The Texas Revolution and the U.S.-Mexican War: a Concise History by Paul Calore

Author:Paul Calore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Published: 2014-04-03T00:00:00+00:00

The Mexican minister, former general and aide to Santa Anna, Juan N. Almonte, wasted little time to show his displeasure with the offer of statehood. Two days after Polk’s inauguration Almonte asked the State Department for his passport and in a fit of anger resigned and returned to Mexico.

Polk not only supported the annexation of Texas but was also a committed proponent of Manifest Destiny, a new ideology that was in vogue among the Washington Democrats. Principally sponsored by John L. O’Sullivan, the co-founder of the Democratic Review and the New York Morning News, its concept carried expansionism to yet another level by emphasizing the notion that the United States was divinely ordained to extend her borders and her ideals of freedom and prosperity from coast to coast and even to the far reaches of the continent. As Polk was a fanatical advocate of Manifest Destiny, Texas was only one of the territories he wanted to add to the Union. The Oregon Territory was also on the table if he could only negotiate her away from Great Britain, as were the Mexican territories of California and New Mexico. Within the next four years, Polk would more than live up to his western expansionist principles.

On his first day in office, the new president was somewhat annoyed that Tyler, a lame-duck president, had made this critical decision to offer statehood to Texas. Polk was convinced that the final determination on such a controversial issue should have been his and his alone. Therefore, to resolve this matter, at least in his mind, he decided to place the annexation offer on hold until he and his cabinet could review Tyler’s decision. Final approval by Polk would then be based on the recommendations from that meeting.

He met with his cabinet on March 10 to discuss the issue and to seek their opinions and advice. At the end of the day, pleased with their wisdom and expert counsel, Polk decided to renew the offer.

On the one hand, in Texas, of course, the news of Polk’s decision was received with great excitement. In most southern cities, the display of approval by the people was quite evident as cheering crowds soon filled the streets and town squares with music and dancing. They celebrated with parades, bonfires, the firing of cannons, and speeches throughout the day.

On the other hand, the response was somewhat different below the Rio Grande. When word reached Mexico that statehood had been offered to Texas the reaction was both swift and vengeful. The ever-changing governments in Mexico City had always considered the Treaty of Velasco an illegal sham. In fact, the Mexican authorities consistently claimed that Santa Anna, while being held captive in chains, was coerced into signing the pact as a stipulation for his release. In their opinion, Texas was stolen by the United States, but in reality, they opined, she still belonged to Mexico and they would most certainly fight to get her back.

In this setting, diplomatic relations between the two governments were effectively severed and the prospect for war was growing stronger each day.

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