12.2 Houston’s First Term

1. 12.2 Houston’s First Term

2. Houston’s Administration • Houston became the first popularly elected president of the Republic of Texas on October 22, 1836. • In has inaugural address, Houston laid out his goals. • Peace with American Indians • The need to stay alert and guard against a Mexican attack • Expressed hope for Texas annexation to the United States

3. Houston’s Administration • Houston’s cabinet (executive department heads to assist him) • Secretary of State: Stephen F. Austin • Secretary of the Treasury: Henry Smiith • Secretary of War: Thomas Rusk • Secretary of the Navy: Samuel Rhodes Fisher

4. Houston’s Administration • Stephen F. Austin served the Republic for only a few months. • As a result of overwork and exposure to cold, he developed pneumonia. • On December 27, 1836, Austin died at the age of 43. • Houston issued the statement “The father of Texas is no more. The first pioneer of the wilderness has departed.” • Houston ordered a 30 period of mourning to honor Austin.

5. Houston’s Administration • The court system was formed as required by the Constitution. • The Congress set up • A Supreme Court • 4 district courts • 23 county courts and justice courts • James Collinsworth, Texas first Supreme Court Justice

6. Houston’s Administration • Another order of business was to specify the Republic’s boundaries. • To the south and west, the congress claimed the Rio Grande as the border. • The Mexican government did not recognize this border. • Many people who lived south and west of the Nueces River still considered themselves Mexicans.

7. Houston’s Administration • Selecting a capital was also an issue. • Ad interim President Burnet, moved the capital from Velasco to Columbia and officials found the town too small. • John and Augustus Allen had recently founded a town near Harrisburg on the Buffalo Bayou and named it in honor of Houston. • In late 1836, the Congress named Houston the temporary capital.

8. Houston and Army Unrest • Republic of Texas soldiers • The new government faced a challenge from its own army. • Many volunteers from the U.S. who arrived to late to fight in the revolution were still eager for action. • Felix Huston, the army’s commander and many others wanted to invade Mexico. • Houston considered the move too risky.

9. Houston and Army Unrest • To stop the growing unrest, Houston replaced Huston with Albert Sidney Johnston. • This only led to more conflict. • The decision angered Huston, and he challenged Johnston to a duel and severely wounded him. • With Johnston unable to take command, unrest in the army grew. • Albert Sidney Johnston

10. Houston and Army Unrest • One commander urged the soldiers to march on the capital to cause trouble. • To regain control, Houston placed all but 600 troops on leave and never recalled them. • For defense and frontier protection, Houston relied on militia companies and the Texas Rangers. • Texas Rangers

11. Economic Policies • The new nation had serious financial problems. Its spending far exceeded its income. • When Houston took office, the Republic had a debt of $1.25 million dollars. • The new nation collected taxes and placed customs duties on imported goods. • Texas officials tried to get loans from the U.S. • The Republic also put public lands for sale. • Despite these efforts, the debt increased.

12. Economic Policies • A political cartoon laments unemployment brought on by the Panic of 1837 • The U.S. experienced a financial crisis in 1837. This Panic of 1837, led to an economic depression. • Texas traded heavily with the U.S. and soon felt the effects. • Business slowed and goods became scarce..

13. Economic Policies • The Republics limited money supply posed another problem. The government printed more money, but had no gold or silver to back it up. • Texas manufactured few goods and had to import many items. • As debt grew, confidence for the government fell and the value of its money dropped

14. Land Policy Under Houston • Although the Republic was in debt, it was rich in land. • In 1836, Texas claimed more than 200 million acres of public land. • The Constitution of 1836, povided for a land policy based on the Spanish, Mexican and southern U.S. practices.

15. Land Policy Under Houston • Heads of families living in Texas on March 2, 1836 – excluding African Americans and American Indians– were guaranteed 4,606 acres. • Single men aged 17 and over were guaranteed 1,476 acres. • Veterans of the Texas Revolution was given more land. • Later laws provided smaller land grants to new settlers. • In all, the Republic distributed 37 million acres under this land policy.

16. Land Policy Under Houston • To encourage immigration, the Republic established a colonization policy in the early 1840’s. • Based on the Mexican empresario system, this policy gave agents contracts to settle immigrants in Texas. • The Republic distributed another 4.5 million acres under this system.

17. Houston’s American Indian Policy • As settlements spread on to American Indian land, many conflicts arose. • American Indians wanted to keep their land, but many Texans wanted to remove them from Texas – by force if necessary. • President Houston opposed such action and supported a peaceful solution. • He wanted to avoid a full-scale Indian war, which the Republic could not afford.

18. Houston’s American Indian Policy • Houston sympathized with the Indian’s desire to control their land. • During the Revolution, Houston had negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee guaranteeing title and control of land in East Texas. • The Texas Senate refused to ratify the treaty and Mexican agents convinced some of them to fight the Texans.

19. Houston’s American Indian Policy • President Houston urged the Cherokee and wrote to their leader, Chief Bowles, to be patient and told them that he would try and help them hold on to their land. • Houston set aside land for the Cherokee in an attempt to keep the peace. • This angered many Texas settlers who wanted land and viewed the Cherokee as Mexican allies. • Texas Cherokee

20. Houston’s American Indian Policy • Chief Bowles agreed to help Texas officials establish peace with Plains Indians to the west, where fighting had increased. • The Comanche, Kiowa, Wichita and other Plains Indians viewed these newcomers as invaders and attacked them. • Comanche and Kiowa forces attacked Fort Parker and killed most of the 34 residents and took five captives Chief Bowles and Sam Houston

21. Houston’s American Indian Policy • Houston and the Congress developed an American Indian policy to reduce conflicts and protect Texas settlers. • The policy established a line of forts along the frontier and encouraged trade with the Indians. • It was hoped that the policy would promote peace and friendship. • While the Texas Rangers patrolled the frontier, Houston tried to negotiate and sign treaties with Texas Indians. • Texas Rangers on the Frontier

22. Houston’s American Indian Policy • Houston attempted to make peace with each American Indian group in Texas. • He was one of the few Texas leaders who believed that Indians and settlers could live together in peace. • Most Texans in the Republic disagreed and preferred to remove the Indians from Texas. • Some Texans believed that Houston’s policy was slowing westward expansion.