COMMITTEE ROOM, July 4, 1845. Hon. Thomas J. Rusk, President of the Convention: The committee to whom was committed the communication of his Excellency the President of the republic, together with the accompanying documents, have had the same under consideration, and have instructed me to report the following ordinance, and recommend its adoption by the convention. dent Tyler, a treaty to that effect was resolution of the Congress and of the signed in Washington, D. C., April 12, Texas ordinance: 1844, by Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of State, and Messrs. Van Zandt and Henderson on the part of Texas. It was rejected by the Senate in June following. The project was presented at the next session of Congress in the form of a joint resolution. It had been made a leading political question at the Presidential election in the autumn of 1844. James K. Polk had been nominated over Mr. Van Buren, because he was in favor of the annexation. The joint resolution was adopted March 1, 1845, and received the assent of President Tyler the next day. On the last day of his term of office he sent a message to the Texas government, with a copy of the joint resolutions of Congress in favor of annexation. These were considered by a convention in Texas, called for the purpose of forming a State constitution. That body approved the measure (July 4, 1845), and on that day Texas became one of the States of the Union. ABNER S. LIPSCOMB, Chairman. Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America has passed resolutions providing for the annexation of Texas to that Union, which resolutions were approved by the President of the United States on the first day of March, 1845; and Whereas, the President of the United States has submitted to Texas the first and second sections of the said resolutions as The following is the text of the joint the basis upon which Texas may be ad mitted as one of the States of said Union, and Whereas, the existing government of the republic of Texas has assented to the proposals thus made, the terms and conditions of which are as follows: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that Congress doth consent that the territory properly included within, and rightfully belonging to, the republic of Texas, may be erected into a new State, to be called the State of Texas, with a republican form of government, adopted by the people of said republic, by deputies in convention assembled, with consent of the existing government, in order that the same may be admitted as one of the States of this Union. hereafter, by the consent of said State, be Now, in order to manifest the assent of the people of the republic, as is required in the above-recited portions of said resolution, we, the deputies of the people of Texas in convention assembled, in their name and by their authority, do ordain and declare that we assent to, and accept the proposals, conditions, and guarantees contained in the first and second sections of the resolutions of the Congress of the United States aforesaid. Adopted by a vote of 56 to 1, July 4, 1845, in the tenth year of the republic. THOMAS J. RUSK, President. And be it further resolved, that the foregoing consent of Congress is given upon the following conditions, to wit: First, said State to be formed, subject to the adjustment by this government of ail questions of boundary that may arise with others governments, and the constitution thereof, with the proper evidence of its adoption by the people of said republic of Texas, shall be transmitted to the Presi- JAMES H. RAYMOND, Secretary. dent of the United States, to be laid before Congress for its final action, on or before After the cession of Louisiana to the the first day of January, 1846; second, United States a controversy arose about said State, when admitted into the Union, its western boundary, which was amicably after ceding to the United States all pub- settled, in 1806, by General Wilkinson and lic edifices, fortifications, barracks, forts the Spanish commander, establishing the and harbors, navy and navy-yards, docks, territory between the Sabine River and magazines, and armaments, and all other Arroya Honda as neutral ground. In 1806 means pertaining to the public defence revolutionary movements, incited by those belonging to the said republic, shall retain of AARON BURR (q. v.), began in that all its public funds, debts, taxes, and dues region, and many skirmishes and battles of every kind which may belong to or be occurred, chiefly by invasions of Amerdue and owing to the said republic, and icans. In conflicts in 1813 the Spanish shall also retain all the vacant and unap- lost about 1,000 men; and in a conflict the propriated lands lying within its limits, to same year, a force of about 2,500 Ameribe applied to the payment of the debts and cans and revolted Mexicans was nearly deliabilities of said republic of Texas, and stroyed. Only about 100 escaped. The the residue of said lands, after discharg- Spaniards murdered 700 of the peaceable ing said debts and liabilities, to be dis- inhabitants of San Antonio. After the posed of as said State may direct; but in close of the War of 1812-15 Lafitte made no event are said debts and liabilities to Galveston Island his headquarters, estabbecome a charge upon the government of lished there a town named Campeachy, the United States; third, new States, of and remained there until 1821, when the convenient size, not exceeding four in settlement was broken up by United States number, in addition to said State of Texas, forces. In 1819 the Sabine was estaband having sufficient population, may lished as the eastern boundary of Texas, but dissatisfaction caused disturbances to continue, and the territory was almost deserted. In 1820 Moses Austin, then living in Missouri, received from the Spanish authorities of Mexico a grant of land in Texas, and dying, his son, Stephen F., received a confirmation of the grant in 1823. Emigrants from the United States flocked into Texas. A thousand families were soon there. Spanish rule was harsh towards the American colonists, and they were so oppressed that, in 1833, they took the measures to obtain the independence of the State already described. The annexation of Texas to the United States led to a war with Mexico (see MEXICO, WAR WITH), begun in 1846, and ended by treaty in February, 1848. It then embraced an area of 376,163 square miles. In 1850 the State ceded to the United States its claims to all territory beyond its present limits (274,356 square miles), in consideration of $10,000,000 in bonds, with the proceeds of which the State debt was paid. On to assist. Not one-half of the 122 counties in the State were represented. Feb. 1, 1861, an ordinance of secession was adopted by a vote of 166 against 7. It declared that the national government had failed "to accomplish the purpose of the compact of union between the States," and the chief grievance complained of was that the national government would no longer uphold the slave system. They therefore abrogated, in the name of the people of Texas, the ordinance of annexation adopted July 4, 1845. They talked of a "resumption of sovereign powers" with some plausibility, for Texas was the only State in the Union that had ever possessed them, as an absolutely independent State. They decreed that the ordinance should be submitted to the people, but the day named (Feb. 23) was so early that no opportunity was afforded the people for discussion. In 1860 politicians began to move for secession. The venerable governor, Samuel Houston, opposed the movement with all his might; but members of the KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (q. v.) were work ing secretly and effectively. Among the Knights were many members of the legislature, and active politicians all over the State. Sixty of these irresponsible persons, early in January, 1861, called a State convention, to meet at Austin on the 28th of that month; and a single member of the legislature issued a call for the assembling of that body at the same time and place. When they met, the legislature, by a joint resolution, declared the convention a legally constituted body. Governor Houston protested against the assumption of any power by the convention, except to refer the matter of secession to the people. The convention assembled in the hall of the House of Representatives, on the appointed day, under the chairmanship of JUDGE JOHN H. REAGAN (q. v.). A commissioner from South Carolina (McQueen) was there The convention appointed a committee of safety to carry out its decision before the people could think or act upon the ordinance of secession. The committee the Federal troops to be removed from was immediately organized, and appointed posts in the country exposed to Indian two of their number (Devine and Maver- depredations, and had them located, with ick) commissioners to treat with Gen. their arms and field-batteries, on the David E. Twiggs, then in command of the coast, where, if their desire is to maintain National troops in Texas, for the surren a position in the country, they cannot der of his army and the public property only do so successfully, but destroy the under his control to the authorities of commerce of the State. They have usurp Texas. Twiggs performed that act. In ed the power to withdraw these troops counting the votes cast on Feb. 23 from the frontier; but though in posconcerning the ordinance of secession session of ample stores, munitions of war, there seemed to be fully 23,000 ma- and transportation, have failed to supply jority in favor of the ordinance, when troops in place of those removed. As a it is asserted that really a very large consequence, the wail of women and proportion of the people of Texas were children is heard upon the border. Deopposed to it. vastation and ruin have thus come upon Governor Houston, in his address to the people; and though the convention, the people of his State, early in March, with all the means in its power, has been 1861, revealed what he called its usurpa- in session two weeks (adjourned session), tions. He had denounced the convention no succor has been sent to a devastated as an illegal body, gathered through fraud frontier. . . . The convention has assumed and violence. "To enumerate all its to appoint agents to foreign States, and usurpations," he said, “would be impos- created offices, civil and military, unknown sible, as a great portion of its proceed to the laws, at its will, keeping secret its ings were in secret. This much has been proceedings. It has deprived the people revealed: It has elected delegates to the of a right to know its doings. It has approvisional council of the Confederate pointed officers and agents under its asStates at Montgomery before Texas had sumed authority." "It has declared," he withdrawn from the Union; and also, on said, "that the people of Texas ratify the the 2d day of March, annexed Texas to provisional government of the Confederate the Confederate States and constituted States, requiring all persons then in office themselves members of Congress, when it to take an oath of allegiance to the same was not officially known by the convention or suffer the penalty of removal." It had until the 4th of March that a majority of changed the State constitution and estabthe people had voted for secession. While lished a test-oath of allegiance to the Cona portion of these delegates were repre- federate States, and, "in the exercise of senting Texas in the Congress of the Con- its petty tyranny," had required the gov federate States, two of them, still claim- ernor and other officers to appear at its ing to be United States Senators, have bar at a certain time to take the oath. It continued to represent Texas in the United had assumed to create organic laws, and to States Senate, under the administration put the same into execution. "It has over. of Mr. Lincoln-an administration which thrown," he said, "the theory of free the people of Texas have declared odious government by combining in itself all the and not to be borne. Yet Texas has been departments of government and exercisexposed to obloquy and forced to occupy ing the powers belonging to each." The the ridiculous attitude, before the world, governor concluded by saying: "I have of attempting to maintain her position as refused to recognize this convention. I one of the United States, and, at the same believe it has received none of the powers time, claim to be one of the Confederate it has assumed either from the people or States. It has created a committee of the legislature. I believe it guilty of a safety, a portion of which has assumed usurpation which the people cannot suffer the executive power of the government, tamely and preserve their liberties. I am and, to supplant the executive authority, ready to lay down my life to maintain have entered into negotiations with fed- the rights and liberties of Texas. eral officers. This committee, and com- ready to lay down office rather than yield missioners acting under it, have caused to usurpation and degradation." I am In 1863 General Banks sent General a march upon Alexandria and Shreveport Franklin, with 4,000 troops, accompanied was again begun. When, in obedience to by four gunboats, under Lieutenant orders, he began falling back, he was sudCrocker, to seize the Confederate post at denly and furiously struck by ConfederSabine Pass, on the boundary-line be- ates under Gen. Richard Taylor, and a regtween Louisiana and Texas, preparatory iment (23d Wisconsin) on which the blow to an attempt to recover the latter State fell was reduced from 226 men to ninetyfrom Confederate control. The expedition eight, most of them made prisoners. Meansailed from New Orleans Sept. 5. A pre- while about 6,000 National troops, under mature attack was made by the gunboats General Dana, with some war-vessels, had on the garrison at Sabine Pass (Sept. 8), sailed for the Rio Grande. Banks, in perand the expedition was a disastrous fail- son, accompanied the expedition. ure. Two of the gunboats were captured, troops debarked (Nov. 2) at Brazos Santiand the transports, with Franklin's troops, ago, drove a small Confederate cavalry fled back to New Orleans, the Nationals force stationed there, and followed them to The Banks entered on Nov. 6. At the close of the year the National troops occupied all the strong positions on the Texan coast excepting Galveston Island and a formidable work at the mouth of the Brazos River, and the Confederates had abandoned all Texas west of the Colorado River. having lost 200 men made prisoners and Brownsville, opposite Matamoras, which fifty killed and wounded; also two gunboats and fifteen heavy rifled cannon. The garrison attacked consisted of about 200 men, and only forty were present. Banks now concentrated his forces on the Atchafalaya, for the purpose of penetrating Texas by way of Shreveport, on the Red River; but this design was abandoned for a time (see RED RIVER EXPEDI- Notwithstanding the downfall of the TION), and it was determined to attempt civil and military power of the Confedto seize and hold the coast harbors of eracy east of the Mississippi, the inTexas. To mask this movement, Gen. C. surgents west of it, under the command C. Washburne, with a considerable body and influence of Gen. E. Kirby Smith, of troops, advanced from Brashear City were disposed to continue the conflict to Opelousas, to give the impression that longer. He addressed his soldiers on April |