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The Dawn of a New Era
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tive of the republic; nor to a seat in either branch of the congress of the same. 12 Establisliment of the first constitutional government. Fortunately for the Texans, General Vicente Filisola, second in command'of the Mexican army, agreed to retreat beyond the Rio Grande as ordered by the im- prisoned Santa Anna. The two treaties of Velasco-one public and one secret-were signed on May 14, and provisional President David G. Burnet prepared to return Santa Anna to Mexico that he might, in accord with the secret treaty, use his influence with the government for the recognition of Texas' independence and her claims to the Rio Grande as the western boundary. An unexpected mutiny in the army, led by General Thomas J. Green, recently arrived with volunteers from the United States, however, upset the plans. Santa Anna, who had written a flowery farewell to the Texan army, was mercilessly dragged from the ship he had boarded, subjected to more than six months' mental torture and indignities in Texas prison camps, and finally allowed to go to Washington to talk with President Andrew Jackson. The President refused to treat with the fallen dictator, and ordered the United States frigate Pioneer to take him to Veracruz, whence the defeated General made his way unostentatiously to his country estate Manga de Clavo for a sorely needed rest. His usefulness had now passed. He was power- erless, quite unable to help himself or others. As the Texas Government began to function after the withdrawal of the Mexican troops, order and confidence returned in spite of the mutinous spirit of the Texan army. Many of those who had fled beyond the Sabine for safety crune back; the Government returned from Gal- veston to Velasco. In July President Burnet issued a call for a general election to be held on the first Monday in September in order that constitutional government might be established. At the opening of the campaign there were three candidates: Henry Smith, Stephen F. Austin, and Sam ·Houston. Smith withdrew from the race. Austin, the Father of Texas, who had devoted his whole life to its development, had lost his popularity. Houston was elected by an overwhelming majority of over eighty percent of the total vote cast. Mirabeau B. Lamar was unanimously elected vice president, after his only opponent, Thomas J. Rusk, had withdrawn his candidacy. The Constitution was ratified almost unanimously. Although the new officers were not to be installed until the second
12 John Sayles, Th4 Constitution of T4ras, 173; Gammel, o'ft. cit., I, 1075.
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