WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1847
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initiative was taken; and when the preliminaries were nearly all arranged, their completion being alone prevented by the death of Mr. Upshur, and the appointment of an adjunct com- missioner to Mr. Van Zandt, by Texas," &c. From this it might readily be inferred that obstacles had been interposed to a con- clusion of the preliminaries, by the appointment of an adjunct Commissioner, by Texas. No steps were authorized to be taken by any agent on the subject of the proposition. Previous to the proposition by Mr. Upshur, through Mr. Murphy, U. S. Charge d'Affaires, Mr. Van Zandt had been instructed to make known to the Government of the United States that the vrovosilion of Annexation was no longe1' 07Jen /01· discussion! This, no doubt, in connection with the proclamation of an armistice between Texas and Mexico, corroborated by the au- thentic information referred to by Mr. Tyler, had caused the direct proposition to be made for annexation. In December, 1841, the Executive of Texas found the country surrounded and involved in the most intricate and perilous difficulties. To redeem the nation, it was necessary to accomplish one of three objects, and he designed his plans accordingly. His first object was to obtain annexation. If in that he did not succeed, his next was to secure the independence of Texas, by the recognition of Mexico, and if he should fail in this, the third was to form a treaty with some power, defensive against Mexico. In advancing his policy, his first movement was to send a min- ister [ Mr. Reily] to the United States, with the instructions to present to the Government at Washington the subject of annexa- tion, which had lain dormant three years immediately preceding that period. T'hese instructions were carried out in the best manner by Mr. Reily, but met by discouragement on the part of the Government of the United States. In 1842, Mr. Reily resigned, and Mr. Van Zandt was sent on in his stead, when the proposition for annexation was renewed. The renewal of the proposition was heard and met with the habitual apathy! About this time the causes to which I have alluded began to operate, while there were means used which infused into them new life. The success of the measure of annexation, depended upon the internal political condition of the United States, not upon any intrigues of foreign powers, or of Texas. The Executive of Texas was not moved by the "direct proposi- tion for annexation," but by the pledges given him by Mr. Murphy, Charge d'Affaires of the United States. Before an
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