Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/424

 '392 The United States and Texas. [1824-43 province of Texas had a separate political organisation ; but in the Constituent Congress of Mexico united it temporarily with the State of Coahuila, under the solemn promise that it should become a State of the Mexican Confederation so soon as circumstances would permit. About the same time a large and increasing number of citizens of the United States settled in the country. The abolition of slavery in Mexico in 1829, the exclusion of settlers from the United States in 1830, the military occupation of the province, and the arbitrary and extor- tionate government of the Mexicans, led the people in 1833 to desire separation from Coahuila, and to request the admission of Texas as a State into the Mexican Confederation. The refusal of this request and the military despotism set up by Santa Anna were followed in 1836 by a declaration of the independence of Texas, which led to civil war, the bloody and cruel massacres of Goliad and of the Alamo, and the defeat and capture of Santa Anna by the Texans in the battle of San Jacinto (April, 1836). In the following year Texas was recognised as an independent State by the United States; and its example was subse- quently followed by Great Britain, France, and Belgium. A formal application was now (August, 1837) made by Texas for admission into the union of the United States. Against this proposal eight States protested ; Van Buren would not hear of it ; and so the matter rested when Harrison died and Tyler became President. Tyler was an ardent annexationist, and, when in 1842 the Texan minister renewed the proposal for annexation, would gladly have accepted the tender; but Webster opposed it, and a second time the United States declined the proposition. On the resignation of Webster in the spring of 1843, Secretary Upshur at once made ready to carry out the wishes of the President, and in October, 1843, informed the Texan minister that the government of the United States was ready to negotiate a treaty of annexation whenever he should receive the proper powers. The immediate cause for this offer was a rumour that an agent of the Abolitionists of Texas had proposed to Lord Aberdeen that a company should be formed in England to buy the slaves, receiving in return Texan lands ; and that the proposition had been well received. It was believed that Great Britain was using her influence to persuade Mexico to acknowledge the independence of Texas, on condition that slavery was abolished; and certain remarks of Lord Aberdeen in Parliament were construed to mean that negotiations for that purpose were going forward. When these things were brought to the attention of the British government, all desire or intention to establish any dominant influence in Texas was disavowed ; and the United States was assured that, much as Great Britain desired to see slavery abolished in Texas, as elsewhere, she would not unduly interfere, nor seek, by any improper assumption of authority, to coerce either party. She would give advice, but do nothing more.