Texas Secession Declaration
This Declaration was issued on February 2, 1861. Before it, South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi had already made public their stand on the justifications and causes to secede from the United States of America.
The declaration of Texas remembered that how on December 29, 1845, Texas, from being an Independent country became part of the Confederated Union for “her welfare, domestic tranquility and thereby sought peace and liberty for her people.
The Texas declaration emphasized that when Texas joined the Union then that union was based on a pact which protected her right of property over the African slaves. It also reminded that they had common link on this issue with other Southern States. It presented the stand that by joining the United State of America, the ties with those states had further strengthened.
However, the declaration questioned the nature of the Federal government towards them since that day.
The declaration also pointed out that in its march towards Pacific Ocean, the Federal Government and non-slaving States had knowingly harmed Texas and “her sister slaveholding States.”
The declaration accused that the Federal government and the Non-Slave Holding States had encouraged crime against the South States. It accused that in Kansas territory, they had harmed the lives and property of the Southern people.
The declaration of Texas had also pointed out that in their fight against the Indians, the Federal Government had not played the positive role. The government had also not protected them against the attacks from Mexico.
The declaration sepcifically identify that the states of Maine, Vermong, New Hamshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Pannsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa had breached the Clause 4 of the Federal Constitution and thereby breach the compact signed between Texas and the Federal Government in December 1845.
The declaration also emphasised the breach of the “good faith and comity” on the part of the North States. The declaration also expressed the fear of the actual agenda based on “the doctrine at war with nature” of the Sectional Party which was going to take over the reigns of the government in the month of March 1861.
The declaration also accused that the discord had been sowed by the sectional party which was going to take over the power whereas the south states had been showing great restraint all through four decades.
The declaration also accused the North States, their sectional party and the Federal Government for making direct attack on the institutions of South, security and peace of the South, property of south and lives of the south people. It also pointed out that they were encouraging and promoting all such organizations which were indulging in harming the South States. For that, the declaration had counted seventeen such States which could be charged with such anti-national activity. Their policy was declared as non-Christian in nature.
Texas’s declaration identified that with them and by that time, six states had separated themselves from the United States of America and the Texas was the seventh one. Thus, the declaration placed before the world the causes and justifications for secession. The Declaration was issued on February 2. 1861 and Ordinance of Secession was issued on February 1, 1861 a day before.
Summary Observation:
The Texas was the youngest State to secede from the Union. The tone, diction, argument and sharpness of the declaration had similarity with the declaration of South Carolina and Mississippi.
Texas identified as the breach of the compact on account of Article 4 of the Federal Constitution as the cause of secession.
Texas also complained that the Federal government was favouring the North States in the march of the nation towards west.
Texas complaint that Federal government did not adopt any policy against the dangers and expenses of South states while dealing with Indians and the attacks from Mexico.
Texas also feared the future course of the destiny of the nation under the Sectional Party under Lincoln and Johnson.
Texas complained that it had suffered in life and property after having joined their fate with United States of America.
Reference:
American Civil War Homepage
Justifications and Causes for Secession on Eve of Civil War Through online Sources
Georgia Declaration of Causes of Secession
Mississippi Secession
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
A similar comment by Walter L. Buenger at Texas State Historical Association
The declaration of Texas remembered that how on December 29, 1845, Texas, from being an Independent country became part of the Confederated Union for “her welfare, domestic tranquility and thereby sought peace and liberty for her people.
The Texas declaration emphasized that when Texas joined the Union then that union was based on a pact which protected her right of property over the African slaves. It also reminded that they had common link on this issue with other Southern States. It presented the stand that by joining the United State of America, the ties with those states had further strengthened.
However, the declaration questioned the nature of the Federal government towards them since that day.
The declaration also pointed out that in its march towards Pacific Ocean, the Federal Government and non-slaving States had knowingly harmed Texas and “her sister slaveholding States.”
The declaration accused that the Federal government and the Non-Slave Holding States had encouraged crime against the South States. It accused that in Kansas territory, they had harmed the lives and property of the Southern people.
The declaration of Texas had also pointed out that in their fight against the Indians, the Federal Government had not played the positive role. The government had also not protected them against the attacks from Mexico.
The declaration sepcifically identify that the states of Maine, Vermong, New Hamshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Pannsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa had breached the Clause 4 of the Federal Constitution and thereby breach the compact signed between Texas and the Federal Government in December 1845.
The declaration also emphasised the breach of the “good faith and comity” on the part of the North States. The declaration also expressed the fear of the actual agenda based on “the doctrine at war with nature” of the Sectional Party which was going to take over the reigns of the government in the month of March 1861.
The declaration also accused that the discord had been sowed by the sectional party which was going to take over the power whereas the south states had been showing great restraint all through four decades.
The declaration also accused the North States, their sectional party and the Federal Government for making direct attack on the institutions of South, security and peace of the South, property of south and lives of the south people. It also pointed out that they were encouraging and promoting all such organizations which were indulging in harming the South States. For that, the declaration had counted seventeen such States which could be charged with such anti-national activity. Their policy was declared as non-Christian in nature.
Texas’s declaration identified that with them and by that time, six states had separated themselves from the United States of America and the Texas was the seventh one. Thus, the declaration placed before the world the causes and justifications for secession. The Declaration was issued on February 2. 1861 and Ordinance of Secession was issued on February 1, 1861 a day before.
Summary Observation:
The Texas was the youngest State to secede from the Union. The tone, diction, argument and sharpness of the declaration had similarity with the declaration of South Carolina and Mississippi.
Texas identified as the breach of the compact on account of Article 4 of the Federal Constitution as the cause of secession.
Texas also complained that the Federal government was favouring the North States in the march of the nation towards west.
Texas complaint that Federal government did not adopt any policy against the dangers and expenses of South states while dealing with Indians and the attacks from Mexico.
Texas also feared the future course of the destiny of the nation under the Sectional Party under Lincoln and Johnson.
Texas complained that it had suffered in life and property after having joined their fate with United States of America.
Reference:
American Civil War Homepage
Justifications and Causes for Secession on Eve of Civil War Through online Sources
Georgia Declaration of Causes of Secession
Mississippi Secession
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
A similar comment by Walter L. Buenger at Texas State Historical Association
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