Sam Houston’s First Presidency

1. Sam Houston’s First Presidency

2. September 1836 Texans elected Sam Houston president and Mirabeau B. Lamar as VP. • Texans approved the Constitution of 1836 and proposed that TX join the U.S. • Houston was chosen as the capital for 3 years.

3. President Sam Houston Vice President Mirabeau Lamar

4. Problem…TX was in debt because of the war! Sam Houston has to try and figure out how to fix this (pay off the debt)!

5. Army • Army commander Felix Huston wanted to invade Mexico. • President Houston intervened and sent most of the soldiers homeon furlough (extended leave)

6. Annexation • Most Texans were in favor of joining the U.S. immediately • Many Texans had come from the U.S. • Mexico still a threat and Texans wanted U.S. protection.

7. Annexation • Annexation was delayed because the U.S. did not want to damage relations with Mexico. • Also, Antislavery groups in the United States did not want Texas to join the Union as a slave state.

8. Recognition • On March 3, 1837, U.S. President Andrew Jackson granted official recognition of Texas as a nation. • Houston appointed J. Pinckney Henderson Texas ambassador to foreign nations • Henderson arranged trade treaties with France and England. J. Pinckney Henderson Ambassador of the Republic of Texas

9. Native American Conflicts • Comanchesresented Anglo Americans settling in Central Texas • They led series of raids from 1836 to 1837 • In 1836, TX promised Cherokee titles to their land if they signed a treaty to remain peaceful during the TX Rev • Later, the Texas Senate refused to honor the treaty, and each day more settlers took Cherokee land.

10. Texas Debt Soars • To raise money, Congress: • Tariffs on imported goods • Taxes on property • Taxeson businesses • Feeson land title registration

11. Texas Debt Soars • The taxes were difficult to collect, and the gov’t continued to spend more than it collected. • Interest payments also cause debt to continue to rise

12. Santa Anna’s Comment Upon Release "My Friends: I have been a witness of your courage on the field of battle, and know you to be generous. Rely with confidence on my sincerity and you shall never have cause to regret the kindness shown me. In returning to my native land, I beg you to receive the sincere thanks of your grateful friend. Farewell! Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna." 

13. Santa Anna • Upon return, he immediately renounced the promises he had made in Texas. • He refused to recognize TXindependence. • Tried in Mexican court for losing Texas • The court removes him from office and he goes into exile

14. Lamar’s Presidency

15. Mirabeau Lamar Becomes President • Texans elected Lamar president when Houston’s term ended in 1838. • Improving education was Lamar’s main goal.

16. The Cordova Rebellion • In 1838, Vicente Cordova gathered a group of 400 Cherokee and Mexican loyalists on the Angelina River in East Texas. • They were easily defeated by Texas forces. • This event led to distrust of Mexicans and the urge to remove the Cherokees from Texas.

17. Austin • 1839 Congress approved Waterloo on the Colorado River as the site of a permanent capital. • The new capital was named Austin, in honor of S.F.A. • There, the government built a large, capitol building on Congress Avenue

18. Native Americans • Lamar believed the Cherokees had no fair claim to Texas lands they occupied. • He ordered the removal of the Cherokees from Texas. The Battle of Neches results with the death of Chief “Duwali” Bowles. • Surviving Cherokees were forced from their land and moved across the Red River out of Texas.

19. The Council House Fight • After raiding several settlements, the Comanches agree to meet with Texas authorities. • The Comanchespromised to bring their Anglo captives, but produced only one girl • The angered Texans tried to take the Comanches hostage, but they resisted.

20. The Council House Fight • The fight results in7 Texan and 35 Comanche deaths. • The Council House Fight has been called “the greatest blunder in the history of Texan-Indian relations.” It led to more raids, battles, and overall more bloody conflict.

21. Annexation • Lamar believed TX would be a strong independent nation • Opposed annexation

22. Texas Rebuilds Its Navy • Lamar ordered a newly restored navy into Mexican waters. • He thought Mexico would recognize Texas in exchange for the promise that the navy would not invade Mexico. • Sam Houston regained the presidency in 1841 and recalled the navy.

23. The Santa Fe Expedition • The Texans wanted control of Santa Fe, a trading center on the upper Rio Grande in present-day New Mexico. • 1841: Lamar sent an expedition party led by Jose Antonio Navarro (a Lamar supporter and Houston critic) to Santa Fe to try to control the region and open up trade for Texas.

24. The Santa Fe Expedition • The Santa Fe expedition had many misfortunes and hardships; heat, shortages of water and food, and Indian attacks that led to suffering. • They were also confronted by a Mexican army that took the Texans captive and forced them to march 1,000 miles to Mexico Citywhere some were later imprisoned. • Expedition considered a failure.

25. Financial Difficulties • Lamar’s maintenance of the navy and expeditions were expensive. • As a result, Texas paper money called “redbacks” were issued to help pay off the debt. Ultimately, they became worthless and had no real value. • Texas was deeply in debt when Lamar left office – more than $7 million!

26. Houston’s 2nd Texas Presidency

27. Economy • To reduce debt, he cut gov’t jobs and reduced the size of the army. • He sold Navy ships to Galveston citizens who gave them back as gifts. • Houston dishonorably discharged and court-martialed Edwin W. Moore, Commodore of the Texas Navy, for aiding Mexican rebels by blockading Mexican coast. • Despite these attempts to cut costs, the debt of the republic increased, largely because of the high interest that had to be paid.

28. Native Americans • Houston also renewed work for peace and fair dealings with the Native Americans. • Houston appointed William Goyens, a free African American and successful businessman, as an agent to negotiate peace treaties with the Cherokees. He also served as an interpreter; he spoke Spanish and several Native American languages. • The treaties ensured calm for several years. William Goyen’s Headstone

29. Mexican Invasion • In September 1842, a Mexican army of 1,400 soldiers led by General Adrian Wollinvaded Texas and occupied San Antonio. • The Texas Rangers and Texas militia responded and drove them out of Texas after some heavy fighting. • One of the best-known Texas Rangers, was Jack Coffee Hays, a surveyor of the Republic of Texas, and a captain of a Texas Ranger company during the Lamar and Houston’s presidencies. Jack Coffee Hays

30. The Mier Expedition • In November 1842, Houston ordered military (750 troops) to patrol the border area from San Antonio to Laredo. • After finding no trace of the Mexican army, troops ordered back to Gonzales(headquarters for the Texas army).

31. The Mier Expedition • 300 men led by Colonel William Fisher mutinied by attacking the Mexican town of Mier. • Result? The Mexican army of 900 men outnumbered the Texans and forced them to surrender after two days of fighting. Hi-graysoncarroll Pedro Ampudia

32. The Mier Expedition • As TX captives were marched to Mexico City, some escaped, but later died from starvation and exposure. The rest were recaptured. • Santa Anna, now back in power, ordered every 10th Texan in captivity executed. • Of the 176 men recaptured, 17 were to die. General Santa Anna

33. The Mier Expedition • To determine which men were to be executed, each prisoner drew a bean from a jar containing white and black beans. Those who drew a black bean were executed. • The rest of the prisoners who drew white beans were transferred to a prison in Vera Cruz.

34. Annexation • Houston continued to pursue U.S. annexation • Was he successful? Stay tuned when you get back from Christmas break…!