmed
is not to be lost sight of in estimating the motives which
animate the friends of annexation.
Our ancestors exchanged despotism for freedom. The Texans
abandoned freedom for despotism. Liberty of conscience and
the right of self-government stimulated the one, speculation and
jobbing excited the other.
The courage of the West is too well established to be now
called in question, and the history of the Texan war derives all
that it can boast of lustre from western courage. Houston, Lamar,
Travis, Fannin, all the men whose desperate resistance and
miserable fate is connected with the atrocious cruelties practised
at the Alamo and Goliad, were western men, whom a false sympathy
and a restless spirit had seduced from their homes and
their regular pursuits. Fannin writes from the Alamo, just previI
ous to its capture, (Foote, v. 2, p. 207,) "In my last I informed
you that I could find but some half dozen citizens of Texas in
my ranks, and I regret to say that it is yet the case."
With the exception of the infamous massacres of the Alamo
and Goliad, and considering the Bobadil terms in which it has
been spoken of, the contest is almost burlesque. At the action
of Gonzales, the Mexicans ran when the Texans came within five
hundred yards. The capture of Goliad was effected without the
loss of a Texan life. At Conception, one man was lost in a battle
of five minutes, nnd in the storm of Alamo, the Texan Badajoz,
when taken from the Mexicans, one man was killed, and eight
officers and men severely wounded, while in the famous battle
of San Jacinto, which lasted just fifteen minutes, eight Texan
lives were lost. The whole course of the contest is indeed
marked by no other feature than the mingled imbecility and
ferocity of the Mexicans. That so much has been said of the
glories acquired in the Texan revolution, argues of itself the existence
of few subjects for honorable fame. That the resistance
of Texas to Mexico was in many respects well warranted, none
can doubt; that either the or; A ha
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Sedgwick, Theodore. Thoughts on the proposed annexation of Texas to the United States, book, January 1, 1844; New-York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2387/m1/6/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.