Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/709

 TEXAS President Jones called a convention of 61 delegates to meet on July 4 to consider the propositions for annexation, and that conven- tion ratified the act and prepared a constitu- tion for the republic as a state of the federal Union, which was submitted to the people and approved by them. On Dec. 29 a joint resolution of congress declared Texas admit- ted into the Union as a state. Its annexation led to a war with Mexico, which terminated in 1848. (See MEXICO.) Under the Spaniards Texas was bounded W. by the Nueces and N. by Bed river, but at the time of its annexa- tion the republic claimed as its W. boundary the Eio Grande and a line running N. from the source of that stream to the 42d parallel, making its area 376,133 sq. m. In 1850 the state ceded to the United States its claim to all territory beyond its present limits, in con- sideration of $10,000,000 in bonds, with the proceeds of which the state debt was paid. At the presidential election in 1860, 47,548 votes were cast for the Breckinridge electors, and 15,438 for the Bell electors. As soon as the election of Lincoln became known, the secessionists began to urge the governor (Sam Houston) to call an extra session of the legis- lature, which he for some time refused to do. Finally, the secessionists having called an ir- regular convention, the governor assembled the legislature on Jan. 21, 1861, which sanctioned the convention thus called. The convention met on Jan. 28, and on Feb. 1 adopted an ordi- nance of secession by a vote of 166 to 7, which on Feb. 23 was ratified by the people by a vote of 34,794 to 11,235. The governor hav- ing neglected to take the oath of allegiance to the confederacy, as required by the conven- tion, an ordinance was passed on March 16 declaring his seat vacant, which action was confirmed by the legislature on the 20th. The permanent constitution of the Confederate States was ratified on March 23 by a vote of 68 to 2. In the mean time, on Feb. 18, Gen. Twiggs, in command of the United States forces in Texas, surrendered his entire command and all the military posts and munitions of war to the state authorities. No very important mili- tary operations occurred in the state during the war. Galveston was occupied by a federal force on Oct. 8, 1862, but it was retaken by the confederates on Jan. 1, 1863. On Oct. 26 Gen. Banks set out from New Orleans with an expedition under the immediate command of Gen. Dana, and landed at Brazos Santiago on Nov. 2. Brownsville was entered on the 16th, and other points in western Texas were occupied. The last fight of the war took place in western Texas on May 13, 1865, be- tween a federal force under Col. Barret and a confederate force under Gen. Slaughter, the latter being victorious. On the 26th Gen. Kirby Smith surrendered the last confederate army. On July 21 Gen. A. J. Hamilton, ap- pointed provisional governor by President Johnson, arrived at Galveston. An election TEXEL 679 was held on Jan. 8, 1866, for delegates to a state convention, those being entitled to vote who were qualified according to the laws in force prior to secession, and who had taken the amnesty oath prescribed by the presi- dent's proclamation of May 29, 1865. The convention met on Feb. 10 and adjourned on April 25, having adopted amendments to the constitution declaring the ordinance of seces- sion void, abolishing slavery, and repudiating the war debt. At an election held in June these amendments were ratified, and J. W. Throckmorton was chosen governor. On Aug. 13 he entered upon his duties. Under the re- construction acts of 1867 Texas with Louisiana was constituted the fifth military district under Maj. Gen. Sheridan, and was placed in imme- diate command of Brev. Maj. Gen. Charles Griffin. Gen. Sheridan assumed command March 19, 1867. On July 30 Gov. Throck- morton was removed, and E. M. Pease ap- pointed in his place. Several changes of mili- tary commanders subsequently took place. On a registration, 59,633 white and 49,497 colored voters were enrolled. At an election in Feb- ruary, 1868, a convention was called, which assembled on June 1 and remained in session till Aug. 31, when it took a recess. Reassem- bling on Dec. 7, it adopted a constitution, and adjourned in February, 1869. At an election held Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, 1869, the constitution was ratified by a vote of 72,366 to 4,928, and E. J. Davis, republican, was chosen governor over A. J. Hamilton, conservative republican. The legislature elected at the same time as- sembled on Feb. 8, 1870, and ratified the 14th and 15th amendments to the constitution of the United States. On March 30 an act was passed readmitting the state to representation in congress, and on April 16 the government was turned over to the civil authorities. "With- in the last few years Texas has suffered severely from Indian incursions on the N. "W. frontier and Mexican raids on the Eio Grande. TEXAS, a S. county of Missouri, drained by Current river and affluents of the Gasconade ; area, 1,250 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 9,618, of whom 95 were colored. The surface is hilly, with large forests of yellow pine, and the soil fertile along the streams. The chief produc- tions in 1870 were 51,778 bushels of wheat, 256,252 of Indian corn, 29,876 of oats, 16,318 of potatoes, 44,349 Ibs. of tobacco, 13,238 of wool, 67,231 of butter, and 601 tons of hay. There were 2,061 horses, 2,399 milch cows, 4,424 other cattle, 7,393 sheep, 15,284 swine, and 6 saw mills. Capital, Houston. TEXEL, an island of the Netherlands, in the North sea, province of North Holland, sepa- rated from the mainland by the channel called Mars Diep, about 2 m. broad ; extreme length 14 m., breadth 6 m. ; area, 74 sq. m. ; pop. in 1869, 6,145. It contains several villages, the most important of which is Burg. The sur- face is low and a great deal of it marshy, but it is protected from inundations by the line of