“Some of you laugh to scorn the idea of bloodshed as the result of secession, but let me tell you what is coming….Your fathers and husbands, your sons and brothers, will be herded at the point of the bayonet….You may after the sacrifice of countless millions of treasure and hundreds of thousands of lives, as a bare possibility, win Southern independence…but I doubt it. I tell you that, while I believe with you in the doctrine of state rights, the North is determined to preserve this Union. They are not a fiery, impulsive people as you are, for they live in colder climates. But when they begin to move in a given direction…they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche; and what I fear is, they will overwhelm the South. “
Sam Houston, 1861
This episode focuses on the courageous attempt by Sam Houston, to keep Texas in the Union during the secession winter of 1860-61.
It took a fair amount of courage to stand against the tide of secession in the South in 1860-1861, but not even his most determined enemy, and he had many enemies, could say that Sam Houston ever had a shortage of that virtue. As an ardent Unionist he fought secession every step of the way.
Houston assumed many roles during his tempestuous life: husband, father, soldier, lawyer, Congressman from Tennessee, Governor of Tennessee, drunk, adopted Cherokee, Major General of the Texas Army, President of the Republic of Texas, Texas Representative, Senator from Texas, but perhaps his greatest role was at the end as Governor of Texas in 1859-1861. As secession fever built in Texas at the end of 1860 he stumped the state vigorously, although he knew it was hopeless, arguing against secession which he viewed as an unmitigated disaster for Texas and the nation.
“To secede from the Union and set up another government would cause war. If you go to war with the United States, you will never conquer her, as she has the money and the men. If she does not whip you by guns, powder, and steel, she will starve you to death. It will take the flower of the country-the young men.”
“I declare that civil war is inevitable and is near at hand. When it comes the descendants of the heros of Lexington and Bunker Hill will be found equal in patriotism, courage and heroic endurance with the descendants of the heroes of Cowpens and Yorktown. For this reason I predict the civil war which is now at hand will be stubborn and of long duration.”
Houston, as governor of Texas, refused to bring the state legislature back into session to consider secession. The Secession Convention, which held its opening session on January 28, 1861, voted to abrogate the treaty of annexation with the US on February 1. Secession was put to a popular vote and won at the ballot. Texas was admitted to the Confederacy on March 1, 1861. Houston never recognized the legality of any of this, and refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy.
“In the name of the constitution of Texas, which has been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. I love Texas too well to bring civil strife and bloodshed upon her.”
He was deposed from office on March 15, 1861. Houston died on July 26, 1863, with his wife Margaret by his side. He had never ceased to bemoan the Civil War raging throughout the nation. His last words were “Texas! Texas! Margaret.”
Bonus:
Article 4, section 3 of the Constitution for the United States of America requires the state’s legislature and Congress to approve secession.
Mary, Article IV, Section 3, says nothing about secession. Here is the full text, taken from the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute website:
“New states may be admitted by the Congress into this union; but no new states shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.”
“The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular state.”
That’s it. Again, no express or implied provision regarding secession. Houston’s position was based on the Texas Constitution and the provisions of the Act by which Texas was admitted to the Union.
The question of secession actually arose much earlier in the 19th century when several of the New England states threatened to secede over tariff and trade issues. The matter was only considered settled by the Civil War.
“The question of secession actually arose much earlier in the 19th century when several of the New England states threatened to secede over tariff and trade issues. The matter was only considered settled by the Civil War.”
Fascinating, thanks for pointing it out. I either had forgotten about that, or my history lessons failed to mention it. More likely, the former. 😉
Frank ; “without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.”
Here is the important part. Jefferson Davis had to get Congress to aprove of his secession or formation of another kind of state within the states.
Mary, please read the whole clause carefully. It is NOT referring to secession. God bless.
Frank: Now I am going out on a limb.
So, if the Confederate States including Texas were to have gotten permission from Congress to secede, there may have been no Civil War?
So, if the Confederate States including Texas were to have gotten permission from Congress to secede, there may have been no Civil War?
Almost certainly. However Congress wasn’t going to give permission, and the Secessionists were not going to ask. An interesting alternate history could be written where Secession is a peaceful political movement that seeks permission from Congress.
Before the China Virus Reign of Terror, I would take out from the public library newly printed books.
One was on the abortive ‘Other’ Thirteenth Amendment which was working its way through Congress just before hostilities commenced. One take away was that war hysteria was strong both north and south.
I didn’t get through it. I knew the ending.
Thank you Donald McClarey
In 1959 Hawaii voted to become a state. When they came to realize that the American Indians on reservations were a sovereign nation within a sovereign nation, Hawaii petitoned the Supreme Court to allow them to become a sovereign nation of Indigenous people. The Court said that because they had voted for statehood they could not go back. Puerto Rico as you know has never voted for statehood.
As a territory, Texas voted to join the Confederacy. Did Jefferson Davis have the authority to confer statehood on Texas? If he did not, then Texas remained a territory during the Civil War.
“As a territory, Texas voted to join the Confederacy. Did Jefferson Davis have the authority to confer statehood on Texas? If he did not, then Texas remained a territory during the Civil War.”
Texas was admitted to the Union on December 29, 1845. Secession was approved on March 2, 1861 by a convention that met in Austin. Texas was readmitted to the Union (thus, Congress implicitly, at least, recognized the de facto secession, if not also de jure) by act of Congress in 1873 after several years of disputes about the new 1866 Texas Constitution. Interesting but unfortunately little-known outside of Texas. The good news is, Sam Houston is now generally regarded as having been right all along, although a small minority of Texans still think the Confederacy was right and Lincoln was a nasty tyrant. I am not one of them. 😁
Thank you Frank:
Our exchange was factual and thought provoking.
Thanks again
Mary
And the same to you, Mary. I always enjoy reading your posts. 😊